First the name, then the color: Canary Yellow is in the brand's color portfolio and will adorn the pickup truck as a symbol of connection, legacy, and identity;
– The new pickup truck, in a segment that is new to Volkswagen, is yet another project that was 100% designed, planned and developed in the country;
– With production confirmed in São José dos Pinhais (PR), Tukan symbolizes a new chapter for Volkswagen in Brazil;
– Learn how the name and color of a groundbreaking project with regional and global reach came about;
– This project is part of Volkswagen's offensive of 21 launches in South America by 2028, supported by investments of R$ 20 billion in the region.
Rio de Janeiro, February 3, 2026 – Some projects begin to take shape. Others begin to gain a name and color. Volkswagen do Brasil announces, for the first time, the name of its new, unprecedented pickup truck and anticipates one of the colors that will mark its arrival on the market. Tukan has its name revealed and confirms the return of the Canary Yellow shade to the brand's portfolio as a symbol of identity and legacy.
Part of Volkswagen's offensive of 21 new launches for South America by 2028, supported by a R$ 20 billion investment in the region, the new Volkswagen Tukan pickup truck emerges as a project that embodies identity, intention, and meaning, marking the beginning of a new and important chapter for Volkswagen in the country.
The Tukan pickup truck will be another vehicle 100% designed, planned, and developed in Brazil, with production confirmed for the Volkswagen factory in São José dos Pinhais (PR) starting in 2027. “As a Brazilian, I can find no other word than 'pride' to describe this moment. The Tukan symbolizes a strategic turning point for our brand in Brazil and reinforces the country's strategic role in the development of Volkswagen vehicles, valuing our engineering, our people, and our local capacity to create products with regional relevance and global appeal,” says Ciro Possobom, CEO and President of Volkswagen do Brasil.
The unveiling of the name and launch color of the new Tukan pickup truck took place at the CBF headquarters, in an event that marked the announcement of Volkswagen do Brasil's sponsorship of the Brazilian men's and women's national football teams. In the first sketch of the Tukan, the pickup truck, positioned in a segment new to the brand, appears alongside the mascot of the Brazilian National Team, Canarinho.
Canary Yellow unites legacy, future, and identity.
Throughout Volkswagen's history, the color yellow has been present in models that have marked generations and helped build a deep and affectionate relationship between the brand and people.
By adorning beloved models like the Kombi, Beetle, Brasília (with the color even becoming the subject of a song), SP, Passat, Saveiro, Golf, Gol, in various special editions, New Beetle, CrossFox, and Fox, yellow has appeared in emblematic moments of Volkswagen's history in Brazil. The color has always been associated with boldness, emotion, and the brand's ability to create products that connect with the Brazilian collective imagination.
In the Tukan pickup truck, Canary Yellow emerges as a choice that reinforces this historical connection, translating energy, presence, and regional identity—values that have spanned decades of Volkswagen's relationship with its audience in Brazil and the region.
“Choosing the color for the launch of a groundbreaking project, such as the new Volkswagen Tukan pickup truck, goes far beyond aesthetics. Color translates purpose, reinforces the product's identity, and connects directly with the customer's profile and expectations. At Volkswagen, this choice is handled with sensitivity, ensuring that every detail contributes to a memorable experience,” says Telma Blasquez, CMF (Color, Materials and Finishing) manager at Volkswagen do Brasil.
First and last name: color as an intrinsic part of the product.
More than just an immediate visual impact, color plays a strategic role in building the identity of a new product. "It's never just about color for color's sake," explains the executive. "When you see a car with a different color on the street, first you look at the color itself, feel what it evokes in you, and only then do you identify the model," adds Telma.
From its inception, the new Volkswagen Tukan pickup truck was designed to express versatility and personality even before it hit the streets. Therefore, the choice of Canary Yellow as one of the launch colors was made in the early stages of product development, in a finely integrated process between Design, Marketing, Product and local Communication, in alignment with Volkswagen's headquarters in Germany.
In a more subdued and mature tone than the yellows historically used by the brand, Tukan's Canary Yellow reinforces a message of impressiveness, robustness, and confidence, without losing the emotional connection to Brazilian culture and regional identity. It's a choice that balances brand legacy and contemporary style, also aligned with global design and behavioral trends.
Tukan: how the name of a new Volkswagen is born
Choosing a name for a new Volkswagen model follows the same careful and thorough process as selecting the product's launch color. And, in the case of the Tukan, it was no different.
The naming process involved rounds of discussion, regional validations, and strategic analyses until options were chosen that legitimately represented the product's identity and the desired positioning for the new pickup truck. The process involved a cross-functional team with representatives from marketing, product marketing, communications, design, strategy, product planning and development, legal, and regional markets, including Brazil and other South American countries, as well as export departments.
“The goal was to find a unique, short, and strong name that could resonate with different cultures, sound good in various languages, and reflect the product's mission from its inception,” explains Fernando Silva, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Volkswagen do Brasil.
Throughout the process, different alternatives were evaluated and refined based on criteria such as cultural reading, sound, ease of pronunciation, memory, and suitability for the markets where the model will be sold.
“And so we arrived at Tukan, a name that carries identity, exclusivity, and connection to our region. It was born inspired by elements of our local fauna, such as the toucan, a unique bird native to the Americas, recognized for its striking presence and vibrant colors, and it perfectly translates what this project represents for Volkswagen: a unique product, with a clear personality and designed to stand out in our region,” adds Fernando.
By combining a name with a strong regional identity and a color laden with symbolism, Volkswagen reaffirms its approach to creating products: with purpose, pride, integration, and respect for its own legacy.
Volkswagen Tukan, coming soon, to build new stories, both in Brazil and abroad. The beginning of a new era for pickup trucks. 2027 is just around the corner.
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