Startech Pickup reimagines Range Rover as a luxury ute

Startech, Brabus' tuning arm for Jaguar and Land Rover models, has taken the Range Rover luxury SUV and turned it into a ute. The conversion includes at least 100 new components crafted from aluminium, carbonfibre and steel.

Other than the new C-pillar and cargo bay, the Pickup also features 80mm wider fenders, 23-inch alloy wheels with 305/30 tyres, a more aggressively styled front bumper, and an air suspension system that lowers the ride height by up to 30mm.

Ahead of the almost square, plastic-lined cargo tray is a new rear bulkhead with a tinted and heated rear windscreen. With the tailgate closed, loads up to 110cm in length can be fitted in the cargo bay. When the electronically operated tailgate is set to the down position, there's another 60cm of loading length.

This, Startech claims, makes the Pickup suitable for carrying golf gear or, for rich sheikhs, a great place for holding securely fastened cages for hunting falcons.

Startech has kitted out the Pickup's interior with black Alcantara headliner, carbonfibre highlights, and black breathable leather for the seats. There's seating for just four people and, despite the shortened roof, the Pickup still accommodates the Range Rover's panoramic sunroof.

The Startech Pickup can be based on any variant of the full-size Range Rover, but the Pickup that will be on display at the Shanghai show is powered by a version of Jaguar Land Rover's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine that's been tuned to deliver 387kW of power.

That's good enough for a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

According to Startech, the Pickup has the same torsional rigidity as the Range Rover wagon it's based on.

No pricing has been mentioned in relation to the Pickup, but Startech claims that thanks to the taxation regime for imported vehicles in some countries, the Pickup could end up being cheaper than the Ranger Rover it's based on, even after conversion costs.