Rising operating costs for fleet owners and small business owners give the vagaries of the fuel price and the currency exchange mean total operating cost budgets are being stretched to the max and, recognising this, DKSK has launched locally with a mini truck and a panel van with pricing expected to start under R180 000.
Showroom stock is on order and will arrive in around three months. Still, CHANGECARS had the opportunity for a preview of the K01S truck and C35 van that were brought into the country as homologation units – the truck housing a 1,24-litre petrol engine offering 61 kW and 112 Nm or torque and the Mini Van upping the stakes with a 1,5-litre petrol engine and 85 kW and 148 Nm.
Check out some other options here
DFSK is being imported to South Africa by WilGin Holdings which currently has an arrangement with JMC in China to provide the spare parts for JMC and Changan vehicles and will also be housing a significant parts catalogue for the DFSK models it imports and distributes through a dealer network currently 19 strong.
Significantly for the business market, the two vehicles do exceptionally well in the loading department. The mini truck has a cargo box (dropside) 2 700 mm x 1 440 mm x 370 mm rated to carry 800 kilograms. At the same time, the minivan offers a packing space able to take 1 970 kilograms in a space 4 500 mm x 1 660 mm x 1960 mm.
Take a look at this pre-launch video
DFSK claims an average fuel consumption for the mini truck of 7,2 l/100 km with the same figure applicable to the van.
Both vehicles are rear-wheel drive and have a MacPherson-type independent front suspension with rear leaf springs. The brakes are front disk and rear drum and the truck rides on 165/70R14 wheels and tyres with the van on 185/80R14 rubber.
Mayoran Pillay, general manager of WilGin Holdings says the two vehicles are merely the start of a planned range of DFSK vehicles, adding: “We fully recognise the difficulties faced by both new and established business operations in terms of cost and feel what we are bringing from DFSK will go a long way to alleviating that.
“The initial batch of vehicles will not have crash bags or anti-lock braking fitted but these items are an option that will be included post launch. However, these vehicles do have the Chinese NCAP stamp of approval in terms of overall safety.”
A first look at the pair reveals a neat design and properly fitting doors, bonnet and other panels with equal panel gaps all around. Inside, the cockpit is neatly packaged and a quick ‘bum’ check on the seats returned a verdict suggesting they would be comfortable over many kilometres.
A neat touch on the panel van is the fitment of a non-scratch floor - this unit has sliding doors on both sides a a single-piece hinged rear door for easy loading.
CHANGECARS looks forward to an opportunity to put them to the test.
Colin Windell
proudly CHANGECARS
