Addressing the media this past weekend, Jim Lentz stated that the next generation TNGA, which in its current guise underpins the C-HR, Camry, Prius, certain Lexus models and soon the new RAV4 and Auris, will be adapted for pick-up use, although he remained mum on an exact date.
According to Ward’s Auto, Lentz attributed the rapid shifts towards crossovers and pick-up in response to a lack of “innovate sedans” on sale in North America, but rebuked claims that both would eventually make up 80% of all sales.
“I don’t believe that. If you look at the last six months in prior years, you’ve seen movement of three to four percentage points between car and light truck, but it’s been almost flat now for the last 90 days,” he said.
Lentz’s comments comes mere hours after Volkswagen confirmed that a pick-up version of the Atlas will debut at the New York Auto Show this coming Wednesday (March 28th), based on the MQB platform instead of a usual body-on frame layout.
