The Tunland has the looks and most of the goods

The Foton Tunland will head all over
the world after its global launch in SA.

FOTON, the largest truck and bakkie maker in the world, chose South Africa for the global launch of their new Tunland double cab 4x4 on Tuesday.

Robin Wu, vice president of the Beiqi Foton Motor company, has himself headed up the development of the Foton, head-hunting engineers from Japanese companies to ensure China’s top bakkie would be able be equal the Hilux, Ranger, Amarok and Triton not only in SA, but also in steaming Thailand and freezing Russia.

Wu told The Witness the custom-built Cummins engine in SA’s Tunland was specifically mapped for our long drives, while the suspension was tuned for our loads and speeds.

Foton Automobile Distributors (FAD) will sell the Tunland through 34 dealers and MD Brett Soso said the two Tunland 4X4 models costs from R50 000 to R100 000 cheaper than its rivals. The Tunland Comfort retails for R334 950 and the higher-specced Lux for R354 950.

Wu said a 4x2 double cab would arrive in January 2013, with single cabs and an extended cab expected by July. A automatic box may come later - if there is demand.
Wu said the Cummins engine was developed using China’s diesel, which meant “it will have no problem” with SA’s 500 ppm diesel, although this type of robustness does come with shorter service intervals of 10,000 km.

I drove the Tunland a few kilometres on a 4x4 track, and was impressed by its ability to idle up the ramps.

Niggles? I missed a diff-lock up front; and the quartz crystal screen of the on-board computer is difficult to read in daylight.

As for the Chinese tyres on the Tunland, I asked Hannes Visser, producer for La’t Wiel about their quality.
Visser had driven the Tunland up the 26-km of Baboon’s Pass in Lesotho and told me he had lost only two tyres to sidewall piercings — very impressive for the Baboon’s Pass.

Apart from is introductory price, the Tunland does not set any new benchmarks for 4x4 diesel bakkies in South Africa, but I do think Wu has succeeded in his mission.
The Tunland has the looks; the price; and most of the goods to impress any bakkie-buyer in SA.
The Tunland certainly does not have to stand back for  any of the more pricey rivals in the shoot-out below, in which the Mitsubishi's Triton 3,2 has not one, nor two, but THREE diff-locks, giving it the most efficient 4x4 system in SA; and Toyota offers the most reassurance with the most dealers; and the Amarok little 2,0-litre engine is the most frugal I have yet driven in a bakkie; and Ford's thirsty Ranger is still King in the power stakes. 

Shootout of SA's most popular double cab diesel 4x4 bakkies

(Prices and specs below for October 2012)

	Hilux 3,0 D4D Raider	Ranger 2,2 TDCi XLS 4x4	Amarok 2,0 Trendline 4Motion	Tunland 2,5 TD 4x4	Triton Di-Dc 4x4
Listed price	R432 100	R385 370	R401 200	R334 950	R399 900
Engine size	2982 cc	2196 cc	1988 cc	2488 cc	3200
kW	120	110	90	120	118
Nm/rpm	343 @1400	375 @ 1500	340 @ 1750	360 @ 1800	343 @ 2000
Euro emmissions	II	III	III	IV	IV
Payload	795 kg	1291 kg	872 kg	925 kg	1020
Braked trailer kg	1590 kg	3350 kg	3000 kg	2500 kg	1500 kg
Airbags	6	6	4	2	2

What are South Africans buying? 

(Jan to Oct 2012 sales)

	Double cab	4x4 diesel	sales
Toyota	Ford	Nissan	Volkswagen	Isuzu
939	846	297	696	313
Monthly average:
155	141	48	115	52
				Source: Foton