GM’s pick up truck hits the market in China

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GM are famous for its pick up trucks, in fact America is famous for its pick up trucks full stop. Other countries manufacturers have tried to make them, but without a logo from one of the Big Three American companies they appear to be a bit limp at best. Urban Cowboys across China are lapping up their gray market imports of Dodge Ram trucks, Chevrolet Avalanches’s and Ford Raptors at an alarming rate, so it came as no surprise to learn that GM were entering into the commercial vehicle market, except they are coming with a very Chinese product. Real pick up truck users, i.e. not urban cowboys, are rural farmers and small time business users that tend to use compact trucks for hauling hogs and lumber from the village to the market, there is no real demand in rural areas for anything above a 2.4L 4 cylinder gasoline engine and GM knows this all too well. They partnered with First Automobile Works to develop a series of commercial vehicles, one of which is the below POCV compact truck which debuted at the Changchun Auto Show where the FAW-GM partnership is based. Only Nissan have entered the commercial vehicle market with a locally made pick up truck, other manufacturers have stayed clear of the segment due to stiff competition from local manufacturers such as Great Wall. By mixing international know how with low cost Chinese construction methods, the POCV is likely to be a big hit.

Two versions are being offered so far, a 2.4 gasoline and a 2.2 diesel variant with prices starting 60,550rmb and 66,550 depending on the fuel offering which puts both models at around $10,000USD – a bargain for China, and possibly other developing markets.