Skoda Mountiaq Debuts As Rad One-Off Pickup Based On Kodiaq

Extensively teased like it's a regular production car, the Skoda Mountiaq has been unveiled as a one-off project developed by the company's students from its vocational school in Mladá Boleslav. The Kodiaq-based pickup truck represents the automaker's sixth concept car built by apprentices and it was created over the course of eight months. It follows last year's Karoq-based Sunroq SUV-convertible oddity.

More than 2,000 hours of work were invested in turning the large SUV into a truck featuring an illuminated bed incorporating a hidden storage compartment underneath. To make room for the bed, the students got rid of the rear doors and also crafted a new shorter roof with an LED light bar mounted just above the windshield.

The doors are shorter compared to those of the regular Kodiaq and are also thicker to match the more muscular appearance of the truck. Finished in Sunset Orange, the unique Mountiaq sits on 17-inch wheels shod in chunky off-road tires and has the front and rear tracks extended by 3 centimeters (1.18 inches). For extra effect, an air intake snorkel has been added, along with a front-mounted winch surrounded by a bullbar to let you know this isn't an ordinary Kodiaq.

Skoda's apprentices also spent some time tweaking the interior cabin where the front seats' backrests feature body-matching orange embroidery showing a special logo depicting the vehicle in front of a mountain silhouette. Staying true to the company's "Simply Clever" motto, the Mountiaq has an array of nifty goodies, ranging from a built-in refrigerator to a 2,000-watt subwoofer joined by an amplifier. There are even 3D-printed wheel hub ornaments and two walkie-talkies.

At 4999 mm (196.8 in) long, 2005 mm (79 in) wide, and 1710 mm (67.3 in) tall, the one-off truck from Skoda is substantially longer, wider, and taller than the standard Kodiaq. It weighs a hefty 2,450 kilograms (5,401 pounds) and has a generous ground clearance of 29 cm (11.4 in), which exceeds that of the Kodiaq Scout by 10 cm (4 in) for greater off-road chops. Power comes from a familiar 2.0-liter TSI engine with 190 hp on tap.

As cool as the Mountiaq may be, it will sadly remain purely a concept car to prove what Skoda's vocational students are capable of when given a donor vehicle to turn it into something truly special.

This rad concept got us thinking – why isn't Skoda selling a cheaper VW Amarok-based pickup truck already?