BYD Mako: Brand's first car-based ute revealed in Brazil to slot under Shark

BYD has revealed pre-production prototypes of its upcoming Mako ute in Brazil ahead of its full launch in October or November this year.

The automaker held an event for members of the Brazilian press at the Interlagos race track. The new Mako has a monocoque design, and shares its platform with the Sealion 5 and Sealion 6. 

Named after a type of shark, the Mako will slot in underneath the significantly larger body-on-frame Shark 6. The Mako is thought to be around 4.8m long with a 2.9m wheelbase, while the Shark 6 is 5.46m in length and rides on a 3.26m wheelbase.

We don't know if BYD intends to market the Mako outside of Latin America.

"The Shark 6 is well accepted in this market and the lineup is pretty strong right now following the recent introduction of the Shark 6 Dynamic Cab Chassis and 2.0-litre Performance pickup," said a BYD Australia spokesperson in a statement.

"We’re pretty happy with that at the moment. But we are always looking at what might be available, then assess whether it may fill a gap in our lineup and if there would be sufficient customer demand to make a business case work."

According to Quatro Rodas, the Mako prototype shares its headlights, bonnet and front doors with the pre-facelift Sealion 6, which is sold in Brazil as the Song Plus. The Mako does, however, feature a unique front bumper with a more rugged design for the grille.

The rear door frames are taken from the Sealion 5, known as the Song Pro in Brazil, but the outer skin has been redesigned to better fit in with the unique rear end, which is patterned after the Shark 6.

The Brazilian publication says BYD prioritised passenger comfort over cargo space, and the Mako has more rear seat leg room than the Fiat Toro and Renault Oroch. Volume for the cargo bed is thought to be about 1000L, and load capacity around 750kg. 

Although BYD has yet to confirm drivetrain details, it's believed the Mako shares its plug-in hybrid system with the Sealion 5. Brazilian-market models feature front-wheel drive and a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine mated with an electric motor, for total system outputs of 161kW and 300Nm.

Crucially for Brazil, the Mako's plug-in hybrid drivetrain is flex fuel compatible, allowing it to run on ethanol blends up to 100 per cent. 

Depending on the spec, the Sealion 5 is available with either a 13.1kWh or 18.3kWh battery. It's unclear which battery options will be available on the Mako.

Motor1 Brasil reports the Mako will be produced at BYD's factory in Camaçari, Brazil, and will be pitched against the 4.9m Fiat Toro, which is based on the second-generation Jeep Compass.

Images from the event posted by Autohome (via Car News China) indicate the Mako has MacPherson struts up front, and an independent multi-link suspension setup at the rear. The Chinese website reports a four-wheel drive system with an electric motor for the rear axle will be available down the track.

It's been a busy week for the Latin American car-based ute segment, with Volkswagen revealing its new Tukan, and BYD previewing the Mako. These will soon be joined by another new entrant, a Toyota Corolla Cross-based ute. 

In South America there’s a very healthy market for passenger car-based utes stretching back to the 1970s. While early models were two-door vehicles based on small, Volkswagen Polo-sized vehicles, size inflation has crept in over the past decade and dual-cab models are now the norm.

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