Mexico's First SUT Due Out Next Year

QUERÉTARO, Mexico — Mexico is about to get its first home-built sport-utility truck. The Cimex Conin will be the first SUT to be fully designed, developed and manufactured by a Mexican firm and is looking to gain a slice of the consumer segment that buys the Hummer H3, Jeep Wrangler and Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Its maker, Cimex, is a Mexican design company that has more than 20 years of experience in such transportation sectors as converting urban buses and developing electric trolleys under contract with the state of Querétaro, 100 miles north of Mexico City. However, the SUT development project is a first-time venture for the firm.

Cimex named its SUT Conin, after a beloved Otomi tribal leader of the area during the Spanish colonial period. The five-passenger, four-door sporty pickup truck will be produced in Querétaro.

Cimex has set realistic targets to produce 500 units annually, and if demand justifies it may be increased to as many as 1,000 trucks. Both rear- and four-wheel-drive models will be available, and the Conin is expected to be offered in gasoline and diesel engine versions.

The Conin would first tackle the off-road tourist market, especially for rental fleets. Eventually the vehicle could compete against well-positioned models such as the Hummer H3, Jeep Wrangler and Toyota FJ.

Its body frame is made out of reinforced fiberglass, and although no official picture has been released, computerized concepts give a preliminary idea of its design. The company intends to show a physical vehicle in September at the 2010 Mexican Auto Show in Mexico City.

The Conin would tentatively be sold for the equivalent of around $20,000-$27,000. The project so far has been funded by the owners and other investors but could soon reach out for financing from the Mexican government or a venture capital firm. The plan is to open dealerships in Querétaro, Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Cancun.

Cimex is not the only Mexican firm developing a car. Another, Mastretta, is developing an exclusive sport coupe. The company plans to build a limited edition of 150 and export most of them to the U.S. and Europe.

Inside Line says: Cimex and Mastretta are wise to look at niche markets. The one-car-fits-all approach is looking more and more like a relic of Henry Ford's time. — Loriana Marietta, Correspondent