At the time, they said that the Pangolin project isn’t a one-time thing. Now that the all-new BT-50 is almost on the horizon (the slated launch date, according to Mazda Philippines is in the second half of 2021), they could potentially borrow elements from Australia’s unique BT-50 Thunder to serve as basis for an all-new BT-50 Pangolin.

Developed by Mazda Australia’s in-house design and engineering team, the BT-50 Thunder takes the high-spec BT-50 GT 4x4, and adds some aggressive-looking off-road mods.

Things start out at the front with a single hoop steel bull bar with dual-row LED light bar. At the side, it gets unique 18-inch alloy wheels with a beadlock design, all-terrain tires, fender flares, and larger side steps. At the back, it has an electric roller bed cover and a metal sports bar.

Mechanically, the BT-50 Thunder remains unchanged from the BT-50 GT 4x4, and with that it gets an Isuzu-sourced 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine with 190 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. Power is routed to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic driving a dual-range 4x4 system with a switchable locking rear differential.

Key features are shared with the top-trim BT-50, and for that, it gets features such as LED headlights, a dual-zone climate control with rear air vents, brown leather upholstery, a powered driver seat, a 9-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full suite of driver assist and active safety features.

For the Australian market, the BT-50 Thunder adds an AUD 9,000 (P 330,000) premium over the BT-50 GT 4x4. While in the Philippines, Mazda offered its BT-50 Pangolin as an no-cost option.