Foton: New Cars 2012

Article
Gallery

By Tim Beissmann | January 06th, 2012

A new Chinese brand will launch in Australia in the second quarter of this year when Foton, a light commercial vehicle manufacturer, introduces a new ute range.

Gold Coast-based automotive distributor FAA Automotive Australia has secured the rights to sell the brand locally. FAA will launch with the Foton Tunland, a dual-cab pick-up aimed at stealing sales from vehicles like the Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton.

FAA Chairman Peter Llewellyn says the distributor is currently planning the first shipment of Tunlands, and confirmed it will include turbo diesel manual models in both 4×2 and 4×4 drive modes.

“[The Tunland] is very highly [specificied] and positioned to compete favourably in the Australian pick-up market,” Llewellyn said.

The new Chinese ute is powered by a Cummins 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine with 120kW of power and 380Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes around 13 seconds. Initially it will be available only with a Getrag five-speed manual transmission, although Llewellyn says a ZF six-speed automatic should become an option “down the track”.

FAA also plans to add a petrol engine to the line-up, expected to be a Mitsubishi-sourced 2.4-litre four-cylinder unit.

At 5310mm long, 1880mm wide, 1810mm high and with a ground clearance of 220mm, the Tunland will be 180mm longer, 120mm wider and have a 10mm larger ground clearance than the comparative Toyota HiLux. It has a loading capacity of 1000kg and a towing capacity of 2500kg.

Standard features include 16-inch aluminium wheels, front and rear fog lights, CD player with UAX/USB inputs and air conditioning. Safety features include ABS, EBD and two front airbags, but the Tunland will not come with electronic stability control.

The top-spec Luxury 4×4 model scores a number of additional features, including leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, full leather upholstery, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and iPod integration.

The entry-level Tunland 4×2 should be priced below $30,000. Final prices will be confirmed closer to the ute’s local launch in a few months’ time.

Looking further into the future, FAA says the Tunland will be joined in Australia by a range of Foton passenger vehicles by 2015.

Note: Updated January 6, 2012 with new information.

Anonymous

This may be a proper contender? Hyundai have really missed the boat – where is their ute?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001583322266 Henry Toussaint

I guess that will be the next big thing for themto work on!

Paul

At least the ute has a Cummins diesel

Will

I thought it was not coming to Australia? Anyway if its price is right, sure it gonna sell well.
Shak

Seems to have most of the right things. And if they can get it a 4 Star crash rating at the least it should be pretty competitive. Also nice to hear that it will have a ZF ‘box.

vx

Not many commercial vehicles getting 4 stars

David

VX, the Triton and Hilux get four stars, whilst the Amarok, BT50 and Ranger get 5 stars.. The Navara (at three stars), is the lowest rated commerical in this field without of course taking into account the Great Wall which I seem to recall only gets two stars (which translates to “don’t have a crash or else you’re buggered”..)!

Anonymous

Looks good, Great wall is apparently quite good.
D Is For Drive

Interesting to see what the price is, in relation to Great Wall
Pingback: Foton: New Cars 2012 | Car Advice | Cars And Everything
Scottwheels

The turbo diesel Great Wall cannot cope with the top end heat. Friends of mine have one as a business vehicle and after the dealer put a 60A fuse in for the thermofans, the entire fuse box melted into the chassis. While the price is certainly a factor in the buying decision, there is something to be said for having stood the test of time.

Anonymous

Sounds like they are barking up the wrong tree to fix the problem. Great Wall have been selling into Dubai and Abu Dhabi for a few years now, but not sure if they sell the diesel there.

Hopefully Cummins have some input with the Foton seeing as its their name on the line a bit.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Peter-Pebbles-Stone/529716977 Peter Pebbles Stone

Cummins make an engine that small?
save it for the track

2.8 diesel with that sort of power/torque seems a few years behind. Much like the underpowered Hilux diesel then….
Ggg

Agree with Robin_Graves
What are Kia/Hyundai doing???

We need a proper Korean fourby (wagon + ute)
Don Quay

How fast are these Photons? I read somewhere else their top speed is about 300,000km/sec. Or am I thinking about something else?

Karl

Maybe if you turn on the headlights.

Ucb05t

It’s Called the Foton Tunland os. Seems better spec’d than GW… Let’s see what they price in at.
Paul

Does it need a lift kit on the front? Nice vehicle, but it looks like a 70s muscle car the way it’s shown here.
Will

Without ESC, they won’t be available in VIC and NSW. Both Interior and exterior are looking good for that price.

Anonymous

Is that the case if it’s sold as a commercial vehicle though ? I’m not sure but don’t be suprised if the ESC is for all passenger cars.
Devil’s Advocate

Will, like with many other safety features etc, I am pretty sure commercial vehicles are exempt from having ESC as standard fitment. There are very few 4WD utes/commercials with ESC and you still see them in the dealers etc in Vic/NSW…

Rup

Let’s see;

Japanese got big with quality/reliability
Koreans got big by very good styled cars with good quality

So how are the Chinese gonna make a strive? Look at Koreans now, they’re able to price a car higher then the Japanese and still be able to sell!

DAVIDZ

<<<Look at Koreans now, they're able to price a car higher then the Japanese

ONLY TO BLIND, UNEDUCATED FOOLS
UniversityOfGoogle

Koreans got big? WTF r u smoking, there’s only 2 Korean companies that sell globally, Hyundai and Kia (owned by Hyundai). Hyundai is nowhere near being a “big” company, and I’ve yet to see one “very good styled” Korean car with “good quality”. Hyundai’s grew from selling cheap, which is exactly what the Chinese will do, but better, because no one does cheap like the Chinese.

You look at any Chinese industry, they’ve all grown from being cheap, then improving in quality. Clothing is no longer the largest exporter from China, electronics is.

Pretty much the only non-Chinese civilian motherboard company is Intel.

ToyotaGuru

CA writes: “Gold Coast-based automotive distributor FAA Automotive Australia has secured the rights to sell the brand locally.”

Bogans importing utes for Bogans. That’s Great!
Aaa

Cummins diesel engine = WIN. It should be better than those gimmicky, over the top and complex Euro diesel engines.

Dash

They have to be complex in order to propel their cars from 0-100 in under 7 seconds while still maintaining less that 8 L/100km…..

DAVIDZ

When all things considered, this will be one of the cheaper utes sold, yet WILL be more reliable and cheaper to keep than the vw amarock[sic]
Sam

It would have to take the prize for the fugliest front end.

Scott

So you haven’t seen the sang yong or the bt50

Dave

I actually think they should go well if they pull of a 4 star rating I would put my family in it for sure!
Rick

2200mm tray back dual cab ute, cummins engine, dana diffs, just what I am looking for,