By Otsile Kadiege

There’s a new Chinese automotive brand in South Africa called LDV – a sub-brand of automotive giant SAIC Motor. The newcomer will be competing in the highly-competitive LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) market with the new T60 bakkie.

LDV brand history

The LDV brand was born in the United Kingdom in 1896. The brand has evolved and changed over a century to become Leyland DAF Vehicles in 1987. It later became known by its acronym, LDV, which has since become its registered brand name. The modern LDV brand is a division of SAIC Motor, the largest vehicle manufacturer in China and one of the ten largest vehicle manufacturers in the world. The company sells more than five million vehicles in China alone and it exports to most regions across the globe, including Europe, the USA and Australasia.

SAIC is a Fortune 100 global company and the Chinese vehicle partner to General Motors and Volkswagen. It is also the manufacturer of the top-selling Chinese brand Roewe and the owner of global brands MG, LDV and MAXUS. The latter brand is already well known after entering the market as the preferred electric commercial vehicle brand for Woolworths home delivery services. Many of the commercial vehicles in use under this agreement will soon be available in their internal combustion form from LDV South Africa.

LDV is best known for its pick-ups, SUVs and vans. LDV Automotive Australia sold over 21 000 units last year, with the T60 range of pick-ups feature as top-seller among entrepreneurs and small businesses.

T60 design and styling

The T60 sports a bold and muscular stance thanks to a massive radiator grille flanked by slim LED daytime running lights and separate headlights integrated on the lower portion of the front bumper. The range-topping T60 will feature contrasting wheel arches, gloss black roof rails, gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels and a large sports bar.

At the rear, the T60 features LED taillights, large T60 badging on the tailgate and a bumper integrated step for easy access to the tub which measures 1 510mm wide, has a depth of 530 mm and a maximum tub length of 1 800 mm. The tub also has a spray-in tub liner and four tie down points.

There are a choice of five colours to choose from, namely Blanc White, Maple Leaf Orange, Jewel Blue, Lava Grey and Metal Black.

T60 interior design and tech

Inside, the top-spec T60 features leather seats (the front row with heating and 6-way electronic adjustment) with red contrast stitching, a flat-bottom multifunctional steering wheel, an aircraft-like gear selector, a semi-digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, complete with Apple CarPlay and smart phone connectivity, a 6-speaker sound system, 2 USB ports and a 12V socket.

T60 performance

Underneath the bonnet of the T60 is a 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine making 160kW of power at 4 000 rpm and 500Nm of torque between 1 500 and 2 400 rpm. It’s paired with a ZF 8-speed transmission and has two drive modes – Eco and Power. LDV claims a combined fuel consumption of 9.3l/100km.

The T60 has a 3-tonne braked towing capacity and 4WD models have an intelligent real-time Torque on Demand system from BorgWarner with the ability to switch on the fly between 2WD high and 4WD high, backed by a rear on-demand differential lock.

Safety and assistance systems

The range-topping T60 has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating (2017) thanks to stacks of safety features like 6 airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, a panoramic 360-degree camera, Electronic Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Hill Start Assist, a Rear OnDemand Differential Lock and Lane Departure Warning.

Pricing, warranty and availability

LDV South Africa hasn’t announced local pricing as yet, but with the local testing schedule completed, we do know LDV South Africa will offer a comprehensive 5-year / 200 000 km factory warranty and a 5-year / 100 000 km service plan as standard, across the product range of SUVs, vans and pick-ups.

LDV South Africa will launch its first range of pick-ups in May 2024 and will release detailed information on the complete vehicle range next week.