Next Mazda BT-50 may be twinned with Toyota HiLux

Mazda needs a new one-tonne ute when its current BT-50 – which has been twinned with the Ford Ranger for generations -- reaches the end of the line in a few years and one solution could be a switch to Toyota's new HiLux.

Ford and Mazda have co-developed their mid-size utes since the days of the Blue Oval's controlling interest in the Japanese car-maker, and the two car-makers share a joint-venture plant that produces the Ranger and BT-50 in Thailand.

Each model is vital to each brand. Last year about 200,000 utes were bought Down Under, making it the world's fourth biggest pick-up market and accounting for 16 per cent of Australia's total industry.

The HiLux has long dominated the segment, with more than 37,000 sales making it Toyota's second most important model and Australia's third biggest seller overall last year.

The BT-50 has never been as popular, but still found more than 14,000 buyers and 14 per cent of Mazda's total, making it indispensible for the nation's third most popular car brand.

So far this year, BT-50 sales are up more than nine per cent to almost 9500 units – well above the segment average despite the release of redesigned Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton models, and the imminent arrival of a new HiLux.

In fact, some Mazda executive say that without Australia there would be no BT-50 and that the one-tonner will always be part of its range.

Released in 2011, the current Ranger and BT-50 have just reached middle age, with the Ford brining a raft of mechanical, safety and cosmetic upgrades this month, and the BT-50 bringing far less extensive design and equipment updates next month.

However, Mazda must soon lock in plans for its next BT-50 but is not in a position to develop its own, so must either renew its model-by-model co-development deal with Ford, or find a new partner.

Speaking at the Frankfurt motor show this week, Mazda Motor Corporation managing executive officer for sales and marketing, Masahiro Moro, indicated that the BT-50's future was assured.

He said discussions for its replacement have commenced, but suggested the decision was made more difficult by lower volumes following the discontinuation of the BT-50 in Europe.

“We are working on a future program. It is very early days," he said.

"At this stage, it is not my call to discontinue BT-50 as it is critical to Australia, New Zealand and some South-East Asian countries.

“But if we follow the current path, the BT-50 will get adequate updates.”

However, he could not say if the next BT-50 would again be twinned with the Ford Ranger and said he did not know if a new technology-sharing agreement between Toyota and Mazda would extend to utes.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “They do have pick-up trucks in North America and Asia, but I truly don’t know because we have not discussed.”

Moro said the Mazda-Toyota partnership -- which includes sharing of Prius hybrid technology and a Mazda2/Scion joint-venture -- was a sensitive issue and had only recently established a working team to discuss further potential projects.

“We don’t have a complete agenda yet,” he said. “This alliance was formed with the clear articulation of working together to develop better cars.”

When pressed on the issue, Moro provided a firm "no comment".

If a one-tonne pick-up deal is inked between Mazda and Toyota, the third-generation BT-50 would emerge from Thailand by the end of this decade -- based on the HiLux for the first time and potentially produced by Toyota.