Mazda Teases Interior of All-New BT-50 Compact Pickup Truck

In anticipation of the all-new BT-50's launch that will take place at next week's 2010 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, Mazda has released a second teaser drawing of its compact pickup truck. This time, it's the BT-50's interior design that we get a peek at.At least from the sketch, the cockpit looks very passenger-car-like featuring a modern design with a wrap-around dashboard layout and a relatively sporty instrument panel with two prominent and deeply set gauges.

Here's what Mazda had to say about the BT-50's cabin: "The interior of the All-New Mazda BT-50 has been designed to complement its athletic and refined exterior design and offers a comfortable and sporty environment to rival Mazda's current passenger car standard."

The Japanese automaker is pitching the new BT-50 not only for what it is - a compact pickup truck, but also as an "active lifestyle vehicle" and a "realistic alternative to the family wagon and 4x4 SUV."

The BT-50 will be joined in Sydney by its Ford sibling, the all-new 2011 Ranger. Both compact trucks are scheduled to go on sale globally (but not in the U.S.) in the second quarter of 2011.

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Mazda Sketches All-New BT-50 Compact Pickup Truck, Also Previews New Ford Ranger

What you see pictured here is a teaser rendering of the all-new Mazda BT-50 compact pickup truck that will make its world premiere on Friday October 15 at the 2010 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The Japanese carmaker claims the exterior design of its next generation pickup truck will be amongst its strong points offering "a road presence that turns heads and makes it instantly recognizable as a Mazda".

No other details were given about the new BT-50, which is being developed in partnership with Ford. The 2011 Mazda BT-50 and its 2011 Ford Ranger sister model, which has not yet been revealed, will be built at a joint facility in Thailand.

The two companies recently announced plans to invest US$350 million in the AutoAlliance (AAT) plant in Thailand to support the production of both compact pickup trucks, which are scheduled to be launched globally in the middle of 2011.