The T60 is set to launch soon. Why is SAIC entrusting the pickup truck trial run to Maxus?
Release time:
2016-11-27
SAIC is now entering the pickup truck market, with its first model being the Maxus T60 pickup, which will make its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show on November 18 this year. Clearly, it’s Maxus that’s spearheading SAIC Group’s “campaign” to conquer the pickup truck segment. Why has SAIC, a newcomer to the pickup truck market, entrusted Maxus with taking the lead? And just how competitive is the Maxus pickup truck? These are undoubtedly the topics of greatest concern for both the market and consumers. Why Maxus, specifically? Influenced by the Soviet-era automotive classification system, Chinese pickups have entirely different characteristics from those in Europe and the U.S. Although both are classified as pickups, in the U.S., they fall under the passenger-car category, whereas in China, by virtue of their classification, pickups are labeled as commercial vehicles—reflecting in the market that pickups have become more suited for business use.
SAIC is entering the pickup truck market, and its first model—the Maxus T60 pickup—will make its debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show on November 18 this year. Clearly, SAIC Maxus will be leading SAIC Group’s “campaign” to capture the pickup truck market.
Why is SAIC, a newcomer to the pickup truck market, letting Maxus take the lead? How competitive are SAIC Maxus pickup trucks? These are undoubtedly the topics that both the market and users are most concerned about.
Why SAIC Maxus?
Influenced by the Soviet Union’s vehicle classification system, Chinese pickup trucks have attributes that are completely opposite to those of their counterparts in Europe and the U.S. Although both are classified as pickup trucks, in the U.S., they fall under the passenger-car category, whereas in China, by virtue of their classification, pickup trucks are labeled as commercial vehicles. This reflects in the market, where pickup trucks have become a versatile crossover model suitable for both business and family use.
The T60 is set to launch soon. Why is SAIC entrusting the pickup truck trial run to Maxus?
Founded in 2011, Maxus has successfully tapped into the market with its V80 wide-body light commercial vehicle—a versatile model that’s equally suited for both passenger and cargo transport as well as for both business and family use. Especially in recent years, Maxus has maintained a rapid pace of growth in both the wide-body light commercial vehicle and MPV segments. This year, sales are expected to reach 45,000 units, representing a 34% year-on-year increase. Maxus’s market share in these two niche segments is projected to exceed 20%. In other words, Maxus has become highly adept and comfortable navigating the niche market for crossover vehicles that seamlessly blend passenger and cargo capabilities, making them ideal for both business and family use.
With a single flip of the hand, clouds appear; with another, rain falls. SAIC Maxus has become increasingly adept at transitioning from newcomer to industry leader in its respective niche markets. The pace of Maxus’s leapfrog development is so remarkable that it leaves the entire industry far behind. Therefore, it’s entirely reasonable that SAIC Maxus has become SAIC Group’s key player in the pickup truck market.
The current state of the pickup truck market
Pickup trucks represent a unique presence in the Chinese automotive market. Before 2015, constrained by restrictions on entering urban areas, pickup trucks accounted for at most 2.16% of the overall market. Prior to 2012, the growth rate of pickup trucks consistently outpaced that of the broader automotive market; however, from 2013 to 2015, their growth rate fell below that of the automotive market. This year, the issuance of a document lifting restrictions on pickup trucks in certain cities during the first half of the year has provided a timely boost to the pickup truck market. In the first three quarters of this year, the domestic pickup truck market saw an overall growth of only 12%, making it virtually certain that the pickup truck market will rebound for the full year.
The T60 is set to launch soon. Why is SAIC entrusting the pickup truck trial run to Maxus?
It’s better to arrive at the right moment than simply to arrive early—SAIC Maxus pickup trucks have entered the market at just the right time. While it’s true that one shouldn’t be content with where one starts, compared to SAIC Group’s global strategy of international expansion, cross-border operations, and its goal of becoming an automotive company with global competitiveness and strong brand influence, China’s domestic pickup truck market is still too small.
Data shows that China’s current pickup truck market stands at 400,000 units per year, while the global pickup truck market has a capacity of roughly 5 million units per year, with light-duty pickups accounting for around 3 million units. Grounded in the domestic market yet with an eye on the global stage—where does SAIC Maxus’ T60 pickup truck draw its confidence and strength?
How competitive is SAIC Maxus’s pickup truck?
With SAIC Group’s renowned brand name overhead and SAIC Maxus’s expertise in market development, the SAIC Maxus T60 pickup truck is making a strong debut. But to forge iron, you first need to be strong yourself—so just how good are SAIC Maxus’s products?
The engine—the heart of the vehicle—is a much-discussed topic that inevitably comes up when evaluating a car. The T60 pickup truck’s engine draws on Italian technology. Its VM2.8T diesel engine features VGT variable-geometry turbocharging, Bosch’s third-generation high-pressure common-rail fuel injection system, electronically controlled EGR valve technology, and DPF aftertreatment technology, enabling it to meet Euro VI emission standards. It delivers a power output of 110 kW and a maximum torque of 360 Nm.
The T60 is set to launch soon. Why is SAIC entrusting the pickup truck trial run to Maxus?
In terms of safety, the Maxus pickup truck features a high-strength body structure, hot-formed body technology, and laser welding technology, fully meeting the latest Australian five-star crash-test requirements. Currently in China, only Great Wall Wingle has achieved two stars under the 2015 older standards. Leveraging SAIC Group’s global resource advantages, the T60 integrates components from internationally renowned suppliers, including BorgWarner’s four-wheel-drive system, Bosch’s ESP, Eaton’s differential, Delphi’s powertrain, Baoer air conditioning system, and Sachs clutch, ensuring reliable and durable product quality.
The T60 is set to launch soon. Why is SAIC entrusting the pickup truck trial run to Maxus?
It is reported that SAIC Maxus plans to launch its full-range model lineup in 2017, covering vehicles meeting China IV and China V emission standards, available in both small double-cab and large double-cab configurations; equipped with automatic transmissions (AT) and manual transmissions (MT); offering two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive options; and available in diesel and gasoline engine variants. With such a comprehensive product portfolio, what market target has Maxus set for its pickup trucks?
Is the target of 10,000 vehicles big or small?
In its first year, SAIC Maxus set itself a modest goal of selling 10,000 vehicles. But just how big—or small—is this target of 10,000 vehicles?
Looking at new entrants in the domestic pickup truck market over the past few years, there’s no precedent yet of any brand breaking the 10,000-unit sales mark in its first year on the market. Judging from Maxus Pickup’s planned launch and sales schedule for March next year, Maxus will need to race against time and achieve its target of 10,000 units within just 10 months. How can it accomplish this goal? The solution Maxus has proposed is to break down the challenge into smaller, manageable steps.
A representative from SAIC Maxus’ marketing department revealed that SAIC Maxus pickup trucks are positioned for the future market with a 50/50 split—half for the domestic market and half for exports. Of next year’s target of 10,000 vehicles, a significant portion will also be driven by overseas markets.
“Before the troops move, provisions must go first.” In the domestic market, SAIC Maxus leverages the network advantages of SAIC Group and its own strengths to extend its distribution channels downward and refine its presence in third- and fourth-tier cities. As for the top 20 overseas markets for pickup trucks, excluding the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Maxus pickup truck products will enter 17 additional markets, including Australia and New Zealand, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
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