Wuling brand is a joint venture between American auto giant General Motors and Chinese manufacturer SAIC Motors
General Motors has launched its first pickup truck in China under its subsidiary brand Wuling. The Wuling Zhengtu is offered at a starting price of CNY 58,800 (INR 6.54 lakh) and is offered in two configurations-a single cab and a dual-cab variant. The latter being priced at CNY 62,800 (approx INR 7 lakh).
Specifications
Zhengtu is a compact pickup truck in American standards with dimensions measuring up to 5,105mm in length while the cargo tray measures up to 2,000mm. Compared to other GM pickup trucks, for instance, Chevrolet Colorado (5,403mm in length), Zengtu is a segment below. However, its tray is four inches longer than Colorado.
It also receives a humble powertrain featuring a 1.5-litre motor that produces only 99 horses and 140 Nm of peak torque. This engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox which sends power exclusively to the rear wheels.
Cargo bed of Zhengtu is very accessible since it comes with all sides fold down making it easier to load and unload heavy loads. Plus, it would help to carry awkwardly shaped cargo usually hanging outside the edge.
Design & Features
A folding tailgate means the taillights have been shifted to the rear bumper that creates a distinct look. Rest of the exterior gets a rugged appearance. The front face gets a thick bar of chrome connecting the headlamps. It also gets a wide grille with Wuling’s brand logo and a muscular bumper which houses the central air inlet and fog lamps. It rides on 10-spoke blacked-out alloy wheels.
Moving inside the cabin, the primary highlight is an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display compatible with voice commands. Below the screen, there are three classic knobs to control HVAC.
The Chinese brand claims that the pickup truck contains noise, vibration, and harshness levels as good as any passenger car. Safety kit on Zhengtu includes features such as two front airbags, a high-strength steel bodywork, anti-lock brakes and ABS with EBD among others.
Pickup Truck Scene in India
Pickup trucks in India have only been partially successful, that too in the commercial vehicle segment. This includes Isuzu D-Max, Mahindra Bolero Pickup and Tata Yodha. However, they have proven to be an affordable and reliable means of transportation of cargo and as last-mile mobility services. Isuzu will soon launch the lifestyle variant of D-Max called V-Cross which has been the only pickup truck in India in the passenger vehicle segment.
