I Want A Convertible Pickup Truck SUV Please

It might sound strange but there are those who can’t decide between a pickup truck, an SUV, a convertible and want all three.

You could have a choice if Magna Steyr finds enough momentum with its altogether wrapped incredible concept. While the company has shown a few under its belt, their new eye brow raiser aims to please those of you slightly undecided folks. Come on, admit it, there were times when you couldn’t decide if you wanted the convenience of a pickup truck for that once in a while when you actually need that flat bed cargo space to lug things around. The problem is that you soon realize you are carrying dead weight and rarely schlep things around. Then all the sudden the appeal of an SUV makes more sense. After all, you could shove the entire family in, the kitchen sink and fridge, and for good measure throw the dog in the back. But your rebellious side screams longing for those day when your flowing hair dangled in the wind of that awesome convertible you once had. Ah, the dilemma!

An SUV/Pickup Truck/Convertible For You. Like most people you’ve wanted one of the three and at times wished you could all three but buying three separate cars made no sense. You grumble why, Oh why can’t someone invent an SUV/Pickup Truck/Convertible! And lo and behold Magna Steyr picks up your idea and gives you the Holy Grail. It’s a pick up truck. No, it’s an SUV. No, it’s also a convertible!

The company’s MILA Coupic is the sixth brain child in a series of intriguing concepts aimed at pleasing as many people as possible, while offering the most diverse platforms. While Magna Steyr hasn’t released much on it, it is most likely trying to get a sense as to what people truly want. And at this stage of the game, guesses are floating to its configuration, such as an all-wheel drive capacity and various propulsion platforms. This vehicle would make for a great plug-in hybrid, PHEV configuration. Since space is not a problem, it wouldn’t be too far fetched to add a small battery pack, say 8 to 10 kWh driving an electric motor and dramatically boosting overall performance.

MILA Coupic’s Innovative Touches. The innovative touches of the MILA Coupic are its soft-top system that neatly folds back turning the SUV into a convertible. If you thought the idea was odd and has no place in the market, turn your attention to the very small but growing amount of SUVs/crossovers that become convertibles, such as Nissan Murano’s concept. But the MILA Coupic goes a step further, or more precisely takes a cue form a glorious past of a car company that offered a limousine with two retractable tops. Does anybody the amazing Maybach Landaulet limousine? Magna Steyr took the same idea of a two part retractable top that uncovers the front and rear passenger habitat. Obviously each front and back can control their respective open or closed roof separately. To make things even niftier, both have a glass top, allowing a view of the sky to let you know when it’s OK to open up.

How Does It Turn Into A Pickup Truck? This is where Magna Steyr throws in some of its genius weight. By including electronic folding rear seats (yes, you read that right, electronic, not just electric!), the back doesn’t just become a conventional larger trunk, with its back top open, it then becomes a pickup truck where you can dump your bikes, for instance. If you’ve caught that last part and you are of the rational, linear type you would ask how can this happen with a rear convertible top. And to this, Magna Steyr found a way to have the back top fold forward, away from the back door that can now be freed to open completely without a roof constrain.

Will there be a market for it? Will people like it? Will people want a multi-use car? I’m sure there is a market out there for an all-in-one car. As the saying goes, there is a seat for every behind out there in the automobile industry. Feasibly, this car could be a one size fits all for many professionals needing the cargo space during the day, the care free convertible drive in the evening and the family getaway on weekends. Magna Steyr’s MILA Coupic shows a fascinating glimpse of what the future could look like in a few years where finally once again cars will deliver on the promise of truly being multi-talented and multi-functional.