Two of the most popular pickups on the UK market, the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok, will be based on the same platform and use the same engines when the new models are launched in 2022.

See also: Six-way pickup test

The new generation of both models will use a blueprint built by Ford, but will still go to market as separate vehicles and retain their current identities, we’re told.

This is the first products to be announced under the new alliance between the two car giants, with other commercial vehicles and electric models in the pipeline.

Together, Ford and VW sold 1.2m vans and other light commercial vehicles, including pickups in 2018. With the booming pickup market, sharing development costs and manufacturing capabilities should allow both companies to improve financial results by 2023.