Hannover LIVE: Renault introduces Alaskan pickup truck

The Alaskan is based on the Nissan Navara.

Renault has introduced the Alaskan, its first-ever mid-size pickup truck.

Based on Nissan's Frontier-sized Navara, the truck was previewed by a close-to-production design study last fall, and it's changed little in its transition from a concept to a production model. It boasts a tall, muscular-looking front end that falls in line with recent additions to the Renault family like the Kadjar and the Talisman. The look is accented by chrome trim, a large Renault emblem, and sharp-looking headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights.

The lineup includes single- and double-cab models, short and long beds, narrow and wide bodies, and a cab-chassis. Only the double-cab model has been unveiled so far.

Customers who buy an Alaskan as a work truck get a no-frills interior, but those who order more upscale models to use as a daily driver benefit from a crossover-like cabin. The truck can be spruced up with leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic A/C, a push-button ignition, and a seven-inch touch screen. Additionally, a five-link rear suspension that improves the ride quality is offered at an extra cost.

The Alaskan rides on the Navara's ladder frame. Power comes from either a 2.5-liter gasoline-burning four-cylinder engine rated at 160 horsepower, or a 2.3-liter twin-turbocharged diesel-burning four-banger available with either 160 or 190 horses. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission come standard, while the list of options includes both four-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic. Towing capacity checks in at over 7,700 pounds.

The Renault Alaskan will go on sale across Latin America in the coming weeks, but it's unlikely to touch down in The Last Frontier -- or anywhere else in the United States, for that matter. However, it'll land in Asia, in Australia, in Africa, and in select European countries early next year.

What's next?The global mid-size pickup truck market is experiencing unprecedented growth. PSA Peugeot-Citroën -- Renault's arch rival -- is working on a pickup based on the Toyota Hilux, and Mercedes-Benz is developing a truck tentatively called GLT that will share its architecture with the Navara and the Alaskan.

Live images by Ronan Glon.