I'd buy three

[Petrol & Powder]

My 2004 Wrangler was one of the most trouble free vehicles I had owned. As close to a Mercedes as I'll ever get. Then in 2017, I saw an ad for a 2010 Tacoma with 10K miles on it. A local truck, and yes owned by a little old lady who kept it in her garage most of the time. Traded the Jeep and boy was I disappointed! Trouble free but poky and not very comfortable for me. Should have kept the Jeep.

I've owned both a Jeep Wrangler with the 4.0 Liter six (Awesome Engine!] and a Tacoma with the 3ZR 4 cylinder [also an awesome engine but a bit less displacement]. Both with manual gearboxes.

The 4.0 Liter straight six was one of the best engines I've seen, plenty of power for the size, rock solid reliable, no worries. But the overal vehicle just wasn't as practical for my needs. If I could have that Jeep with a hard top or better yet, a half cab, it would have better suited for me. Those options are avaialble but not at prices I was willing to pay.
If I could find a long wheelbase TJ (LJ) with the 6 cylinder and a 5-speed, I would consider putting one of the 1/2 cabs on it. The cost is the factor that stops me from going that route.
Chrysler stopped making the 4.0 L six in 2006 and that was the end of an era.

 

[PED1945]

OK, honest question, could you expound on that please? Other than safety and emissions requirements, what regulations get in the way of selling simpler vehicles? I have always figured the reason we don't have things like this here is that Americans, by and large, are hedonistic status seekers and they simply wouldn't sell. It never occured to me that governmental legislation might be to blame (though it wouldn't surprise me, government seems to screw up everything).

Do not forget the Chicken Tax.

 

[PED1945]

It sounds like there is a strong interest in a new, inexpensive, simple and reliable pickup truck. I would buy one. Dealers wouldn't like them due to the low profit margin. Auto manufacturers' worst enemy is their own dealer network.

My best new car buying experience was in 1996 when I dealt with a local dealer's fleet sales office. This was a build to order deal where I got an excellent price and all the options I wanted (and none of the pricey items the dealers use to increase the price and profit).

 

[Petrol & Powder]

It sounds like there is a strong interest in a new, inexpensive, simple and reliable pickup truck. I would buy one. Dealers wouldn't like them due to the low profit margin. Auto manufacturers' worst enemy is their own dealer network.

The profit margin is seldom determined by the dealer.

And a simple truck is unlikely to appear on the market with the current voluminous regulations burdening the industry.

 

[Snakeoil]

Somebody will figure out a way to import these into the US. If nothing else, they would make great utility vehicles for golf courses and similar places.