Ute beauties! Fancy a Rolls-Royce, Ferrari or Dodge pick-up?
As we say good-bye to the Holden Colorado and watch the likes of Ford’s Ranger and Toyota’s Hilux dominate vehicle sales both here and in Australia, one company wondered “what if eight premium car manufacturers made their very own utility vehicles”? Australian insurance and roadside assist company Budget Direct must have had a few too many VB Bitters and had fun with photoshop as they’ve imagined what a Rolls-Royce or Ferrari ute would look like driving Down Under.
Audi ute
It’s an Audi RS5 lookalike with a RS4 engine. Image: Budget Direct
Budget Direct’s Audi ute is essentially an Audi RS4 or RS5 from the nose to the B-pillars – nice if you’d like your pickup to be sporty. It comes with Quattro all-wheel-drive and the RS4 Avant’s 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged TFSI motor producing 331kW and 600Nm of torque and would have no trouble going from 0 to 100km/h in 4.1-seconds with a full load of Carlton beer in the back.
Chevrolet ute
This is actually a potential ute, thanks to the El Camino look with V8 engine. Image: Budget Direct
This is basically an El Camino with two doors, two seats, and a long bed in the back. This will have enough power to outrun the average sports car in a drag strip. Equipped with either a naturally-aspirated or supercharged 6.2-litre V8, this muscular ute means business. Bogans take note.
Dodge ute
It’s a low-riding Hellcat with the face of a Charger. Image: Budget Direct
This has the proportions of the Challenger with the face of a Charger. It also has two seats and a long bed. It also has a massive hood up and quintessential hood scoops – all the better to feed the supercharged V8 pulled from the Dodge Hellcat.
Ferrari ute
Mama Mia! This beauty would even impress Ferrari bosses. Image: Budget Direct
Budget Direct’s crazy designer has used the Ferrari Portofino and its V8 motor to create this ute. It is a 2-seater but the folding hardtop roof has been replaced with a fixed unit. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 motor, a seven-speed dual-clutch tranny, and a rear-wheel drivetrain. All the better for getting you to the mall.
Honda ute
This isn’t your average Honda Civic, instead it’s a sporty ute. Image: Budget Direct
Honda has a Ridgeline ute that’s not sold in Australia or New Zealand – though you may spot a few imports here. Instead the Civic is used as inspiration here, giving it a low-riding, sporty vibe. In terms of engine power, it would have a turbocharged VTEC motor in the Civic VTi-L or RS.
Renault ute
Ooh la la, check out this French ute. Image: Budget Direct
The hot hatch Megane RS has been used to make Renault’s ute and has the powerful, 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor under the hood. The six-speed manual comes as standard. It’s also petite compared with the other utes in this line up, but the bed has enough space for wine, cheese and a few baguettes.
Rolls-Royce ute
Why I say old chap, this Rolls-Royce is fit for the country club, and the mall. Image: Budget Direct
Sure, there’s the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV that could be used as the base for this ute, but instead it’s the Wraith. Check out the ‘suicide doors’! It has a long tray, all the better for watching the polo from we reckon.
Tesla ute
Houston, we have a problem. Here’s a rocket ute that’s super fast - though mind the tram. Image: Budget Direct
Yes, the boffins at Budget Direct know that Tesla has the Cybertruck ute, they decided to be crazy and base it on upcoming Roadster v2.0. It will have 10,000Nm of torque and a zero to 100km/h in 1.9-seconds. Jeez, that could beat a Space X rocket for take off!