Pickup trucks, also known as light trucks, have been one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States for several decades, and each new year brings new developments that improve comfort, functionality, and practicality. An integral part of these improvements are concept trucks, which anticipated all these innovations.
As with concept cars, some of the 16 trucks on this list are barely disguised prototypes of production models, others are bold experiments hiding new possibilities, and some are simply flights of fancy. If you could have one of these concept light trucks in your garage, which one would you choose?
1971 AMC / Jeep Cowboy
The 1971 Jeep Cowboy concept, built primarily from AMC Gremlin and Hornet passenger car parts, was almost a full-fledged competitor to the Datsun and Toyota compact pickups that appeared that decade. AMC’s 3.8- and 4.2-litre inline engines would have given the Cowboy much more power and torque than similarly sized trucks from the Land of the Rising Sun, and its coupe-like design (similar to the Chevy El Camino or Ford Ranchero) was well suited to the automotive fashion of the time. A separate body and interchangeable parts with existing models would have helped reduce the Cowboy’s production cost and retail price. However, in the end, AMC went a different route, offering the CJ-8 Scrambler mini-truck instead of the Cowboy.
1989 Chevrolet XT-2
The Chevrolet XT-2 looks like a strange love child of two fairly popular Chevy models, the Camaro and El Camino, which used the F-body architecture. Built to compete in the CART PPG IndyCar series, the XT-2 is powered by a 4.5-litre V6 similar to the one used in Trans Am race cars. The engine develops 360 horsepower. The entire design of the truck, including the windscreen resembling a visor, vertical door handles and streamlined cargo compartment sides, hints at a futuristic successor to the regular El Camino model, but unfortunately, this amusing concept pickup remained the only one ever built.
1994 Ford Power Stroke
The 1994 Ford Power Stroke concept, based on a shortened version of the contemporary F-350 heavy-duty chassis with dual rear wheels, served as a unique platform for Ford to showcase its new turbo-diesel engine, also named Power Stroke. The 7.3-litre V8 with direct fuel injection soon appeared on the F-250 and F-350 production pickups and still enjoys an impeccable reputation as a durable, serviceable and powerful engine. The Power Stroke concept, with all its curves and bubble shapes, foreshadowed the design of the 1997 Ford F-150 production model to a certain extent.
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1996 Ford Adrenalin
The Ford Adrenalin concept, which debuted in 1996, served as a precursor to the 2001 Explorer Sport Trac production model. With four full-size doors and relatively small dimensions, falling short of the size of a real F-150, the Adrenalin also anticipated the truck market’s shift toward passenger comfort rather than rugged practicality and functionality. The show truck’s connection to the Sport Trac model is evident in the rear design, but unlike the production truck, the Adrenalin concept also offered a removable rear window and folding rear partition, extending the cargo space beyond the cargo compartment. The production Chevrolet Avalanche received a similar feature when it was introduced in 2002.
1999 Dodge Power Wagon
It’s hard to remember a time when there was no full-size Ram Power Wagon off-road pickup truck, but such a time did exist – about 20 years ago. Wanting to capitalise on the popularity of Dodge Ram trucks and the company’s long history of building off-road and military pickups, DaimlerChrysler created the Power Wagon concept in 1999, giving it a neoclassical design and featuring 35-inch tyres and a massive 7.2-litre inline six-cylinder turbo diesel engine. Although the concept remained a one-off, the manufacturer brought back the off-road spirit and the legendary Power Wagon name to production with the launch of the Ram 2500 Power Wagon in 2005.
2000 GMC Terradyne
The almost ‘bonnetless’ proportions of the GMC Terradyne provided this truck with sufficient space for an extended cab, while cantilevered sliding doors made entry and exit easier. Four-wheel steering, which predated GM’s Quadrasteer system by two years, improved manoeuvrability in tight spaces, while the Duramax V8 turbo diesel engine delivered over 950 Newton metres of torque. The bed length with extendable drawers increased from the standard 1.82 metres for GMC pickups to 2.44 metres, and a 110-volt outlet was connected to a 5,000-watt generator.
2001 Nissan Alpha-T
Take a closer look and you’ll see the similarities between the Nissan Alpha-T concept and the 2004 Titan production pickup. Its sloping cab, glowing headlights and numerous tie-downs in the cargo bed made it Nissan’s first full-size truck. Otherwise, the Alpha-T is pure show car madness. The massive rear door swings down almost to the ground on consoles, and the boot floor slides out for easy loading and unloading. The longitudinal roof panels (as on the later Quest minivan and Maxima sedan) and orange leather interior allowed the Alpha-T to fully embrace the automotive trends of the early 2000s.
