The Motor Report - A new Chinese utility is set to hit the Australia market in 2012 through local distributor WMC Group, following Great Wall's V240 which launched here early last year.
Known by the pre-production codename P201, the new pickup will mark the Australian debut of Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer Foton in the light commercial vehicle segment.
The announcement follows news late last year that the P201 will be offered globally in commercial and recreational specifications, powered by a range of Euro V-compliant petrol and diesel engines.
Australia will be among the first markets to see Foton's new utility, with launches in South Africa and the Americas to come in the following year.
The model name to be used for the new Foton ute is yet to be determined and is currently under discussion.
Unlike the slow-selling V240, the P201 will offer a more compelling package against the mostly-Japanese segment leaders - including the Toyota HiLux, the Nissan Navara and the Mitsubishi Triton.
Jason Pecotic, CEO of Foton's Australian distributor WMC, said the P201 has been designed from the ground-up to tackle the Japanese brands on quality and features, rather than wage a bottom-end price war with the Great Wall V240.
