LDV V80 van range now on sale in Oz

Chinese automotive manufacturer SAIC has launched its LDV range of V80 vans as the opening salvo in a war against commercial vehicle importers already entrenched in the Australian market.

SAIC's overtures to the Australian consumer with the V80 range – bolstered by the distributor, the WMC Group – will grow to a crescendo as the product portfolio grows in the medium term.

"If we have the market here – the customer needs our vehicles – why not?" Lan Qingsong told motoring.com.au at the local media launch for the LDV brand. Mr Lan, MD for SAIC Motor Commercial Vehicle Co Ltd (SMCV), volunteered that SMCV's commercial vehicle range would be exclusively marketed under the LDV brand and the effective upper limit for the product portfolio would be a GVM of five tonnes. Above that weight the market environment is a little too tough, Mr Lan said.

"This kind of business is – how to say? – small, from my point of view. The business is not so profitable... the customers are very price-sensitive," he explained. In contrast, there's still some potential in vans and people movers up to that weight, which is why SAIC has announced its entry into the market with the release of the LDV V80 range.

Available initially in three variants, the van range will grow later this year with the addition of a people mover and cab chassis models – as well as the option of a six-speed automatic. As we reported in July of last year the Chinese vans are a development of a British design purchased – along with the company that formerly built the vehicles – in 2009 by Chinese automotive giant, SAIC.

Since then SAIC has revised and upgraded the design, but the V80 remains fundamentally true to its origins. A 2.5-litre common-rail turbo-diesel four-cylinder for the vehicle is built in China, under licence from Italian firm VM Motori. Peak power and torque are 100kW and 330Nm, with combined-cycled fuel consumption rated at 7.7L/100km.

The engine, mounted transversely, drives to the front wheels through a five-speed manual that is built by a Chinese company owned by Hyundai. Front-wheel drive, with MacPherson-strut front end and a leaf-sprung dead axle at the rear, provides packaging benefits leading to larger cargo area, more space for the three occupants up front and enhanced safety. 16-inch alloy wheels are braked by four-wheel discs.

A van more in the vein of Ford's Transit than the Volkswagen Transporter, the V80 is priced at entry level just $2000 more than the least expensive Hyundai iLoad. For $32,990, the short-wheelbase model comes with the following equipment as standard: electric windows/mirrors, air conditioning, audio system with USB input, remote central locking, cruise control, dual sliding doors, barn doors, alloy wheels, front fog lights, two-pallet cargo facility, reversing sensors and LED lights. The manufacturer expects to bring Bluetooth connectivity online for Australian-delivered vehicles within three months.

The two long-wheelbase models in the range comprise a mid-roof variant priced at $37,990 and a high-roof variant pitched just below $40,000 at $39,990. Drivetrain, running gear and equipment are carried across all three variants, but whereas the SWB model boasts a payload of 1.3 tonnes and a GVM of 3.2 tonnes, the long-wheelbase variants are rated at 1.8-tonne payload and 3.5-tonne GVM.

Safety features include dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and Brake Assist.

Watch out for our review of the LDV V80 in the next few days.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…