Foton’s grand return highlighted by massive line-up, local production

Foton has been China’s leading commercial vehicle brand for the past 19 years and now, in collaboration with Combined Motor Holdings Limited (CMH) plans on taking the local market by storm with a massive line-up to cater for business and personal use.

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The most relevant to the CAR Magazine audience would be the arrival of the Tunland G7 line-up that was previously detailed in a pricing and specification article but the Chinese automaker has several other models announced during its brand day in Modderfontein, Johannesburg.

Related: Foton Tunland Bakkies Hit SA – Pricing and Spec

As a reminder, the launch event yesterday showcased single-cab and double-cab Tunland models that undercut its bakkie competition. All are outfitted with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel motor that is good for 120kW and 390Nm. Towing capability is listed at three-tons and standard features like digitised interior that can host smartphone replication are part of the tech appeal.

Marius Smal, the CEO of Foton SA, emphasised the unique attributes of the Tunland range: “Many small trucks and bakkies have four wheels, an engine, and are reasonably reliable. The Foton G7 pick-up range has all this and more: It’s sexy, features future-proof styling, and boasts a three-ton towing capacity. Best-in-class pricing, robust performance, and like-for-like specification in comparison with traditional brands – all the right ingredients for ‘fun and business’, at the right price.”

Related: Foton Confirms Launch Date for New Bakkie in SA

Foton’s presence in South Africa predates 2008 and has been marked by a consistent delivery of vehicles across various segments. The strategic partnership with CMH Group ensures that Foton’s new line-up will receive unparalleled service and support which will span an initial network comprising 40 dealerships across the country. Foton adds that this extensive dealer network guarantees convenient access to sales, maintenance, and support services, fostering lasting relationships built on trust and reliability.

On that topic, Foton’s commitment to customer satisfaction is further highlighted by its state-of-the-art 10 000m² parts warehouse, managed by Mandarin Parts Distributors (PTY) Ltd. This facility is dedicated to supporting after-sales service needs, ensuring that any maintenance or repair requirements are swiftly and efficiently addressed. This will cater to the full range of vehicles on offer locally, which include minibuses, trucks and vans, some of which employ a battery and electric motor in place of the typical internal combustion motor.

Commercial vehicle pricing

• Asambe Taxi Petrol Manual Minibus 2.4 Petrol – R439 900
• Asambe Taxi Diesel Manual Minibus 2.8 Diesel – R499 900
• View Minibus 2.0 Automatic Luxury Minibus 2.0 Luxury – R599 900
• Miler Chassis Cab Miler Chassis Cab – R339 900
• Miler With Dropside Miler Dropside – R359 900
• eTruckMate Chassis Cab eTruckMate Chassis Cab – R575 000
• eTruckMate Dropside eTruckMate Dropside – R595 000
• eView Panelvan eView Panelvan – R850 000
• eAumark Chassis Cab eAumark Chassis Cab – R1 199 900
• eAumark Dropside eAumarkDropside – R1 250 000

Aside from the news of NEV workhorses and models catering to the taxi industry, the most significant news is that Foton has partnered with CMH for exclusive distribution across a network of 40 existing dealers. What is more, Foton has plans for bakkie production at BAIC’s facility in Gqeberha from 2026 with potential for local production to grow and supplement the rest of the African continent. The 540 000m² facility has plans to produce the Beijing X55, BAIC B40 and B80 and BAIC X25. The planned target production capacity for the current phase is 40 000 to 50 000 units per year.

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