Foton returns to SA with a ‘complete package’ double cab

A small-time player in the bakkie segment before quietly exiting six years ago – though not entirely, as it kept its truck and bus divisions going – Chinese marque, Foton, has announced its return in the second quarter of the year with the replacement for the Tunland.

Set to become the brand’s only non-medium or heavy-duty vehicle once again, the official statement send by Foton doesn’t name the newcomer outright, apart from mentioning it as representing a “pivotal moment in the South African automotive industry”.

A quick glance on Foton South Africa’s website, though, identifies the model as the Tunland G7.

Replacing the original Tunland on local soil – it never made to South Africa after a facelift in 2018 – the Tunland G7 already has a presence in select South American and Middle Eastern markets, and even Europe, with Italy being the most prominent.

Only listed in South Africa as a double cab, unlike the original that also offered a single-cab body style, the Tunland G7 measures 5 340mm long, 1 870mm high and 1 940mm wide while riding on a wheelbase of 3 110mm.

Its ground clearance rated at 200mm in Italy, the Tunland G7’s off-road angles remain unknown, though depending on the market, payload varies from as little as 880kg, to as much as 1 090kg.

The importation of the Tunland G7 set to be handled by Mandarin Parts Distributors, owned by Combined Motor Holdings who also distributes Proton, preliminary expectations points to the newcomer deriving motivation from a single powerplant.

South Africa seemingly appears set to get the turbodiesel, 2.0-litre.

Paired to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, with driver going to the rear or all four wheels, the unit, according to the Foton website, develops 120kW/390Nm.

Regardless of the drive wheels, a rear locking differential comes standard, along with a drive mode selector with two settings; Eco and Sport.

In terms of the specification, the Tunland G7 sports 16 or 18inch alloy wheels, an eight-inch

or 10-inch infotainment system, a four-speaker sound system, a five-inch TFT instrument cluster display, keyless entry, push-button start, dual-zone climate control with PM2.5 filtration, heated front seats and ambient lighting to name but a few.

Notable safety and driver assistance systems comprise a tyre pressure monitor, all around parking sensors, a 360-degree surround-view camera system, hill descent control, and blind spot monitoring.