How a special edition Mazda BT-50 is bringing awareness to saving pangolins
WHENEVER an automaker creates a special edition version of its vehicles, it’s not often for a noble cause. Most of the time, automakers create special edition models to boost sales of an outgoing model, make room for an upcoming minor or full model change, or simply for marketing purposes to raise the appeal of a certain model.
Mazda, however, isn’t like most automakers. The brand does things differently, and with the Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition 2; that’s pretty much the case even in 2024.
The Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition 2, as the name suggests, is now on its second iteration. The first one came out in 2020 and was based on the previous BT-50, which shared similar mechanicals with the T6 Ford Ranger. The current BT-50, now sharing mechanicals with the Isuzu D-MAX, continues the tradition of creating a special edition model not simply to raise the appeal of the stylish midsize pickup, but also to create awareness for an animal worth saving — the Philippine pangolin.
That’s because the Philippine pangolin is critically endangered. While our country’s name is attached to this pangolin, its geographic range is limited to the island of Palawan. It could have been called the Palawan pangolin, but for the sake of global recognition, it was given the name Philippine pangolin instead. Poaching and habitat loss are its primary challenges, mostly because the Philippine pangolin is desired for its meat as a so-called luxury food, while its scales are used for medicinal purposes.
The Katala Foundation, headed by German biologist Sabine Schoppe, is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the Philippine pangolin, along with other threatened animals like the Philippine cockatoo. For the longest time, the organization has been using a Mazda BT-50 to reach far-flung places in a bid to save the precious animal. Eventually, that BT-50 gave way to the first BT-50 Pangolin Edition, which has been put to good use, as evidenced by the battle scars it has accumulated over the years and the more than 100,000 kilometers it has traveled.
The role of the BT-50 has been instrumental in helping biologists and researchers travel to places that would have otherwise been too difficult or potentially even dangerous to tackle on foot. Now, though, it’s time to make way for a new BT-50 Pangolin Edition 2, which was handed over by Mazda Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Steven Tan and his team to the Katala Foundation. Shining and shimmering in a fresh coat of silver paint and powered by a strong 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine generating 190 hp and 450 Nm of torque through an electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system, this noble pickup will once again reliably serve its duty to save a critically endangered pangolin.
At the same time, by having a model name that puts the Philippine pangolin at the forefront of every special edition BT-50 that hits local roads, Mazda is also raising public awareness of an animal that’s unique to the Philippines and is worth our time and effort to be saved. The best form of advertising for a vehicle, after all, is whenever it’s visible on the road.
Curious motorists and the public will probably be drawn to the Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition 2’s design flourishes, most notably the 18-inch Rota wheels with an exclusive Pangolin center cap — a definite eye candy for off-road enthusiasts. It’s a perfect aesthetic add-on that won’t just draw attention but also potentially pique the curiosity of car enthusiasts and onlookers to do a quick Google search on what the Philippine pangolin is. The mere fact that a special edition pickup can raise awareness about the need to save the Philippine pangolin puts us a step closer to achieving what the Katala Foundation and Mazda Philippines hope to achieve — to raise the population of the Philippine pangolin and prevent it from facing extinction.
The Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition 2 is a unique special edition model in the sense that, while it’s got the usual ingredients of having added visual and equipment upgrades to make the BT-50 more attractive, it holds the unique distinction of being a special edition pickup that brings to light an animal that needs our attention and effort for it to be saved. Yes, it comes with Mazda’s usual 5-year free maintenance program that’ll save you from ownership costs, but at the same time, you also help a foundation get a step closer to saving an animal from the face of extinction.