Excl. Interview: Audi TT Pickup

If you ever wondered who in the world would build an Audi TT pickup truck, the answer to that is Michael Muldgaard.  But do not give credit to him for the idea.

"My wife, Pia, thought of it," he said.

The trucks are sold through Muldgaard's company, Eurobiler.  And despite what you might think, there is a high demand for the tiny flatbed.  Having already built 12, and another 107 on order, Muldgaard's shop gets many visitors and phone calls asking about the unique truck.

"In Denmark the tax on a lorrie is 50%, but on a normal car it is 180%," he said.  "We thought a lot of private people would buy it, but many building firms like the 3.2 four-wheel drive."

According to Muldgaard, construction engineers like the truck because it is so easy to set their equipment up in the back.  Interest has also come from veterenarians who visit farms, motor service companies, and several architects.

"People always ask for a small pickup.  It is impossible to find a little one.  Often it is too big and too heavy."

Muldgaard says they tested over forty cars to convert into small pickups.  Most were three-door cars.  He says their first concern was safety, but the car also had to weigh under two tons.  Giving costomers the option to choose a four-wheel-drive or a two-wheel-drive was also important.

In the end, they settled on the Audi TT.  The cars are converted in Denmark by removing the trunk, lining the removed area with a special aluminum-based material, and installing a divider between the cab and the bed.

All of this is done without changing the chassis of the car, to keep the vehicle as safe as possible.

Although an Audi TT can cost around €108,000 after tax in Denmark, Muldgaard says his pickup truck version costs about half that price.  However, if you only want to use the car for personal reasons, there is a steep private use tax in Denmark as well.

He recently visited the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, but came back disappointed.  "I don't understand why a car company can not build a small truck like this, because there really is a need for it."

Muldgaard laughs when he talks about the many people from outside Denmark who e-mail him asking, "How can you ruin a car like this?"  He simply says anyone from Denmark will understand the truck's purpose.