Spy Shots: Foton U201 is Naked in China
New spy shots showing the Foton U201 SUV all-naked in China, proving the bug SUV does indeed come with a big chromed grille. The Foton U201 is a new mid-size SUV based on the Foton Tunland pickup truck. The U201 is expected to debut on the Guangzhou Auto Show in November and it will be launched on the China car market in the first half of 2014. Price will start around 130.000 yuan.
The Foton Tunland pickup truck. Price ranges from 137.000 yuan to 148.800 yuan. Power comes from a Cummins 2.8 liter turbo diesel with 130hp and 360nm, mated to a 5-speed manual.
Interesting design there around the D-pillar, with a little window that seems more funky than useful.
The Foton U201 SUV will ditch the diesel in favor of a 2.0 turbo petrol four-cylinder. Diesels are forbidden in most Chinese cities and that is exactly where Foton hopes to sell most U201 SUV′s. Bringing rural-kinda brands to the cities is a walk walked by many small Chinese automakers, but only a very few are successful. Foton however is a subsidiary of Beijing Auto Industry Corporation (BAIC), so it has large financial resources behind it.
Not too much chrome at the back, which is rather bland in comparison to the front.
Manual gearbox out of place in stylish interior. An SUV like this should have an auto standard these days. Nevertheless, if it is cheap most buyers won’t mind. Tiny hand brake lever looks ready to break. Sporty dials very cool. Lots of buttons and large screen.
