THE BAIC B40 PLUS RANGE
BAIC recently launched their new B40 PLUS range of vehicles locally on some serious 4×4 terrain around Hartbeespoort Dam. Having never tested any of the Chinese vehicles, this was most certainly a very good introduction, considering how well it faired up a really tough South African off-road circuit.
Learning about BAIC’s 60-years heritage Ð as suppliers of military vehicles in China Ð quite possibly explains its rugged off-roading capabilities to draw from. Established in 1958 the BAIC Group has since risen to the Top Five spot in the Chinese motoring market, supplying buses, commercial vehicles and New Energy Vehicles to the global public and having joint venture factories with Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.
BAIC announced its arrival in the SA marketplace back in 2015 having built an assembly plant based in Coega, in the Eastern Cape. The 10 000-hectare facility aims to produce 40 000-50 000 vehicles p.a. for local consumption, along with a percentage of exports, by the end of 2022.
Expanding their product offering now to include the B40 PLUS opens an entirely new off-road market and having finished this year’s Dakar in 13th and 15th spot Ð albeit in a much-modified version Ð you could say they know what is expected of them!
The B40 PLUS is available in 2.0 litre petrol turbo or 2.0 litre turbodiesel. The petrol engine produces 160 kW and 350 Nm while the diesel pushes out 110 kW and 320 Nm. The Petrol engine is driven by a six-speed automatic gearbox while the diesel is equipped with a manual sixspeed ’box. I must admit due to the slight lag in the diesel powertrain, getting off the mark without stalling took a bit of getting used to Ð which wasn’t a problem in the automatic version.
Design & Interior
Features such as daytime running lights (DRL) as well as front and rear fog lamps come standard. The cabin is modern, sleek and contains all the comforts you would expect in an SUV, from a dual-zone air conditioner, six-speaker audio system, colour-coded interior trim, chrome accents and to top it all off, reclining rear seats.
There are also features such as the reverse camera, park distance control (PDC), and customisable multi-information display (MID), to keep the driver always in control of the road ahead.
The B40 PLUS comes standard with a host of active and passive safety features to ensure every trip is completed on your terms. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) are standard across all models, while some feature an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Ascent Control (HAC) and Hill Descent Control (HAC).
The front suspension is a double wishbone/coil spring independent suspension setup while the rear suspension is a five-link/coil spring non-independent suspension. The overhangs are minimal and combined with a ground clearance of 210 mm, results in a generous approach angle of 37 degrees, departure angle of 31 degrees and a ramp-over angle of 23 degrees.
The selectable 4WD system Ð with mechanical central transfer case and rear differential lock Ð allows driver control over how the engine performs, dependent on the terrain, conditions and requirements.
Standard trim on the entry-level model is a cool set of 17-inch alloy wheels, removable hardtop roof, red tow hooks at the front and back, halogen headlamps, front and rear foglamps, LED DRLs, dual-zone climate control, a multi-function steering wheel, electronic parking brake, two airbags and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
The BAIC B40 PLUS Hunter adds dual-tone alloy wheels, emergency brake assist, traction control and hill ascent and descent control. The flagship BAIC B40 PLUS Champion, available in the petrol engine version only, gains a leather multi-function steering wheel and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat.
The BAIC B40 City Hunter starts from R579 500 and the BAIC B40 Plus starts from R549 500.00.
Classic COrner & REStoration
Classic cars are the next big investment. As such the sector of restoration is growing in the realms of collision repair and it’s definitely the “sexier” side of the business. There are many opportunities to create exotic special-builds as well as keep timeless beauties in mint condition.
DRIVEN
With three motoring-journalists on our staff, we are able to test drive and review some of the latest models available on our roads as well as attend the latest model launches.
TRAINING
Knowledge is power. Training is key to up-skilling repairers as models launch onto our local roads faster than we can count. We also need to grow new talent into the collision repair industry. Courses are available to help and organisations are in place to train - this information is in Industry Index.
classic corner & resoration
Classic cars are the next big investment. As such the sector of restoration is growing in the realms of collision repair and it’s definitely the “sexier” side of the business. There are many opportunities to create exotic special-builds as well as keep timeless beauties in mint condition.
Driven
With three motoring-journalists on our staff, we are able to test drive and review some of the latest models available on our roads as well as attend the latest model launches.
TRAINING
Knowledge is power. Training is key to up-skilling repairers as models launch onto our local roads faster than we can count. We also need to grow new talent into the collision repair industry. Courses are available to help and organisations are in place to train - this information is in Industry Index.
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