The motor industry is something of a barometer for the overall health of the economy. When sales of motor vehicles are high it is a sign that people have money to spend and that manufacturing industries are in production mode. This has knock-on effects across a range of other industry sectors, meaning that there is money in circulation.
When times are hard, sales of new motor vehicles tend to drop off and the production capacities of the producers go with them, which has a knock-on effect on everyone.
So any positive news from the motor industry is a good thing and in recent years, the UK has seen a boom in sales of one particular class of vehicle – namely, the pick-up truck.
Commercial uses
One of the reasons for the increase in volume sales of pick-ups in the UK, is the increasing recognition from the commercial sector of how their unique design can be applied to many different uses. The versatility and multi-function usage they offer have long been acknowledged in many other parts of the world, such as the USA and China, where the idea of an open backed loading area is considered an obvious advantage.
Building industry
A tough and reliable vehicle is essential in building and construction industries and the ability to transport either goods or people in the same vehicle should be another important consideration.
The high spec interiors of new double cab pick up truck models have also raised the bar when it comes to security and comfort for workers. Heated leather seats, Bluetooth connectivity and the full range of safety enhancements, which are more usually found in high end SUVs, are all standard features in models from Great Wall.
Emergency services
The smaller size of a pick-up in relation to other closed back commercial vehicles means that they can safely achieve faster speeds and therefore quicker response times when it comes to emergency service calls.
Paramedics, fire units and police can all utilise the off road capabilities and versatile loading opportunities, putting them to effective use in a wide range of situations.
Vehicle breakdown services were one of the first to fully use pick-ups in their day to day activities, due to their ability to pick up stranded passengers and take them onwards to their destination.
High end values
The new models of pick-up trucks have many features that are more usually thought of as appearing in high end luxury SUVs or saloons. Modern safety systems, such as twin air bags, Anti-lock Braking Systems and Electronic Brake Force Distribution, often come as standard and the comfort provided in the cabs has also become an important and recognised consideration.
When all of these things are taken into account, it is really no surprise that pick-up trucks are so popular.