VW Pickup concept - Hoffmeister - 2008

"Some people stand in the darkness, afraid to step into the light..."

Apologies. We've gone a bit Hoff. A bit Baywatch. It's all the fault of this VW Pickup concept, which debuts in Hanover this week before being put into production next year.

'Tis pretty cool, no? In a life-ring tossin', CPR-administerin' sort of way, of course.

The concept, says VW, has been designed for use as a 'Search and Rescue' vehicle by lifeguards, and features such wholesome bits 'n' pieces as rescue buoys, fire extinguishers, a compass and even a defibrillator. Because there's nothing worse than fibrilling when you're on the beach.

The Pickup concept is the first commercial vehicle to spring forth from the pen of VW design chief Walter de Silva, and will be built next year at VW's Pachecho plant in Argentina.

Common rail diesels are promised, but we fear the blues-and-twos won't make it to production.

If you'll excuse us, we're off to slip into some unnecessarily tight red bikinis and run in slow motion around the TG office. Ewwww...

It's not a nice image, is it? Just remember, as the Hoff sang, that instinct is stronger than reason. That's all we're saying.