Automotive

Skoda students turn SUV into rugged one-off Mountiaq pickup truck

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The concept's name, Mountiaq, is meant to convey a spirit of adventure and off-road capability
Skoda
The concept's name, Mountiaq, is meant to convey a spirit of adventure and off-road capability
Skoda
"Like its predecessor models, the Skoda Mountiaq highlights the exceptional technical competence and craftsmanship of our students," said Carsten Brandes, Head of the Skoda Academy
Skoda
Lighting effects were a big part of the Mountiaq's design
Skoda
Under-bed storage in the Mountiaq pickup truck concept
Skoda
Those under-bed storage compartments close flat to allow a standard truck bed for loading
Skoda
Interior elements in the Mountiaq subtly highlight its exterior 
Skoda
Puddle lights from the front mirrors project the Skoda logo to the ground
Skoda
Engine power for the Mountiaq comes from a 2.0-liter gasoline engine outputting 140 kW (188 hp)
Skoda
With the truck's winch, bullbar, and large off-road tires, bright paint color offsets the black details
Skoda
Skoda students also added a lightbar and snorkel to the Mountiaq, giving it more flair and capability
Skoda
Interior lighting and details add to the flavor that the Mountiaq gives to off-road pickup truck dynamics
Skoda
The tailgate on the Mountiaq pickup truck concept was of particular interest to the students crafting its bodywork
Skoda
Several elements, including 17-inch Rockstar II wheels and off-road tires were instrumental in the Mountiaq's ground clearance boost
Skoda
View gallery - 13 images

Students at the Skoda Vocational School (SVS) have finished their training year with a bang. The Skoda Mountiaq concept pickup truck was eight months in the making and morphs a Kodiaq SUV into a monstrous-looking truck in brilliant Sunset Orange paint.

A total of 35 apprentices at the school, representing seven different career paths, were involved in the development of the concept. The vehicle is meant to show the technical expertise and team-oriented capabilities of the Skoda Academy's apprentices.

"Like its predecessor models, the Skoda Mountiaq highlights the exceptional technical competence and craftsmanship of our students," said Carsten Brandes, Head of the Skoda Academy.

The concept's name, Mountiaq, is meant to convey a spirit of adventure and off-road capability. The truck began as a concept idea in late 2018, production began in January of 2019 aiming for a May 2019 deadline.

Students began by removing the roof from a production Kodiaq, replacing it with a truck-style cab and cargo bed. The design allows for storage compartments under the bed (similar to the Honda Ridgeline), while bodywork and chassis changes widened the stance of the vehicle for better stability and more capability. Other body changes include conventional pickup truck items such as running boards, a functional tailgate, and other details.

Under-bed storage in the Mountiaq pickup truck concept
Skoda

Underneath the bodywork, other apprentices were working on the chassis. The added dimensions required some changes to the underpinnings of the Kodiaq for the larger Mountiaq build. Using the Kodiaq Scout model as a guideline, the students achieved an extra 10 cm (4 in) of clearance, making it 29 cm (11.4 in) in all. Several elements, including 17-in Rockstar II wheels and off-road tires were instrumental in that boost. Track width also changed because of the wheels, adding 3 cm (1.2 in). Engine power was then added, using a 2.0-liter gasoline engine outputting 140 kW (188 hp).

As body changes and chassis development commenced, so did paintwork. The body was designed to create specific effects in varied lighting and the paint needed to enhance that. Students in the Academy's paint shop decided on a bright orange as their best option for making the Mountiaq unique. That bright color would further offset the blackened details of the the truck's winch, bullbar, and large off-road tires and huge stance of the vehicle.

The Sunset Orange paint finish is further emphasized by added lighting and marque points. Puddle lights from the front mirrors project the Skoda logo to the ground, a light bar on top of the cab adds off-road flavor, and illumination in the working bed, fog lamps, etc. finish those touches.

The Skoda Mountiaq highlights the capabilities of the Skoda Design Academy's student body and is the sixth such concept that the school has produced so far.

Source: Skoda

View gallery - 13 images
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4 comments
vince
Build it electric then a snorkel isnt needed. No mid gate? No pass thru? Obsolete!
TomLeeM
I think that is way cool looking. I think they should actually make it / put it into production. I think it would do well.
Emo Ty
It looks fully sick moighte.
The undertray storage is a great idea to bake into the design but it wouldn't be so practical in that form; how would you access these lift-up spaces when the tray is full? Complete pull-out draw/ers might be a solution for access.
Good job kids.
Think it would sell well in Aus.
ljaques
That's a cool truck. I watched the video by the kids and it proves, beyond a doubt, that the car is capable of doing a whopping =3mph= down a dirt road. Just amazing! LOL
Trucks like that are a growing niche. I rode in a friend's Subaru Brat eons ago and it was a cool little truck. We cruised out onto the sands of the Borrego Desert in it and it was a blast. I'd love an electric version of the Brat or this Skoda. Once I'm rich (retired now, so doubtful) I'll buy a Rivian pickup or (even better) a Bollinger B1.