Foton returning to South Africa with light commercial vehicles

Foton has not confirmed which vehicles it will sell locally but the latest Tunland is a good bet. Picture: SUPPLIED
Foton has not confirmed which vehicles it will sell locally but the latest Tunland is a good bet. Picture: SUPPLIED

Chinese automotive brand Foton is returning to South Africa with a range of light commercial vehicles, six years after leaving the country.

Founded in 1996, Foton is headquartered in ChangpingBeijing, and is a subsidiary of the BAIC Group.

The marque was imported here from 2007-2018 in a range of trucks, panel vans, minibus taxis and a Tunland one-tonne bakkie in single- and double-cab variants. It was initially introduced by the McCarthy Group and later taken over by Imperial Holdings, which became Motus.

From the second quarter of 2024, Foton will be imported by Mandarin Parts Distributors (MPD), a subsidiary of Combined Motor Holdings (CMH). Since 2009 MPD has serviced and supplied parts to various Chinese brands in South Africa, says Marius Smal, MD of MPD. He says the company will offer special assistance to owners of older-generation Foton light commercial vehicles.

It is not specified which Foton models will be sold locally, only that they will be available in diesel and electric versions. 

The latest Tunland seems a good bet given the popularity of one-tonne bakkies in the country.


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