Could Mazda be readying a BT-50 rival for the Ranger Raptor?

Mazda has hinted that it is working on “something special” for the Isuzu D-Max-based BT-50 South Africa will be getting later this year.

This is according to Hiroshima’s Managing Director for Australia, Vinesh Bhindi, who then immediately told carsguide.com.au that “today is not the day to discuss those details, so please stayed tuned”.

The online publication has however alleged that the secrecy centres around a new flagship off-road focused model aimed at not only the outgoing Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior, but also the Australian market only Toyota Hilux Rugged X as well as the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Mazda’s cryptic announcement comes five months after Isuzu’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Koichiro Yoshida, alluded to a possible Raptor rival of the D-Max despite it being rejected two years before by the marque’s Director of Product Planning for Australia, Yugo Kiyofuji.

Unlike the Boss edition of the previous generation Ranger underpinned BT-50, which arrived Down Under two years ago with mainly cosmetic tweaks, CarsGuide claims that the fixtures could well mirror those of the Raptor in the fitting of upgraded dampers and suspension.

It did however indicate that the hardware, if indeed accurate, could be sourced and fitted locally, meaning it could well be an Australian exclusive model like the Rugged X, the N-Trek Warrior and indeed the New Zealand only Hilux Mako and Suzuki Jimny pick-up.

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