Sweden hosts fifth running of International Pick-up Award

The Tierp Arena in Sweden is the venue for the fifth running of the International Pick-up Award (IPUA) test trials. Eighteen members of the International Van of the Year Award jury will descend on the race track, (from 30 September – 2 October) located 100 km north of Stockholm Arlanda Airport, famed for hosting European Rally Cross Nordic Finals and Drag Racing Festivals.

Here, over three days, the expert adjudication panel will assess every aspect of the nominated selection of 1-tonne Pick-ups, all in contention for the prestigious IPUA 2020 Award. Day 1 will be taken up with weights and dimension measurements while Days 2 & 3 will undertake extensive on-road test drives from the venue on to the open Scandinavian countryside and to challenging, technical off-road routes within the Tierp Arena. Shortlisted brand representatives will also be given the opportunity to present the design and technology elements of their vehicles relating to business and utility usage, from which they are judged.

Following the trials, the panel will gather and discuss the merits of each vehicle and elect an overall winner.

In alphabetical order, the list of contenders include the revised Ford Ranger with its new drivetrain. It will be accompanied by its Ford Performance Raptor brethren for the occasion. The Ranger won this award in 2013. Mitsubishi is coming with its dynamic looking Generation 6 L200, while Nissan arrives with a revised Navara, also a previous winner of this title in 2016. Renault Pro+ comes under the spotlight for the first time in this unique competition with its Alaskan Pick-up which bears close links with its Navara cousin while the Toyota Hilux will also offer strong opposition to the rest of the field.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has been invited back with its Amarok V6, as reigning champions from 2018 and standard-bearer. Another newcomer invited to participate is RAM with its 1500 model recently introduced into the European market. The adjudication panel has been asked to scrutinise this American styled Pick-up as brand owner FIAT Chrysler Automobiles gather valuable data before entering the market place with a totally new developed model.

“The biennial IPUA competition is the most comprehensive in the international Pick-up sector as all OEMs offer modern and attractive models. It will be exciting to see the results of how the attending brands will perform over the three-day test programme,” stated Anders Karlsson, Editor in Chief at Svensk Åkeritidning, Sweden, IPUA Event co-ordinator.

The announcement and presentation of the IPUA Award 2020 will be made at SOLUTRANS 2019 in Lyon, France on 20 November.