Mazda has confirmed that the Freestyle cab version of the new BT-50 bakkie will make its global debut at the Australian motor show in Melbourne on July 1 - and it'll be released in South Africa in the second quarter of 2012.
Using the same "clamshell" door configuration first seen on the RX-8, the BT-50 Freestyle has seating for four, a huge, pillar-less door opening, and a large carrying capacity.
Opening the front-hinged door and rear access panel on each side will give you a gap 1408mm wide, for easy entry to and exit from either front rear seats. The rear-seat squabs are also 50mm longer - and the seat backs 128mm higher - than on the previous model, for better thigh support and more stable fitment of child seats.
Or you can remove the rear-seat squabs to create a large, accessible and, more importantly, lockable cargo bay.
Despite the extra volume of the cab, the new BT-50 Freestyle Cab's load bed has also increased in width, length and height for a cargo volume of 1453 litres - 266 more than the current model.