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SAIC Maxus And JAC Trucks: China’s Big Carmakers Heading To Australia

Chinese giant automaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Company (SAIC) will hit Australia later this year when it launches the Maxus range of commercial and people-moving vehicles. A few months later, compatriot JAC will debut a pair of multi-purpose


Chinese giant automaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Company (SAIC) will hit Australia later this year when it launches the Maxus range of commercial and people-moving vehicles.

A few months later, compatriot JAC will debut a pair of multi-purpose commercial vans here in early 2013 - following the local launch of its light truck range in the coming weeks.

The Australian debut of both brands represents a push by the big-guns of China's automotive manufacturing industry (current local representatives Geely and Great Wall being minnows by comparison).

SAIC

The SAIC family includes the MG and Roewe passenger car marques, and also includes its mammoth local production with joint venture partners Volkswagen, GM and Iveco (Chinese local market sales of Shanghai-GM alone topped 100,000 units in February).

In late 2012, SAIC's Maxus brand will debut in Australia, distributed by Sydney-based WMC Group.

The Maxus line-up will kick off with the brand's V80 van range, launching with three commercial variants and four passenger models.

The cargo vans will include short- and long-wheelbase options, with the latter available in standard and high-roofed versions.

WMC says the commercial pair will offer carrying capacities between nine and 14 cubic metres and a payload up to 1.8 tonnes. 

On the passenger side, the four people-moving variants will start with an 11-passenger short-wheelbase model, through to a 15-passenger long-wheelbase variant.

As with the commercial models, the long-wheelbase people-mover will be available with standard and high roof options.

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