From Left Lane News...

"Mazda*has announced that its next pickup truck will be developed and built by*Isuzu.

The yet-unnamed model will replace the BT-50, a*Ford*Ranger-based mid-size truck that's nearing the end of its life cycle.*It's still at the embryonic stage of development so what it will look like and what it will be powered by are anyone's guess at this point, but we'll find out more about it in the coming months.

The deal is a win-win situation for both carmakers, at least on paper. On one hand, it helps Isuzu offset the high cost of designing a new truck from scratch, and it will ultimately give the firm's factories extra units to build. On the other hand, it lets Mazda replace the BT-50 at minimal cost, allowing the small company to focus on developing the passenger cars and*crossovers that make up the bulk of its global sales.

Mazda's version of the truck will be sold in countless global markets, but the company has already noted that the United States won't be one of them. When they debut, the pickups will fight in the same segment as the*Toyota Hilux, theVolkswagen Amarok, Chevy/Isuzu variants and the*Nissan Navara/Renault Alaskan*twins."