Foton View CS2 Reviews

Cars from China were poised to be the Next Big Thing but sales have tanked. It may go down in automotive history as the Great Fall of China. Despite promising to challenge the big brands when they arrived five years ago, sales of Chinese cars have plummeted as the cost of mainstream cars have limboed to new lows, squeezing out the cut-price competition. Deliveries of Chinese cars have been in freefall for more than 18 months, and the situation is so dire the distributor of Great Wall Motors and Chery vehicles stopped importing cars for at least two months. The Australian distributor says it was "renegotiating" prices with the Chinese car makers but dealers say they haven’t been able to order cars for up to six months. Sales of all Chinese cars have halved so far this year alone; Great Wall Motors sales are down by 54 per cent while Chery deliveries are down by 40 per cent, according to figures supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Just 1782 cars from China have been sold in the first five months of this year, down from 3565 for the same period last year. At their peak in 2012, more than 12,100 Chinese cars were sold locally. There are now at least seven Chinese car brands on sale in Australia but Great Wall and Chery are the largest; the others are yet to publish sales figures. A spokesman for Ateco, the distributor of Great Wall Motors, Chery and Foton vehicles from China said there "a range of factors" for the sharp sales slowdown. "Primarily it is to do with currency," said Ateco spokesman Daniel Cotterill. "The massive devaluation of the Japanese Yen in early 2013 has meant that well established Japanese vehicle brands are able to be much more competitively priced in the Australian market than was the case when Great Wall launched here in mid 2009." He said new brands traditionally compete on price, but that price advantage had all but evaporated. "Where once a Great Wall ute might have had six or seven thousand dollars of price advantage over an established Japanese brand, that is not the case at the moment in many instances," said Cotterill. "Currency fluctuations are cyclical and we remain optimistic that our competitive price position will return. In the meantime it is business as usual." The sales downturn comes as Great Wall Motors has a management reshuffle in China after its all-new SUV had to be withdrawn from sales twice because of quality concerns. The Bloomberg news agency reported that the reshuffle comes after the company posted sales declines in five of the past six months. The company also has twice delayed the introduction of its key new model, the Haval H8 SUV. Last month, Great Wall said it will hold off on sales of the vehicle until it is able to make the H8 of a "premium standard." In May Bloomberg reported that Great Wall suspended sales of the H8 after customers reported hearing "knocking noises" in the transmission system. The Haval H8 was supposed to mark a turning point for Great Wall Motors and promised to meet European crash safety standards. A slightly smaller SUV, the Haval H6, was due to be sold in Australia this year but the distributor says its arrival has been delayed by negotiations over currency - not because of any safety concerns. The reputation of Great Wall Motors and Chery vehicles took a hit in Australia in late 2012 when 21,000 Great Wall utes and SUVs and 2250 Chery passenger cars were recalled for having parts containing asbestos. Sales of both brands have been in freefall ever since.

Ateco Automotive, which also imports Chery and Lotus cars, last week announced it had taken over the Australian distribution of Foton Tunland utes from Queensland-based FAA Automotive.Ateco last year took over the local distribution of Chinese-made Foton trucks from TransPacific Industries, which had struggled to sell the cut-price machines at the same dealerships as its Western Star trucks. Ateco spokesman, Daniel Cotterill, says the company was happy to have the Foton ute business although it didn't try to poach it from FAA.  "This development came at the request of Foton (in China)," Cotterill says. "They came to us and said that it is not working for whatever reason, let's do this."Cotterill says Ateco and Foton are still working out the details of the models it will use to re-launch the brand locally in the middle of this year. Working Wheels understands the crew cab version will be a certain starter, although the recently launched single cab may not be in the new line-up. Ateco is also not ready to start discussing prices of the Foton utes, but Cotterill says "we will come back with sharper pricing."Rivals have suggested Foton had initially asked too much for its crew cab ute, launched in 2002 from $28,000 to $35,000, and underestimated the caution with which most Australian customers approach a new brand from China. The Foton utes will not be as cheap as the Great Wall workhorses, which start from $17,990, partly because they use more brand name componentry such as Cummins engines and also because of higher quality levels.Cotterill says Great Wall was not worried that Ateco was taking on another ute brand because the company has already shown it can import rival brands without problems. Ateco will also consider passenger versions of Foton vehicles if they are made available for Australia. 

