Pretoria - Foton SA has dived into the biggest, and arguably most competitive, segment of the South African light commercial market with an entry-level Tunland one-ton workhorse bakkie, joining the double-cab version in 4x4 and 4x2 variants and the Off-Road single-cab derivative.
And, like them, it comes with a robust Chinese-built 2.8-litre Cummins ISF 2.8 turbodiesel rated at 96kW and 280Nm, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox at a quoted cost of eight litres per 100km.
Workhorse it may, stripped out it's not.
For R199 950 you get aircon, a front-loading radio/CD player, power windows, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, a driver's side airbag, fabric upholstery, height-adjustable seatbelts, motion-sensing door locks, remote central locking and height-adjustable halogen headlights as standard.
The Tunland is built on a rigid ladder chassis with double-wishbone front and leaf-spring rear suspension. Single-cab versions have a reinforced load body with a cargo capacity of more than four cubic metres and a payload capability of 1105kg.
Ground clearance is 160mm and fuel tank capacity 75 litres.
The Tunland single-cab workhorse comes with a three year or 100 000km warranty and three years' roadside assistance, from any one of 36 dealers around South Africa.