Goes on sale early next year.
At the 2014 Guangzhou Auto Show, the Foton Sauvana has world premiered, marking the entry of Foton Motor into the SUV segment. Known prior to its showcasing as the 'Foton U201', the Toyota Fortuner type vehicle will be listed on the Chinese market in early 2015.
As per Chinese auto portals, three variants of the Sauvana will be made - TX (comfort version), VX (Deluxe Edition) and LX (Extreme Edition).
Built around a ladder-frame type chassis, the car has the unmistakable Foton grille, bug-eyed headlamps, chrome rings around the foglamps, a generous glass area, and sedan-inspired taillights connected with a chrome applique. More importantly, we gather that the car's design is completely original.
Stepping inside, the Sauvana's clutter-free dashboard with buttons on the steering wheel, an infotainment screen, red contrast stitching, and a manual gearbox catch the eye first.
Dimensionally, the car measures 4830 × 1910 × 1840 (LxWxH in mm) with a wheelbase of 2,790 mm. Reports say the utility vehicle will use a 2.8-liter turbocharged petrol and a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine. Transmission choices would be 5MT, 6MT and 6AT, in 2WD and 4WD guises.
Some of the features on the car include double-wishbone independent front suspension and five-link independent rear suspension, keyless entry and start, cruise control, sunroof and automatic air conditioning.
Foton also showcased a kitted-up version of the car previewing the accessory kit.