Peter Barnwell reviews the Foton Tunland with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

FAA Automotive Australia, distributors of the Foton Tunland one-tonne ute, have built up a generic mine spec' version of the Tunland dual cab, with a view to demonstrating it in selected mines around Australia. The Mine Spec Tunland features a steel tube external ROPS (Rollover Protection System) comprising an over-cab bar structure and a steel bull bar with aerial mounts, a heavy-duty anodised aluminium dropside tray, integrated UHF radio and various safety accessories and customized lighting required on mine sites generally. FAA director Grant Phelan said the Tunland had some notable advantages in the conventional cab one-tonne ute class which suited modification for a tough life in the mines. "Unlike all other one-tonne utes, Tunland's Cummins 2.8 litre turbo-diesel engine has a cast iron cylinder head whose superior thermal efficiency enables reliable operation at higher temperatures, with the added benefit of thermostat-controlled electric radiator fans rather than the power wasting (and noisy) viscous-coupled fans paired with alloy head utes. "Tunland's engine also does duty in Foton's bigger trucks up to 4.5 tonnes GVM so is understressed in Tunland, a further boon to the Cummins' longevity reputation. A steel plate sump guard is standard on Tunland 4x4.  

Foton, a division of China's giant Beijing Automotive, gets a lot of it right with a dual-cab ute that is priced between the entry-level Great Wall and more established models

Chinese cars were tipped to dominate the budget-car class and challenge established brands in half the time it took Japanese and South Korean companies - but the bubble has burst before it's properly inflated. After some early success since becoming the first Chinese brand to go on sale in Australia, Great Wall Motors has hit reverse and its Chinese peers are struggling to get into first gear.Official figures for the first five months of the year show Great Wall Motors deliveries are down by 35 per cent compared with the same period the previous year in a record market that is up by 4.5 per cent.Other Chinese brands such as Foton have also had a stalled start. After announcing big plans two years ago Foton has sold fewer than 300 pick-ups in that time.Budget brand Geely has still restricted its sales to Western Australia and Chery's small cars have been stymied by newer competition from established brands. Chery sales are also down by 35 per cent.The Chery J1 hatchback was the cheapest car in Australia in almost two decades when it went on sale with a $9990 drive-away price in 2011, and is now available with a "pay half now, half later'' deal.But it too has failed to rock the sales charts. ''Sales have slowed for now but they will recover,'' says Daniel Cotterill, the spokesman for Ateco, distributor of Great Wall Motors and Chery passenger cars and the Foton truck range.''It's been frustrating for us and the dealers to not have more new models available to us as quickly as we would like."'The other challenge for Chinese car brands is that mainstream marques such as Suzuki, Nissan and Volkswagen have all responded with quality cut-price contenders priced from $11,990 to $13,990 drive-away. "In some ways we are a victim of our initial success,'' said Cotterill. "Other mainstream brands have had to come down in price to compete with us.''Other hurdles: more than 20,000 Great Wall Motors and Chery vehicles were recalled in August 2012 for having asbestos components in their engines. Chinese cars tend to earn poor to scores in crash tests (between two and four stars when the modern industry norm is five stars).But the companies hope to have a reversal of fortunes with a number of new generation Chinese vehicles made to international standards due in local showrooms in the next two years.''There are new models in the pipeline,'' said Cotterill.''We are confident in the ability of the Chinese to respond the Australian car market and boost sales.''This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The Foton truck brand, as opposed to its one tonne utilities, has arrived in  Australia. The trucks have been modified for local use  in terms of performance, reliability and value for money.The range comprises two cab widths, two engines, three wheelbases and GVMs ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 tonnes and prices start at $29,990 drive away. At the heart of Foton's light trucks are the Cummins ISF3.8L and ISF2.8L engines.Renowned for their efficiency, environmental credentials and resilience, these engines are expected to provide Foton customers with the blend of low operating costs, outstanding performance and enviable reliability.Foton also works closely with a host of additional international partners, including some of the best-known component suppliers in the world such as ZF, Bosch and Continental.Foton trucks are available from 22 dealer points around the country with the number of dealer points expected to grow to 30 by the end of the year.All Foton trucks are covered by a three year 160,000km warranty and, in the unlikely event of problem, 24 hour a day seven days a week roadside assistance.

