Australia’s Kelpie Kargo, a Light Truck That Picks Up, to Make U.S. Debut in 1988

It looks like any other pickup navigating the streets of Southern California. It has the body of a Dodge pickup and a Chrysler engine. But at the flick of a key, horns sound and the vehicle’s entire flatbed and tailgate can be lowered to ground level for easy loading.

Welcome the Kelpie Kargo, soon to be on its way from Australia by way of Taiwan.

The unusual pickup is the brainchild of two Australian entrepreneurs, Bob Page and Bob Honan, who operate a $7-million-a-year shopping center maintenance firm in Sydney. The two introduced the truck Wednesday in Los Angeles. They said it will be available for sale early next year.

Four years ago, Honan and Page decided to expand their business by offering a shopping cart retrieval service. When Page decided to help his crew round up carts one hot day, he returned with sore muscles and an idea on how to eliminate the manual labor of lifting.

From the early tinkering in Page’s garage came a crude utility vehicle, available only in Australia, with a hydraulically operated flatbed and tailgate system. They had to market that vehicle in the United States, but marketing studies showed there was an even better opportunity if the lift system were adapted to a pickup truck. The result, after $5 million for development, is a pickup without its conventional rear-axle system and with a chassis and hydraulic lift system for the 8-foot flatbed. The pickup will sell for between $13,500 and $17,800 depending on options.

Adam M. Michelin, who helped direct a Peat Marwick Main marketing study for Kelpie, said the vehicle represents the first Australian move into the U.S. car and truck market. The actual assembly of the pickup will be in Taiwan, he said, and it will contain 80% U.S. parts.