The Alaskan is Renault's posh pickup concept

This is the Alaskan Concept, a posh pickup from Renault that marks the company’s first global truck, scheduled to go on sale in 2017.

With both Nissan and Mercedes also shifting their stack of chips into the lucrative one-tonne LCV market, pickups appear to be the industry’s flavour of the month.

Renault of course, has flirted with pickups before. Just a few months ago it revealed the Oroch Duster at the Buenos Aires International Motor Show for the South American and Russian market. Though it was a Dacia in disguise, this Alaskan concept is a whole lot smarter.

Fitted with the same 163bhp 2.3-litre 165hp twin turbo diesel from the Master van, the Alaskan has curvaceous but purposeful looks and broad wheel arches stuffed with chunky 21-inch wheels and tyres.

However, this is no kicked-into-the-ground commercial vehicle. Renault wants the truck to be more versatile. One that’s used for work and play.

Inside there’s enough room for five, and you can get a multitude of cool boxes, mountain bikes and surfboards in the back if you’re that outdoorsy kind of person.

Finished in satin-effect, brushed and polished metal (textures normally reserved for a posh Kensington kitchen shop) with full LED lighting, you must admit it looks funky. Plus, with contrasting blue and yellow detailing on the door mirrors, brake calipers, rims and front tow hook it’ll definitely stand out against the Mitsubishi L200s and Toyota Hiluxs in a Travis Perkins parking lot.

Just like Mercedes, Renault is also going for an upmarket interior. One that even includes a camera inside the door mirror housings to permit the filming of passing landscapes, or to provide profitable YouTube fodder if someone decides to crash in to you.

We’ll see the Alaskan pickup for ourselves at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month, but the production version will be unveiled in the first half of 2016.

So, with so many manufacturers moving into the profit rich landscape of pickups – one that’s currently being patrolled by the mighty Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok and, er, Great Wall Steed – who else would you like to see make one?