2001 Nissan Nails
Given the extravagant design, provocative colour and completely unusual body shape of this Nissan concept car, it is difficult to say with certainty whether the name ‘Nails’ refers to building materials or manicure. However, despite its unusual and clearly not very successful design, the Nissan Nails was actually quite sturdy and functional: dent- and scratch-resistant body panels, a low floor for easy loading, and front-wheel drive. This model could probably have been the ideal inexpensive pickup truck for delivery drivers or skilled individual salespeople.
2002 Dodge M80
Today, compact pickups are almost a thing of the past, and even the smallest trucks take up almost as much space in the car park as their full-size predecessors did two decades ago. The Dodge M80 was supposed to help restore the compact truck’s place in the market with its fantastic retro styling and relatively simple engineering. A 3.7-litre V6 engine and five-speed manual transmission were combined with a four-wheel-drive transfer case, largely borrowed from the Dakota pickups of the time.
2002 Ford Mighty F-350 Tonka
Painted in the signature yellow colour of its namesake, the Ford Mighty F-350 Tonka concept stood out (both figuratively and literally) from the crowd at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. The Tonka anticipated the future development of the F-Series Super Duty trucks with its 6.0-litre Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel engine, chrome front end and rear fenders covering the dual wheels. Some of the other distinctive features of the Tonka concept were borrowed from long-haul trucks, including a floating suspension driver’s seat.
2006 Dodge Rampage
When pickups began to rival minivans as the primary family vehicle, Dodge attempted to combine the two in 2006. The Rampage, which borrowed its name from a single-volume pickup coupe from the 1980s, had sliding doors, front-wheel drive and Stow-n-Go seats, like a traditional Dodge minivan. However, the pickup-style body and 5.7-litre Hemi V8 made the Rampage much more muscular and powerful than the regular Grand Caravan.
2008 Toyota A-BAT
Like the aforementioned Dodge Rampage, the Toyota A-BAT concept pickup has a single-volume layout and focuses more on passenger comfort than practicality and functionality. The four-cylinder Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain and solar panels are something no one had seen on trucks at the time, while the A-BAT’s 1.22-metre cargo bed and lack of a low-range transfer case emphasise its less-than-stellar off-road capabilities compared to other pickups. However, the concept’s four-seat interior still looks fresh and modern, and the additional on-board batteries allow devices to be charged and a variety of camping equipment to be powered.
2011 Ram 5500 Long Hauler
Ram’s innovative Mega Cab passenger cabin was never offered to customers in combination with the extended 2.44-metre cargo bed, but the manufacturer has corrected this mistake by creating the ridiculously massive 5500 Long Hauler concept. And because more is never enough, Ram also placed an additional fuel tank between the cab and the cargo bed. As a result, the total fuel capacity on board was 643 litres, allowing for a highway range of over 3,200 kilometres. The Long Hauler, which was never released, was intended to appeal to those who regularly spend their days on the open road. Its long wheelbase and long range would have made it an ideal tow vehicle for a medium-duty trailer.
2012 Jeep Mighty FC
Before the 2020 Gladiator hit the market, Jeep introduced several different concept pickups to the world. Perhaps one of the most interesting of these was the Mighty FC, a Wrangler-based truck that mimics the design of the legendary Jeep Forward Control from the 1950s and 60s. The Wrangler cab was mounted on front and rear portal axles from Mopar, giving the Mighty FC high ground clearance and the colourful look of a powerful off-road truck. And, let’s be honest, it looks very, very cool.
2014 Volkswagen Tristar
The 2014 Volkswagen Tristar concept was created for the preliminary presentation of the new sixth-generation Transporter van. It was equipped with a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, paired with a dual-clutch transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive. A three-centimetre suspension lift and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A studded tyres reinforced the van’s position as a true off-road master. Alas, the production Tristar never got the green light, while the Transporter, incidentally, was sold almost everywhere except the United States.
2017 Yamaha Cross Hub
The Yamaha Cross Hub, with its centrally located driver’s seat and miniature dimensions, is a very interesting little truck from 2017. Its 1+2+1 seating configuration proved surprisingly functional, and the interior was quite spacious considering the concept’s overall length of only 450 centimetres. At the same time, the cargo compartment could easily accommodate one or two Yamaha cross motorcycles. This Yamaha concept was not the first to be equipped with four wheels, and it was certainly not intended for production, but it is nevertheless a remarkable example of a clever combination of efficient use of available space and unique exterior design.
