VW confirms new unibody pickup truck for November debut

The truck will debut in Brazil and could end up in U.S. showrooms.

Volkswagen announced on Tuesday that it will use the upcoming Sao Paulo International Motor Show to introduce a new pickup truck concept.

VW says the concept vehicle, which has already been approved for production, will slot beneath the company's current Amarok truck model. The production version of the truck will ride on VW's MQB platform, which underpins vehicles like the Tiguan and Atlas SUVs.

That fact in itself will make the truck unique. The vast majority of pickup trucks on the market, including the Amarok, use traditional body-on-frame construction, whereas the MQB platform is a unibody like a modern passenger car.

Another unique feature of VW's upcoming pickup truck will be a folding panel in the back of the double cab. VW didn't release an images of the truck's cargo bay, but the setup is presumably similar to the "midgate” of the Chevrolet Avalanche. With the panel folded, the VW pickup should offer significantly extended bed space.

VW didn't announce any powertrain details, but the company says the concept will have all-wheel drive.

VW says the yet-to-be-named pickup will launch in the Brazilian market in the "foreseeable future.” Interestingly, VW says the truck could "conceivably be suitable for other regions.” Although that's a far cry from declaring the truck will be sold in the United States, it at least opens the door to the possibility. VW has been considering launching a pickup truck in the U.S. for the last several years, culminating in the introduction of the Tanoak concept (which just so happened to be MQB-based) at the 2018 New York auto show.