Hannover, Germany, isn’t exactly the Wild West, but Volkswagen has unveiled a pickup at the IAA truck show there that looks ready to cowboy up.
The TRISTAR concept is something of a centaur: future Volkswagen Transporter van up front, open bed in the back.
There’s a waterproof drawer under it, increasing cargo carrying flexibility, and the TRISTAR has four-wheel-drive and a jacked up suspension system for go-anywhere capability.
The interior, is decidedly less outdoorsy, however, with a 20-inch tablet computer, video conferencing, and room for a table and an espresso machine.
It’s powered by a 2.0-liter diesel, and features a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, at least it will be if they decide to make it.
If they do, there’s word on U.S. sales, although the growth in popularity of European style vans, like the Ram Promaster and Ford Transit, and the promise of tapping into the largest pickup market in the world could prove persuasive.
One thing’s for sure, at six and a half feet tall, there’s plenty of room for a 10-gallon hat.
Yeehaw and jawohl!