What R960k BYD Shark money can buy in other bakkie stables

Last week, the BYD Shark was officially unveiled as the most powerful bakkie in South Africa.

Apart from the Chinese-built plug-in hybrid double cab powertrain credentials that read 320kW of power and 650Nm of torque, its other eye-catching feature is its R959 900 price tag.

The top local bakkies have been flirting with the R1-million mark for years now, with two manufacturers already on the other side of the seven-figure mark and two others just a few rand short.

The Citizen Motoring has browsed through the price lists of other local bakkie retailers to see what R959 900 BYD Shark money can buy in other stables.

Where BYD Shark fits into price hierarchy

South Africa’s most popular bakkie, the Toyota Hilux, has only one derivative that is more expensive than the Shark. This is the GR Sport, which at R999 000 is also the manufacturer’s most powerful bakkie, sporting outputs of 165kW/550Nm. R921 800 is enough for the Legend, which is powered by the 2.8-litre GD-6 turbodiesel mill in standard 150kW/500Nm guise.

For Shark money, you can “only” get a 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo Wildtrak 4×2 in the Ford Ranger lineup. At R895 500, it is almost R80 000 cheaper than the R983 000 4×4 version.

The most affordable 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel, which produces 184kW/600Nm, costs a whopping R1 087 000. The 282kW/586Nm Ford Ranger Raptor, the only local rival that comes anywhere close to the BYD Shark in terms of power, costs R1 270 000.

The top dog in the Isuzu portfolio in standard guise, the 140kW/450Nm D-Max 3.0TD double cab V-Cross 4×4, comes in at R925 600. The off-road orientated AT35 at R1 182 100 is the only more expensive bakkie in its stable.

ALSO READ: VIDEO: BYD Shark leaps into SA, guns for Raptor’s crown

Well below top VW Amaroks

The most expensive offering is the stable of Mzansi’s fourth best-selling bakkie, the Mahindra Pik Up S11 Karoo Dawn, which costs R657 999. It is powered by a 103kW/320Nm 2.2-litre blown turbo diesel mill.

Looking through the VW Amarok brochure, the BYD Shark is cheaper than the 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre bi-turbo Style 4Motion at R966 500.

Another R104 600 gets you the cheapest 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel in the line-up in Style guise.

The most expensive Nissan Navara, the Pro-4X Warrior, costs R924 000. It is powered by the same 140kW/450Nm 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine that serves in the standard R844 000 Pro-4X.

R889 990 is enough to buy the top Mitsubishi, the Triton 2.4DI-D double cab Edition 46 4×4. Its four-pot blown diesel makes 135kW/430Nm.

ALSO READ: Sub-R1m BYD Shark becomes South Africa’s most powerful bakkie

Chinese bakkies

In terms of Chinese offerings, R889 900 can get you the 135kW/480Nm GWM P500 2.4T Super Luxury 4×4. But the 255kW/648Nm 2.0T hybrid Ultra Luxury 4×4 is just out of reach at R999 900.

R790 000 is enough to buy the top-of-the-range LDV in T60 Max Luxe 4×4 auto guise. Its 2.0-litre oil-burner makes 160kW/500Nm.

The newly-announced JAC T9 plug-in hybrid will, at 290kW/670Nm, be only 30kW down on the BYD Shark but 20Nm up in torque.

Pricing has not yet been announced. It should come at a premium over the current flagship R659 900 T9 2.0CTI Super Lux, which produces 125kW/410Nm.