LDV launches Australia’s cheapest one-tonne van

CHINA’S fastest-growing motor vehicle brand in Australia, LDV, has upped the marketing stakes, with the release of a workhorse manual version of its G10 one-tonne one-box van that’s priced about $8500 cheaper than the most affordable of its direct Korean, Japanese and European rivals.

The petrol-powered, manual-gearbox G10 hits the market at $25,990 driveaway for ABN holders, not only making it the cheapest van in its class but also $4000 cheaper than its turbo-charged, automatic-transmission petrol G10 stablemate that was released in Australia in July.

Made by China’s biggest motor company, SAIC Motor, and distributed in Australia by Ateco Automotive, the LDV van range, in both cargo and passenger variants, is now selling at the rate of about 100 units a month, despite the current lack of a diesel variant.

The arrival of the manual version, with its Mitsubishi-derived 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and cheap price tag, is expected to appeal to price-conscious tradies and small-business owners and drive sales even higher.

LDV Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa said the arrival of the manual G10 van represented the next phase in LDV’s push for volume in Australia.

“In reality, we have not only undercut our competitors by a country mile, but we also open up significant new sales potential to what might otherwise be the used van market,” he said.

“The volume potential of the G10 at $25,990 is simply huge.”

While the automatic G10 employs a SAIC-developed 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing a handy 165kW of power and 345Nm of torque – making it one of the more powerful vans in its class – the manual version makes do with the modified Mitsubishi-developed 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder that puts out 105kW and 210Nm.

This is less than the petrol version of Australia’s second-best-selling one-tonne van, the Hyundai iLoad, which makes 129kW and 228Nm. Like the LDV, the manual iLoad gets a five-speed gearbox, but the iLoad is priced at $30,990, plus on-road costs.

While LDV Australia claims its manual petrol G10 is $10,000 cheaper than its most affordable direct rival, a check of Hyundai’s website pricing calculator suggests the difference (in Melbourne, at least) is more like $8500.

Pricing of the top-selling Toyota Hiace starts at $32,990 plus on-roads for the 2.7-litre petrol manual.

As GoAuto reported in June, SAIC is developing a diesel version of the G10 for release in future. This engine is an in-house project, with one version of the engine going to LDV’s SAIC-owned sister brand, MG, for the UK and Europe.

The LDV G10 can carry a 1093kg payload in a cargo space of 5200 litres, accessed by a rear lift door and a side-slider.

Standard equipment includes an LCD touch screen, reversing camera with parking sensors, Bluetooth, DVD, air-conditioning and power windows.

While safety equipment includes impressive items such as tyre-pressure monitoring, the G10 has only two frontal airbags and no head-protecting side airbags, leaving safety analysts less than impressed.

Nevertheless, LDV has sold 579 vans in Australia this year, despite the fact that the G10 only arrived on the market in July.

The bigger, more established LDV V80 van accounts for 379 of those 2015 sales.

Last month, LDV shifted more than 100 units for the first time, with the sales split evenly between the G10 and V80.

LDV vans are covered by a three-year, 100,000km warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance.