This is the year utes go all exotic

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

The HSV SportsCat+ is based on the Holden Colorado and has a trick chassis.

There are hero model utes - and then there are Hero model utes.

One of the features of ute markets all over the world - New Zealand included - is how customers like to either dress them up, or buy them already fitted with all the dressy features.

The Ford Ranger Raptor was revealed at a function in Bangkok last month. It's due to be launched in New Zealand mid-year.

Great examples of hero utes already on the Kiwi market include the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and the Holden Colorado Z71. Some of these utes are so popular that, despite the fact they are the most expensive models, they make up 30 per cent of a brand's ute sales volume.

Not only that, but many customers enjoy heavily accessorising their new vehicles - and that means big business for the brands involved.

Chevrolet's big US-built Silverado pickup will become available in New Zealand during 2018.

Toyota's hero ute will be the Hilux Gladiator. This is the so-called Stage Three version with all the fruit.

* Biggest year ever for car sales in NZ already

* Utes still beaut in New Zealand vehicle market**

Hilux Gladiator customers who wish their ute to be a little less loud, can opt for this Stage One model.

A couple of months ago at the launch of the facelifted Hilux ute, Toyota New Zealand told journalists it does more than $30 million in accessories business each year. Average spend on ute accessories is $2500, and the Toyota record for accessorisation of a single ute is $31,000.

Little wonder then that this year is seeing several brands vying to take further advantage of this trend by offering what we think can be best described as super-dooper hero utes.

Three versions of the Ram 1500 will be launched in New Zealand later this year.

First up, Ford. In the mid-year it will launch a performance version of the Aussie-developed and Thai-built Ranger. It's going to be called Raptor, borrowing the name of the F-150 Raptor pickup that is built in USA.

Our Ranger Raptor will be different, however. It's not going to be powered by any monster engine, but by an all-new 2.0-litre bi-turbo four cylinder diesel engine that will develop 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque. The engine will be mated to a 10-speed automatic from the F-150 Raptor.

It's also going to come with a seriously beefed up chassis and a special suspension that will include a bespoke version of the Everest SUV's coil-over rear suspension with an integrated Watt's linkage - and Ford promises it will be one of the best-handling pickups on the market.

Raptor is expected to be launched in New Zealand during the third quarter of the year, and the first time New Zealanders will get to see it will be at this year's Fieldays in June.

Toyota's exotic offering is the Hilux Gladiator, which is a standard Hilux but which features all sorts of extras designed to turn it into a statement of style.

This ute had its beginnings at last year's National Fieldays, where it displayed a Hilux Gladiator Concept that boasted such extras as a suspension lift kit, 20-inch alloys with mud terrain tyres, bull bar and winch, sump guard, and special graphics. It received such attention that Toyota New Zealand has decided to offer a Gladiator model for sale.

Actually, the ute is available with a choice of three 'stages' which are essentially build-to-order packages and which cost between $8090 and $19,298.

Stage One gives the Gladiator a different front grille with a bonnet lip, 20-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres, an exterior decal kit, and special seats with Gladiator embossing. Stage Two adds flared guards, while a Stage Three package has the works - 20-inch wheels with mud terrain tyres, steel front and rear bumpers, Gladiator scuff plates, and a leather and sports seats upgrade.

Holden is getting in on the act too - well, its performance vehicle partner Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) is actually, but it is using the Colorado Z71 ute as the base vehicle for creation of two heavily modified pickups called SportsCat and SportsCat+ which are expected to arrive in New Zealand next month.

Both utes, which will have a re-engineered chassis and suspension for better ride and handling, will feature different grilles and front bumpers with bash plates and integrated tow hooks, and 18-inch forged alloy wheels and special tyres that help create a 30mm-wider track and 25mm more ground clearance. The SportsCat+ will have more rugged detailing, including chunky flares on the guards, and a different sports bar.

A trick feature with the SportsCat+ will be a big anti-roll bar that automatically decouples when low range is selected, allowing maximum axle articulation. That will mean the ute will offer the best of both worlds - sporty ride characteristics on the road, and plenty of articulation off the road.

And something else from HSV: it's also set to begin re-manufacturing the big left-hand drive American 6.6-litre V8 turbodiesel Chevy Silverado pickup for sale in this part of the world. Two 2500HD models will be the focus - the LTZ Midnight Edition and the LTZ Custom edition. Both will offer 332kW of power and a mind-boggling 1234Nm of torque.

Talking about big, here's something else coming out of America.

We already get Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups here, after they have been turned into right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Australia. They're monster drives thanks to a combination of their sheer size and their 6.7-litre in-line six cylinder Cummins engine which develops 276kW and 1084Nm.

Later this year three more Rams will be added to the fleet. They're all Ram 1500 models, and they will all be specified to the same Laramie level as the 2500 and 3500 models already on sale here. It's also likely one of the pickups will be a Black Edition version that was unveiled in USA last year.