A value single-cab for workers.

Renault has expanded its single-cab bakkie offering, with the Express.

Although most bakkie fans will only be familiar with the Renault Alaskan or Oroch double-cabs, the brand has realised that bakkies are only becoming more popular, in all markets.

Renault’s response is to deliver a broader portfolio of bakkie solutions. And that brings us to the new Express.

This is a compact light-duty single-cab bakkie, based on the Renault Kangoo van. It uses a unibody design and customers will have the same powertrain options, available on Kangoo.

Renault’s venerable 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine is the powertrain of choice, but the latest Kangoo range also offers a 1.2-litre turbopetrol.

If you opt for the 1.2, power peaks at 84 kW, supported by 190 Nm of torque, whilst the 1.5-litre turbodiesel boosts 81 kW and 240 Nm.

Converting the Kangoo into an Express is the work of Foraccia, an Italian coachbuilding specialist. Fabricators and technicians at Foraccia remove the roof and additional cargo doors, to create a loadbox 1.79m in length.

Renault claims that its Express single-cab will carry 675 kg. Its tailgate can also support 300 kg of mass, if you like the idea of sitting on it to watch the sunset, with some rugby front-row mates.

The Express features extensive cladding around the aft cabin section and loadbox surround, to shield bodywork from cargo damage, and deliver adequate tie-down points and loops, for strapping.

With the dominance of Nissan’s NP200andstrained relationsbetween Renault and Nissan on a corporate level, it is unlikely that the Express bakkie will be offered in South Africa.

Related content

More power for Fiat's double-cab bakkie

Renault Triber (2021) Specs and Price

Renault gives up on diesel