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LDV T60 Luxe Mega Tub long wheelbase ute joins the line-up

The budget-priced LDV T60 ute will soon be available with a long-wheelbase option that will give it one of the biggest trays in the class.


Unlike the recently announced Volkswagen Amarok local conversion kit – available in XL and XXL sizes – the LDV T60 long wheelbase is made on the Chinese production line and arrives in Australian showrooms ready to roll.

The LDV T60 long wheelbase also does not have the noticeable "add-on" tray extension bodywork in front of the rear wheel arches because LDV has stamped an entirely new tray.

There is one other ace up the sleeve of the LDV T60 long wheelbase: the price premium is only $1500 over the LDV T60 Luxe on which it is based, giving it a starting price of $34,990 drive-away for a six-speed manual and $36,990 drive-away for a six-speed auto.

By comparison, Volkswagen said the factory-approved XL and XXL conversion kits would cost “no more than $15,000”, which would put the starting price of an Amarok TDV6 at about $65,000.

The first shipments of the LDV T60 long wheelbase are due to arrive in Australian showrooms by the end of December. 

For the technically-minded, the LDV T60 long wheelbase has grown by 315mm between the front and rear wheels, and the tray is 275mm longer, making it easier to fit dirt bikes in the back without having to drop the tailgate. The T60 Luxe Mega Tub has a total tray length of 1800mm.

Fuel consumption and the maximum tow rating of 3000kg remain unchanged from the standard LDV T60.

Both the manual and automatic versions of the T60 Luxe Mega Tub have a GVM of 2900kg; the tare mass of the manual is 1970kg and the auto is 2000kg.

The only trade-offs are that the 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine has the same modest power output as the standard LDV T60, and the turning circle is broader.

In our recent ute mega test, the LDV T60 had the weakest performance among the most popular 11 double cabs evaluated across all disciplines: tested when empty, carrying a 650kg load, and towing a 2200kg trailer.

LDV Australia boss Dinesh Chinnappa says that the long wheelbase T60 will appeal to buyers who need a bigger tray but don’t want to give up the convenience of a double cab body.

“One of the limitations of traditional double cab utes is that the trays are smaller than the trays of single cab or space cab utes. This long wheelbase version gives buyers the best of both worlds,” he said. “We think it’s a game changer, we believe there is a real consumer need for this extra practicality.”

Joshua Dowling

Joshua Dowling has been a motoring journalist for more than 20 years, spending most of that time working for The Sydney Morning Herald (as motoring editor and one of the early members of the Drive team) and News Corp Australia. He joined CarAdvice / Drive in 2018, and has been a World Car of the Year judge for more than 10 years.

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