Utes aka Coupe Utilities aka Car-based Pickups

[GranTurNismo]

Toyota Cal-1, 1977. A ute concept based on the prototype Celica Supra, designed at Calty, Toyota’s California design studio. The rear decking opened into a pair of rear seats with the rear window flipping up to create a wind deflector for the rear passengers.

 

[Populuxe]

Toyota Cal-1, 1977. A ute concept based on the prototype Celica Supra, designed at Calty, Toyota’s California design studio. The rear decking opened into a pair of rear seats with the rear window flipping up to create a wind deflector for the rear passengers.

I've never seen this before. It makes sense it was designed by Calty since they designed the second-gen Celica/first-gen Supra which this is based on.

How about some Cadillac trucks? Many different specialist coachbuilders have created hearses on Cadillac bodies. That's nothing new, we've all seen them. But less well known is the "flower car" which carries bouquets of flowers in an open truck bed. Some of those were so successful that the company produced civilian versions as a sort of "Cowboy Cadillac." The Caribou and Mirage, both from California, were the most successful in the 1970s. The Caribou was designed by the legendary custom car designer Gene Winfield. The Mirage was so successful that they were officially sold from Cadillac dealers by special order. Only a little over 200 were made during the two years they were offered, 1975 and 1976, but they managed to find celebrity buyers like Evel Knevel and Glenn Campbell. The practice of creating pickup truck versions of Cadillacs for flower cars continues today.


1952 Cadillac Flower Car


1953 Cadillac Flower Car


1959 Cadillac Flower Car


1974 Cadillac Caribou


1976 Cadillac Mirage


1976 Cadillac Calais Flower Car


2009 Cadillac XTS flower car

 

[Populuxe]

Borgward Isabella pickup

 

[05XR8]

‘64 Twin Turbo Comet/Ranchero

 

[Populuxe]

I just learned about the Volkswagen Saveiro, a ute made by VW in Brazil. It looks like the current version comes in three different cabin configurations. And older ones clean up real nice.

 

[TexRex]

I just learned about the Volkswagen Saveiro, a ute made by VW in Brazil.

The earliest examples, much like the Gol with which they shared a platform, were powered by an aircooled boxer.

Think of it like a Beetle driving around in reverse, except the ring gear is flipped so that it has four forward gears.

 

[Populuxe]

Puma GTB pickup from Brazil in the 1970s. Puma was a small company making sports cars based on air-cooled VW chassis, but in the 1970s they switched to building cars on the Chevrolet Opala platform. That meant a 4100cc inline-6 for the engine. The GTB was the most expensive car for sale in Brazil from about 1975 to 1983. It was successful enough that they considered building a pickup variant. Sadly these are only digital renders as no physical car was built. It's a shame. These look great.

 

[Populuxe]

Continuing on from my Gaz-24 Volga post in the Communist Cars thread, here are some more Volgas, this time modified to be pickups. I'm pretty sure the red ones are renders, but the other two are real.

 

[MrCrynox]

Continuing on from my Gaz-24 Volga post in the Communist Cars thread, here are some more Volgas, this time modified to be pickups. I'm pretty sure the red ones are renders, but the other two are real.
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I love the first photo.

 

[Populuxe]

The chronology of the Ford Ranchero.

First gen: 1957-1959

Second gen: 1960-1965

Third gen: 1966-1967

Fourth gen: 1968-1969

Fifth gen: 1970-1971

Sixth gen: 1972-1976

Seventh gen: 1977-1979

Unofficial Ranchero: Ford Durango 1979-1982

 

[Serge.D]

1986 BMW M3 prototype pickup.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I like the stripes.

 

[ToyGTone]

Nothing fancy or special here, just a Holden Ute (VY).

2006, apparently at some car show.

Same VY ute roughly 14-15 years later, now resides in the Emirates with it's current owner since at least 2020 i think.

And an El Camino for good measures.

Still wonder why GM never exported the Ute to our region when they were already exporting the Monaro, Statesman and Commodore.

 

[Jezza819]

Chrysler 300 Ute Looks Fantastic And Has 425 HP

The seller explains the machine is in great overall condition with an interior “that looks like it came from the factory as a two-seater.”

www.motor1.com

I think the license plate is from New Hampshire.

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Populuxe]

1952 Armstrong Siddeley ute and 1950 Armstrong Siddeley Station Coupe

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Populuxe]

Santa's sleigh, hot rod style. It's the Hellcamino, a ute based on a 1969 Dodge Charger, fitted with both a pickup bed and a Hellcat engine.

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Populuxe]

I just found this company that does pickup conversions: https://www.smythkitcars.com/smyth-kit-car

Audi A4/S4

Charger

Imprezza

Golf

Beetle

Not exactly a car-based truck, but cool nonetheless, Jeep WJ Cherokee

 

[Populuxe]

GMC Caballero, the forgotten El Camino from GMC.

first front end used from 1978 to 1981

the second front end used from 1982 to the end of production, 1987.

 

[Serge.D]

 

[05XR8]

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Populuxe]

Chrysler Valiant

AP6

VC

VE

VF

VG

VH

VJ

VK

CL

 

[Serge.D]

 

[Populuxe]

1956 Packard Patrician