South Africa’s double-cab bakkie segment welcomes a new player in the form of the Chinese-built LDV T60, with the local range topped by a pair of 160 kW derivatives…
The LDV T60 range of double-cab bakkies has officially touched down in South Africa, with the local line-up comprising 10 derivatives at launch.
Pricing for this Chinese-built range kicks off at R480 000 and runs through to R790 000. At launch, the T60 portfolio features only double-cab derivatives, available with a pair of engine options, a trio of transmission choices and 4 distinct trim levels.
The double-cab bakkie measures 5 365 mm long and 1 900 mm wide, while standing 1 809 mm tall (with a wheelbase of 3 155 mm). LDV claims the load bed comes in at 1 485 mm long, 1 510 mm wide and 530 mm deep (though we’ve yet to learn payload capacities). All derivatives in the T60 line-up employ double-wishbone suspension up front and leaf-spring suspension at the rear, with disc brakes all round.
The T60 Elite is available in 4 forms, each powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine generating 120 kW and 375 Nm. Here, buyers have a choice of 4×2 and 4×4 configurations, each available with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
For the record, the Elite trim level includes items such as a 7-inch touchscreen, a 4-speaker sound system, a reversing camera, manual air-conditioning, cloth seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, electronic stability control and 4 airbags.
Next comes the T60 Pro 4×4, which employs the same motor with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or an automatic transmission with the same number of cogs (though drive is delivered to all 4 corners as standard in each case). This Pro trim gains items such as rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, a driver-fatigue monitor, tyre-pressure monitoring, a rear differential lock, remote keyless entry, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, a 6-speaker sound system, artificial leather upholstery, 18-inch alloys, roof rails, a roll bar, painted bed-liner and an extra 2 (curtain) airbags.
What about those yearning for more power? Well, the T60 Max Pro 4×4 and T60 Max Luxe 4×4 upgrade to a 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel powerplant that generates peak outputs of 160 kW and 500 Nm. These 2 derivatives ship standard in all-paw guise and are offered with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic transmission.
The Max Pro grade is further set apart by items such as hill-start assist control, hill descent control, 17-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers and automatic LED headlamps but does without a rear diff lock, remote keyless entry and leather upholstery. Finally, the flagship Max Luxe scores a 360-degree camera system, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, real leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats, seat heating (fore and aft), an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror and 19-inch alloys.
As a reminder, LDV traces its roots all the way back to 1896, when it was founded in the United Kingdom. In the late 1980s, the marque transformed into Leyland DAF Vehicles (hence the LDV initialism), before becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s SAIC Motor in 2010.
The next LDV product set to hit South Africa will be the D90, a 7-seater adventure SUV likely to borrow the 160 kW powertrain from the top-spec T60 models. Measuring 5 046 mm from nose to tail, this 3-row SUV is slightly longer than the outgoing Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Its wheelbase, meanwhile, comes in at 2 950 mm, while its ground clearance is listed as 230 mm.
How much does the LDV T60 double-cab bakkie cost in SA?
T60 Elite 4×2 6MT – R480 000
T60 Elite 4×2 6AT – R520 000
T60 Elite 4×4 6MT – R520 000
T60 Elite 4×4 6AT – R560 000
T60 Pro 4×4 6MT – R610 000
T60 Pro 4×4 6AT – R640 000
T60 Max Pro 4×4 6MT – R670 000
T60 Max Pro 4×4 8AT – R710 000
T60 Max Luxe 4×4 6MT – R750 000
T60 Max Luxe 4×4 8AT – R790 000
All derivatives ship standard with a 5-year/200 000 km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km service plan.
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