Wuling, a Chinese car brand that was once part of the SAIC-GM-Wuling Joint Enterprise, has long specialized in no-frills vans and MPVs and will soon be releasing Zhengtu, an SUV and a pickup truck based on the Journey Concept.
The prototype has plenty going for it: a striking body kit, vivid color accents, 17-inch wheels, large running boards, a fishing rod rack at the back, and a plastic-trimmed truck bed with a kick-out chair that allows you to stop by a lake, jump into the bed and immediately start fishing with considerable comfort.
The actual production-ready Zhengtu truck lacks most of the conceptual goodness of its predecessor, including all of the décor and bed trim. It comes equipped with smallish 17-inch wheels and utilizes the same RWD LCV platform that the company used for its Hongguang single-space vans. Included are basic suspension springs, a solid beam axle and a body-on-frame construction.
The truck is 5,105 mm long, 1,640 mm wide, 1,810 mm tall and has 3,160 mm between the axles. Truck bed sides flip down when needed, and the 1.5-liter gasoline engine under the hood hits manual transmission with 99 hp (74 kW) at most.
The production should begin in late March, and Wuling promises to announce prices and launch pre-orders at the same time.