Pickup trucks are the best-selling vehicles in North America and they don't come cheap. Even mid-size models sell for prices that can reach astronomical levels. They offer a lot to consumers, but the cost of entry is painful.
Yes, Ford will soon a a new pickup, the Maverick, for about $20,000 USD, but that's still miles above what what General Motors is asking for the Zhengtu, its new Chinese truck.
The compact pickup is the latest offering from Wuling, a regional brand that General Motors owns in a joint venture with Shanghai-based SAIC Motor. The base model starts at the equivalent of $9,034 USD, while the crew cab version is available for just $9,048. Both are powered by the same 1.5L, 4-cylinder engine delivering a modest 99 hp. As you can guess, the interior presentation is spartan. The purpose of the product is simple; to work.
The vehicle's main quality is its body, which Motor1 reports is four inches longer than the larger box offered with the Chevrolet Colorado here in North America. It also has folding sides, in addition to the traditional tailgate, which allows the driver to carry exceptionally large or wide cargo. Since this feature uses parts of the side of the body that would traditionally house the lights, they have been moved to the rear bumper to create a unique look.
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Unfortunately for those who would like to see this type of product available here, that’s just not going to happen. The model is intended for the Chinese market only. In any case, from the looks of it, we're not sure it would pass the crash tests required to meet standards here.
Still, the product is fun - and it's always worth taking a look at what's available elsewhere, especially at this kind of price.
