Next Alaskan? Renault unwraps new Niagara Concept bakkie

With production of the Nissan Navara-based Alaskan at its Santa Isabel plant in Argentina still progressing, Renault has, nonetheless, introduced a new concept bakkie as part of its International Game Plan 2027 centring around markets outside of Europe.

New platform

Equally part of the Renaulution plan introduced three years ago, the off-road accessorised Niagara Concept slots-in between the incoming Oroch and Alaskan in Renault’s bakkie range, though it remains to be seen whether it will be limited to South America or exported as a world model with both left-and a right-hand-drive.

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Appearing suitably more aggressive than both its siblings, the still camouflaged prototype ushers in a new modular platform able to underpins vehicles between four and five metres long with a wheelbase from 2.6 to three metres.

Given the concept’s focused markets, four regions have been entrusted with the platform’s development; Latin America, India, Turkey and Latin America.

E-4WD but no diesel

Supporting conventional combustion, flex-fuel, hybrid, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and mild-hybrid propulsion types, the latter features underneath the Niagara’s bonnet, albeit in conjunction with an unspecified petrol engine.

Mounted on BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres, the Niagara, additionally, premieres what Renault calls its E-Tech four-wheel-drive system, which combines the 48-volt system with an electronic motor on the rear axle.

Able to be driven fully electrically, the concept eschews Renault’s latest styling language for a look company Vice-President of Design, Gilles Vidal, describes as “robust and mighty”.

“This exploratory concept is also sophisticated and packed with technologies. It is the promise of an unlimited journey,” Vidal said in a statement.

Besides the hybrid setup, no further details of the powertrain or indeed images of the interior was revealed, though as evident by Renault’s wording, the production Niagara won’t make use of a diesel engine currently found underneath the Alaskan‘s bonnet.

More details in due course

Resembling the Austral at the rear, the Niagara is only expected to debut in 2027, a reported two to three years after the next generation Navara that will use the foundation of the all-new Mitsubishi Triton revealed in July.

As it stands, nothing else about the Niagara continues to be known, however, expect details to become over the coming years heading up to its supposed reveal in four years’ time.

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