After unveiling the sleek Alaskan concept pickup last September, Renault has launched the production version.
Renault's first global one-ton pickup truck loses the icy look and concept-only accessories, but maintains the rugged-but-shapely build.
The Alaskan will soon find its way to the global market, starting in South America. It borrows a fully boxed frame from Nissan, with dimensions and body lines very closely related to the NP300 Navara, Gizmag reported.
The pickup wears a distinct Renault look upfront, despite its slightly winged chrome grille, chrome riser bar, unique headlamps with LED daytime running lamps and swept-back hood design. The Alaskan concept's "LED Pure Vision" taillights were one of its most distinctive features, but (not surprisingly) they've been swapped for a more traditional taillight design.
Renault will offer the Alaskan in a number of body styles and sizes, including single-cab, double-cab and chassis cab, long and short beds, and wide and narrow bodies. The muscular wheel arches accommodate 16- or 18-in alloy wheels.
In terms of power, the Alaskan will feature a number of options, depending upon market, including 160-hp and 190-hp 2.3-liter twin-turbo diesel four-cylinders, 160- and 190-hp 2.5-liter diesel engines, and a 160-hp 2.5-liter gasoline engine.
There will also be 2WD and 4WD options and six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmissions.
The Alaskan was developed in France, Japan and Latin America, and it will continue its global focus when launched. Rollout will start in Colombia and expand from there, with manufacturing to be performed at three sites: Cuernavaca, Mexico; Barcelona, Spain; and Cordoba, Argentina.
It is not yet clear whether the model will make its way to the Africa and Middle East region and from there to Iran.
Renault Pars' Communications Deputy Director Fatemeh Hassanabadi commented that it is currently "too soon" to say whether the Alaskan would be launched in Iran.
"After the corporate launch of a new model, it often takes between three to six months before it is decided whether it should also be sold in the Middle East," she told the Financial Tribune in a phone interview.
Hassanabadi noted that although currently there are no regional plans for the new pickup, the issue will be decided in the near future.
