MAZDA BT-50 ROAD MASTER
Farewell ride
In order to inject some life into the BT before it expires next year, Mazda has rolled out a special edition _ and it chose the right variation
To speak of Thi Lor Su and BT-50 in the same breadth is improper, for the former is probably the most splendid waterfall in Thailand and the latter a third-tier player in the domestic pickup market.
But driving the BT-50 Road Master limited series model to the famous waterfall deep inside Thailand's Western Forest Complex in Tak proved a bit of an occasion because the specially tailored light truck is perhaps the best BT Mazda has unveiled so far. Here's why.
Since the double-cab body (along with its Ford Ranger sibling) of BTs has most flawed accommodation for rear passengers, lethargic automatic transmission compared to most rival brands, a 4x4 ability that was outdone by the market's best and a big-bore turbo-diesel that wasn't the most powerful around, it was good of Mazda to base the Road Master on the Freestyle Cab/Hi-Rider body, manual gearbox, rear-wheel-drive system and smaller 2.5-litre engine.
At hardly any point during the treacherous drive to remote Umphang, the district in which the waterfall is located, did the SVP disappoint.
The 2.5-litre unit is still a good performer despite reaching the end of the product lifecycle. It's refined, punchy and reasonably economical, making it only second to that used in the Toyota Hilux Vigo.
The five-speed gearbox will also be greatly remembered for its slickness, while the conventional drive system and raised ride height proved sufficient for tackling the the last 20km of off-road trail leading to the waterfall.
Although the BT doesn't have the chassis to match _ outright grip had always been lacking _ it's still a joy to ride due to the exploitability and directness of the steering.
Lastly, Freestyle Cab seems to have rear access panels that are among the easiest to operate.
So if you have never really needed extra seats behind, this two-seat body will more than suffice in terms of practicality.
New bumper, old bugs.
True, the Road Master may only be a BT-50 with nano changes, but it gets a new front bumper with a crab claw-like theme and bespoke stickers to differentiate the 300 to be made. Other additions include reverse parking sensor, bed liner, side steps and special decals, as such.
Mazda says all have already been allocated to dealers at B673,000 apiece. So if you want one, don't wait for the vehicle's debut at the Motor Expo next week. Instead, head for the showroom now.
The people at Mazda think potential customers like special edition models, so you can expect another one coming up next year before the all-new replacement is due in the third quarter.
And since the all-new BT-50 has already made the headlines _ in Sydney, Australia, last month _ it would be naive not to talk about it.
The double-can body has grown tremendously in size, as if the designers have suffered an inferiority complex with today's model. It boasts the biggest body so far (with the all-new Ranger dubbed T6), so big that no mention about the turning radius was made.
You start to wonder when the metal race is going to stop with pickups. Motoring has heard the maximum weight limit will be raised from 1.6 tonnes to 2.2 by the Land Transport Department (although many models have exceeded that limit for years).
Despite still being a fine performer, the 2.5-litre engine will be replaced by a smaller but equally powerful 2.2-litre variation to meet Euro 4 emission standard, which comes into force in 2012.
On top of the range will be a 3.2-litre motor with a class-leading 200hp. It may sound a little mad, but don't forget that the BT will have substantially more weight (today's 3.0 has 156hp). Then there will six-speed automatic and manual 'boxes to choose from.
You can now see how serious Ford and Mazda are about improving the double-cab pickup. While the four-door BT-50 has already been revealed, it is most likely that Mazda will use the upcoming motor show to premiere the Freestyle Cab (extra cab with rear panels) before introducing it to the market some 3-4 months later.
Freestyle, Hi-rider body is the best of all BTs.
While Mazda's image in the pickup market is certainly not as high as others, it is going to have a product with lots of substance across the range from next year, that is for sure.
It isn't like the today's generation which has models with contrasting traits. The easiest one to dismiss is the four-door, and the one that's most likeable is the one you see here in Road Master uniform.
One way or the other, it was a drive fitting of the Road Master to that remote part corner of Thailand and, for Motoring, its final hurrah for the BT-50.
Keeping the BT-50 awake till next year...
Thi Lor Su is still far too grand for BT-50.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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