Mazda BT-50 overhauled

MAZDA Australia has introduced an upgraded BT-50 commercial ute range with key features including styling and colour revisions inside and out and the addition of seven new models in the line-up, bringing the number of BT-50 variants to 29.

The new BT-50 can be recognised by a new Mazda five-point grille, revised headlights and tail-lights, a B-pillar body colour change on Freestyle Cab and Dual Cab body styles, new wheel designs (in both 15-inch and 16-inch), new interior cloth trim and new audio and ventilation controls.

The BT-50 also now offers air-conditioning and an auxiliary audio jack as standard across the board.



The BT-50 continues with the same powertrains used since its introduction in 2006 – a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel developing 105kW at 3500rpm and 330Nm at 1800rpm and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel developing 115kW at 3200rpm and 380Nm at 1800rpm.

An addition to the 4x2 model range is a five-speed automatic version of the 3.0-litre Dual Cab Utility DX (in ABS and non-ABS variants).

For the 4X4 range, the new variants are include a Freestyle 3.0-litre SDX auto, and in the Dual Cab range the addition of a 3.0 DX Dual Cab Chassis five-speed manual (in ABS and non-ABS) and a Dual Cab Utility DX five-speed auto (ABS and non-ABS).

Five new colours have been added to the six colours already available. The new colours are: Copper Red, Desert Bronze, Highland Green, Lagoon Blue and Winning Blue.

The BT-50 sales split is 60 per cent 4X4 and 40 per cent 4X2. Half of all BT-50s sold are in the single-cab configuration, with Freestyle Cab accounting for 20 per cent and dual-cabs 30 per cent.

The BT-50 is in sixth place in 4x4 ute sales to the end of August and seventh in 4x2 terms.

Its sales are up 30 per cent in 4x4 terms year-to-date, but down 15 per cent when it comes to the 4x2.

Mazda has sold 7152 BT-50s so far this year, which puts the ute in third position in the Mazda range, behind that Mazda3 (22,990) and Mazda2 (10,421), and just 20 units ahead of Mazda6 (7132).

In 2006, the BT-50’s launch year, the Mazda ute attracted 7018 sales, a 15 per cent improvement over its predecessor, the B-Series. In 2007, its first full year on sale, sales increased to 10,760.

Despite the refresh, Mazda believes it will sell a similar number of BT-50s this year, with year-to-date sales to the end of August at 7152 units.

2009 Mazda BT-50 pricing:
4x2 model line-up:
2.5 Single-cab chassis DX	$23,295
2.5 Single-cab chassis DX (bucket seats)	$23,520
3.0 Freestyle-cab chassis DX+	$30,890
3.0 Freestyle-cab chassis DX+ (ABS)	$31,490
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility DX+	$32,260
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility DX+ (ABS)	$32,860
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX	$33,060
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (ABS)	$33,660
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (a)*	$35,060
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (ABS) (a)*	$35,660

4x4 model line-up:
3.0 Single-cab chassis DX (no airbags)	$31,415
3.0 Single-cab chassis DX	$32,015
3.0 Single-cab chassis DX (ABS)	$32,615
3.0 Single-cab chassis DX (bucket seats)	$32,240
3.0 Single-cab chassis DX (buckets & ABS)	$32,840
3.0 Freestyle-cab chassis DX+	$37,020
3.0 Freestyle-cab chassis DX+ (ABS)	$37,620
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility DX+	$38,390
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility DX+ (ABS)	$38,990
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility SDX	$42,790
3.0 Freestyle-cab utility SDX (a)*	$44,790
3.0 Dual-cab chassis DX*	$37,820
3.0 Dual-cab chassis DX (ABS)*	$38,420
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX	$39,190
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (ABS)	$39,790
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (a)*	$41,190
3.0 Dual-cab utility DX (ABS) (a)*	$41,790
3.0 Dual-cab utility SDX	$43,590
3.0 Dual-cab utility SDX (a)	$45,590

* denotes new model