It’s a fact — The South African market is brimming with bakkies, with an array of models (from various manufacturers) to choose from. For example, there are the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, GWM P-Series, Mahindra Pik-Up, and, of course, the Toyota Hilux ,SA’s best-selling bakkie. And that’s to name only five. The list goes on!
Indeed, in SA, we’re spoilt for choice. However, sometimes, the more options you have, the more difficult the choice becomes, especially when you are a new bakkie buyer that’s not yet loyal to a specific brand.
Well, soon, the choice might just become even more difficult, with Chinese-owned company LDV scheduled to set up shop at the Southern-most tip of the African continent with the launch of, you guessed it, a bakkie, the T60.
But before we get to the T60, let’s take a look at LDV…
The firm was established in the United Kingdom as far back as 1896. A little more than nine decades later, in 1987, the company became Leyland DAF Vehicles (LDV). Then, in 2010, LDV became a subsidiary of Chinese automaker SAIC. LDV is best known for its bakkies, SUVs, and vans.
However, although LDV is only now (officially) launching in SA, several of the firm’s all-electric commercial vehicles, such as the panel vans used by Woolworths’ home-delivery service, are already here, though under the MAXUS brand.
Now, back to the T60 bakkie…
Unlike the automaker’s MAXUS-badged, battery-powered offerings, the LDV T60 double cab will (at first, at least) be equipped with an internal combustion engine. The latter comes in the shape of a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbocharged oil-burner, which churns out up to 160 kW and 500 Nm of torque. The diesel unit is coupled with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.
Not much more of the T60 has been revealed, though. However, LDV has confirmed that its product line-up will be offered with a five-year/100 000 km service plan and a five-year/200 000 km warranty.