#CompactPickups

Quite possibly, according to remarks by Volkswagen of Canada’s Media Relations Manager, Thomas Tetzlaff.

Hyundai‘s U.S. CEO John Krafcik has said that “because the brand resonates with families,” and feels “this is a segment where we have the lowest market penetration,” company product planning, at least in the short term, is focused on crossovers, especially seven-seater CUVs which seem to be the hottest thing going right now.

Today, the very last North American spec Ford Ranger pickup rolls off the Twin Cities assembly line, marking the end of the era for the once-popular compact pickup.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, certain models of Ford pickups and SUVs have a defective switch which can cause the brake, taillights and rear turn signals to fail, potentially resulting in accidents, specifically rear end collisions.

Although Chrysler is maintaining that it’s current priorities still lie elsewhere, the concept of a Jeep pickup remains near and dear for the brand’s CEO John Manley.

Yet another bump on the increasingly rough road for the Mahindra pickup has emerged,this time in the form of fuel economy figures published by the Environmental Protection Agency.

In yet another development of the Global Vehicles USA/Mahindra Pickup saga, Global’s CEO John Perez is adamant that the small, diesel engined pickups will be available to U.S. buyers by spring 2011.

Following on from the crew-cab version, Volkswagen has now shown a regular cab model of its Amarok light-duty pickup. Although VW still calls it a design study, expect a production version to look very similar when it goes on sale sometime in 2011.

Although it had yet to be confirmed, there were many hints that Ford‘s venerable compact pickup, the Ranger would end production in the North American market in 2011. Well now that’s been officially declared by Ford, with no replacement in sight.

Rumors have been circulating for some time, but now Global Vehicles CEO John Perez has come out and said it – Mahindra delayed EPA certification of its TR series pickup so it could end the agreement with GV as the official US importer.

In what seems to be a never ending saga, it appears there might finally be some significant developments as it relates to Mahindra’s U.S. bound small pickup. According to some sources; the Environmental Protection Agency has finally given Mahindra the emissions certification required to sell its diesel engined TR series pickup Stateside for the 2011 model year.

Well it ever get here? Based on the latest scuttlebutt regarding the U.S. launch of Mahindra’s compact pickup, it’s looking less likely with each passing day. Global Vehicles USA, the licensed distributor for Mahindra vehicles in this country has filed a lawsuit against the Indian manufacturer for repeated delays in bring the trucks over, which is costing Global a pretty penny, since GV has already signed up approximately 350 dealers and spent nearly $35 million in preparation for launching the Mahindra pickup Stateside.