Smyth Performance has one mission, it seems: take ordinary, everyday cars and convert them into utes. Not cars that could have been utes, like a Pontiac G8, for instance, but cars that were never utes. They are most famous for building a no-weld kit that turns Volkswagen Jettas and Golfs into a small pickup using some Ford-sourced parts and their own structural bed design. Rutledge Wood of Top Gear USA fame in particular is a fan, having built one for himself. And honestly, it takes the typical chick-car Jetta and turns it into a neat little pickup. Screw Dieselgate…40-something MPG with a useful bed sounds like a dream for a lot of people!
But let’s say that you need more space, more capacity, but you still don’t want a truck. Currently the company is nailing down the final design that would convert a Chrysler LX sedan (Charger/300) into a ute. So far, it’s still in the design phase, but our eyes are raised, because this would be a coupe utility roughly the size of a 1980s Chevrolet El Camino. Smyth currently has a 2006 Dodge Charger cut up and in the middle of fitment and testing, and all we know about it right now is that they are using a Chevrolet Colorado backlight and Dodge Grand Caravan taillights where chosen for the forward-slanted tailgate. We are very curious to see the finished product, but we are even more curious as to your take on this idea. Coupe utilities only appeal to a certain demographic, but a V8, RWD or AWD Mopar ute just sounds pretty cool to us, especially considering that we only got the Rampage/Scamp twins in the 1980s and narrowly missed a Diplomat-based pickup. What do you say, readers?
I would never own a charger in it’s original form. So making a 2wd abortion truck out of one does nothing for me.
On the other hand, if you got a cool platform to start with like the Taurus Interceptor, who wouldn’t want a twin turbo, awd, abortion truck? Now that’s cool!
The charger also came with AWD
Shelby Mustang GT500 ute NOW please!
I like the idea. Used Chargers are pretty cheap and there’s quite a lack of late model utes out there.
So, McT, when does your kit ship?? :):)
I was waiting for that…
Too bad the proportions suck. The door and b-pillar are out of whack to the pickup bed. Fix that and you have a good looking ute.
Oh, hell yes! Whatever it takes to get rid of the two doors that never should have been present on a Charger.
A Charger? No…a Mustang, or Fusion based one? Yes, that would interest me.
bahaha leave the utes to us Aussies.
Finally a Charger with the correct door count! Love it. Sign me up. Awesome cars except the front suspensions which we have a fix for. SRT8 Charcamino
The perfect shop truck.
working with statistics.. trucks are the last heterosexual male vehicle left. This would sell all versions…junk or not.