Renault has officially revealed its medium-sized bakkie and it has retainedthe Oroch name which we first saw in the Oroch Concept. Renault hopes to push back traditional boundaries to create a new segment within the bakkie regiment. The brand’s expansion into the pick-up segment comes when other manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz are also looking at the bakkie segment as ripe for the taking.

Double Cab Mini Bakkie

The Duster Oroch will expand the Duster family worldwide, it combines the functions of a double-cab bakkie with the space, performance and comfort of a compact and sporty SUV.

The new Renault Duster Oroch slots in between the half- ton and one-ton bakkies. However, the Oroch has been designed with four doors and five seats so it brings something different to the market. The competition in this part of the segment are purely workhorses like the Nissan NP200 and the Chevrolet Ute. The Oroch brings a baby double-cab to the segment. It is scheduled for international launch in the second half of 2015.

Renault Duster Oroch engine?

Engine designation and outputs are yet to be confirmed, but it’s fairly safe to assume that it would use the same 1.6-Litre petrol and 1.5-Litre turbodiesel currently in the Duster SUV.

“This new model, Renault’s first pickup, is the next step in Renault’s globalization strategy. With Renault Duster Oroch, the brand is launching its offensive in the competitive pickup segment”, said Ashwani Gupta, Renault’s Global Head of Light Commercial Vehicles.

Renault SA was approached for comment and a spokesperson said that while the Duster bakkie wasn’t on the cards immediately, there’s potential after the first quarter of 2016. Given the Duster’s success in South Africa, we think Renault SA would be mad not to bring it in.