Forgotten ute to make shock Oz return

A forgotten ute is poised to make a return to the Aussie market, a Federal Department of Infrastructure filing has confirmed.

JMC, or Jiangling Motors Corporation, is returning to Australia for the first time in around 10 years.

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It's powered by a 3.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 118kW and has an eight-speed automatic transmission paired with an all-wheel drive system.

The 118kW power figure is a relatively modest output compared to similar engines, raising the possibility of an error in the filing documents.

This is supported by the Chinese domestic market launch of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel version of the Vigus earlier this year, producing a more reasonable 123kW and 430Nm.

Other details from the filing include standard 17-inch wheels which can be upgraded to 18-inch diameter.

The three-tier Chinese 2.5-litre range has a 7.0-inch digital driver display as standard with a 12.8-inch multimedia screen added to the top-spec model. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also included.

The ute is available with two or all-wheel drive, but it looks like Australia won’t see the 2WD option.

JMC was last seen in Australia between 2016 and 2019, with its Vigus 5 ute, which failed to make a meaningful impression on the market.

That car was available in 2.4-litre turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel variants along with either a six-speed auto transmission or five-speed manual gearbox.

The company mainly sells commercial vehicles in China, including buses and vans, but also offers electric hatch and sedan passenger cars.

There is an all-electric JMC ute that offers a driving range of 423km according to the generous NEDC protocol.

In addition to the Vigus, JMC sells a Grand Avenue ute, which has either a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol or turbo-diesel engine, both producing at least 400Nm.