One of the biggest truck players in China means business this time and is backed by import giant Ateco Automotive, the company that brings Great Wall utes to Australia. Foton will now offer a full line of trucks, with two different engine options, both Cummins. The Foton Aumark was first introduced to Australia in 2010 and was brought in by TransPacific, the same company that imports Western Star, MAN and Dennis Eagle trucks. Sales were slow and when Foton took its time developing a Euro 5 model, TransPacific walked away. Ateco says it will throw a lot more marketing strength behind Foton, which launched this week at the Brisbane Truck Show. There will be three trucks offered right from the start, the 4500kg entry-level truck that can be driven on a car license, a 6500kg model and an 8500kg model. Short, medium and long wheelbases will be available and customers can choose from a narrow cab or wide cab. Ateco is not ready to finalise payload numbers, but says these trucks are significantly lighter which will allow them to carry more. “These trucks have gone on a bit of a diet so there are improvements in payload compared to the previous Aumark and current JAC trucks,” says Foton general manager Andrei Zaitzev. He says much of the weight reduction can be attributed to different types of steels used. Foton will offer two Cummins engines for the Aumark, both six-cylinders and both made in China at a Cummins-Foton plant. The entry-level unit is a 2.8-litre with 110kW and 360Nm, while the 3.8-litre engine generates 115kW and 500Nm. Both use Selective Catalytic Reduction, which utlises AdBlue exhaust treatment fluid. Owners will not need to have the engine serviced by Cummins, as is the case with big trucks, thanks to a deal with Ateco. 'It was crucial that Cummins came on board,” Zaitzev says. “We needed the dealers to be able to service the whole truck so that customers know they can just take the truck to one place.” Ateco decided to steer clear of Chinese in-house transmissions, opting for two ZF manual gearboxes including one that is imported from Europe. There is no fully automatic or automated manual option for now, but Ateco is keen to offer a self-shifter given the increasing demand for them. Ateco was not ready to detail how much the Fotons will cost at the time of writing, but cautions potential customers that they shouldn't expect rock bottom prices. “They're not going to be cheap, but they will represent good value for money,” is how Zaitzev puts it. With reliability concerns likely to be in the minds of potential customers, Ateco plans to offer a 24 hour roadside assistance package with each truck. The trucks will all be fitted with cruise control, airconditioning and power steering. There are no airbags, for now, but anti-skid brakes are standard and Ateco says the cabs all adhere to the ECE 29 cab safety standard. Ateco is yet to finalise the new Foton dealer list, describing it as a work in progress, but says it will represent proper national coverage, including Western Australia.  

You might have seen the TV ad for a budget brand ute, the one in which the dopey looking bloke goes “d'oh” because he bought a far more expensive brand.Sure, he's down a few thousand bucks but he, his loved ones and possibly even his employer won't be so quick to self-admonishment should he survive a big prang.The chances of this happy outcome remains lower in Chinese-made working vehicles than in any from the Japanese brands, Ford, Holden or Volkswagen. Much lower in most instances.In the past month, the Australian New Car Assessment Program -- the line-filling moniker for the local agency that crashes cars into walls and rates how they hold up -- crunched the body of and the numbers on the latest such conveyance from Cathay.Foton's Tunland 4WD light-commercial dual-cab was awarded three stars from five. That's almost but not quite as poor as it gets these days, but a possibly generous assessment given the absence of electronic equipment mandatory for the full five stars.Nor is the Tunland especially cheap at $34,500. Hard to grasp why that sum shouldn't include stability control, a fixture standard elsewhere and arguably even more important for vehicles with a high centre of gravity.“There really is no excuse for a new vehicle coming into the market today to be without stability control, which is now mandatory for passenger cars,” ANCAP's Lauchlan McIntosh says.ANCAP is irksomely apt to claim credit for pushing major safety advances that originate with car makers and are compelled by market forces. Yet it has also admitted to being two years behind Euro NCAP in its methodology.There’s no quibbling on this point, however, certainly not when two such old stagers as Toyota's LandCruiser and Mitsubishi's Pajero have both been upgraded to five stars after equipment improvements.The Chinese brands fare not so well. The Chery J1 gets three stars, and the Chery J11 gets two stars. The Great Wall V240 gets two stars and X240 gets four stars. Carsguide does not recommend a vehicle of any sort that has less than four stars. Indeed, we’ve directed our team to not so much as test them. We say you shouldn’t so why should we. Some of us have families. None of us are suicidal. 

The newest Chinese badge to land here has failed to get full marks in Australian New Car Assessment Program crash tests. ANCAP put the Foton Tunland 4WD light-commercial dual-cab ute through its safety tests and ranked it as a three-star car - an outcome the company expected, given the absence of electronic equipment now deemed mandatory for a full five-star rank. ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh says the Tunland, priced from $34,500, had relatively poor crash test performance and lacked stability control. "Stability control is a life-saver -- particularly in vehicles with a higher centre of gravity. There really is no excuse for a new vehicle coming into the market today to be without stability control, which is now mandatory for passenger cars,'' McIntosh says.  Two veterans of the SUV segment scored full marks in the latest round of tests -- the Toyota LandCruiser and veteran Mitsubishi Pajero --were both upgraded to five stars after getting equipment and trim upgrades. A change in standard equipment across the LandCruiser 200 Series range added dual front knee airbags -- a safety feature previously only available on the top-spec models.  Mitsubishi's Pajero models built from April this year will rank as five-star SUVs after trim and equipment upgrades - energy-absorbing material has been applied to the steering column underside and a passenger seatbelt alert has been added. "These are very popular choices for fleets and families alike and we now know they'll be better protected in these upgraded models,'' Mr McIntosh says. FAA Automotive Australia director and spokesperson for Foton light commercial and passenger vehicles in Australia, Daniel Phelan, predicted the ANCAP results last month, saying he expected the Tunland to rank as a three-star car because of the standard equipment on offer.