Johannesburg - If you’ve always fancied the Mercedes G-Class, but found the price tag starting northwards of R2.7 million to be more than a bit off-putting, there may soon be an alternative from China.
The Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, better known as BAIC, is planning to launch its new B80 flagship 4x4 in South Africa at the end of October, and the newcomer will be shown off at the importer’s stand at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami this coming weekend (26-28 August).
The BAIC B80 is named BJ80 in its home market but thankfully it was renamed for our market, as was the case with the smaller BAIC B40 that was launched in South Africa last year.
BAIC has yet to confirm South African specifications or pricing for our market, but we would bet on it being somewhat cheaper than the Mercedes G-Class, although it will likely command a premium over the B40, which is priced from R564 500 to R649 500.
Unlike the latter, which offers four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, the BAIC B80 is fitted with a 3.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces 206kW and 420Nm. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and part-time four-wheel drive system.
As the looks imply, this is a real 4x4 that likes to get its paws dirty, and for what it’s worth the vehicle is rated highly by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, which uses the B80 in a military capacity.
The cabin of the B80 mimics the boxy lines of the exterior, and we see some luxurious touches like two-tone leather with diamond quilting and VIP-style rear seating with two individual, electrically adjustable chairs.
Although BAIC and Mercedes have a joint venture in China, the B80 is apparently not related to the G-Class in any way, and word has it that Mercedes even tried to put an end to the Chinese project when it was under development 10 years ago.
BAIC builds cars in South Africa too, currently in SKD (semi knocked down) form, but the company does have plans to eventually kick off CKD (completely knocked down) assembly for the Sub-Saharan African market.
Stay tuned for more information on the BAIC B80 when it becomes available.
IOL Motoring