In June ATL Automotive Group announced that it had been appointed regional master dealer for the Foton brand of light-duty commercial trucks and passenger vehicles. On Saturday, November 9, it officially launched the brand at The Ruins, The University of the West Indies, Mona.

“The ATL Automotive Group is welcoming Foton with open arms. We’re the only commercial brand in the entire stable,” Chris DaCosta, general manager, Foton Jamaica, told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

Foton will hit the ground running with three models aimed at the commercial buyer — the Tundland G7 pickup, and the View CS2 bus available in two layouts, panel and passenger van.

“We’ll have some more commercial units coming next year, which are a mini-truck, in flatbed and a box body version,” shared DaCosta.

At this point the G7 was the start of the show, pushing the brand head first into the very competitive and lucrative pickup segment.

“The Foton customer can expect, in one word, value from the Tunland G7. It’s so much for so little. The G7 has so many features that are usually add-ons, or cost a lot more with other brands, even if they these features available,” DaCosta explained.

The Tunland G7 has all the basics down. A 2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, making 163bhp and 288lb/ft of torque. It feeds that power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. It has 8.2-inches of ground clearance, a cargo capacity of 2,400lbs and can tow up to 6,615lbs.

The G7 has several standard features such as side steps, a bed liner, and roll bar. Inside it carries many convenience features normally seen on sedans, like full digital instrumentation and auto brake hold. There is only one trim level at launch, priced at $7,150,000.

“There’s one trim level of the Tunland G7 right now. Next year we’ll have three levels. We’ll have a 4×2, which will be specced similarly, and then we’ll have an extreme model which will come with more accessories like bigger tyres, etc,” he said.

DaCosta added that the current aim of the brand is to garner as much market share as possible going forward, while delivering on value and quality.

The View CS2 light-duty cargo panel van is one of the three models making their local debut for the brand. Rory Daley

The View CS2 light-duty panel van provides ample room for cargo, equipment, or inventory, allowing for seamless transportation of goods and services. Rory Daley

The Foton Tunland G7 is set to enter the very competitive commercial pickup market. Rory Daley

The CS2 View passenger transport bus has multi-seating options. Rory Daley

The View CS2 passenger transport bus is designed to meet the diverse needs of passengers while offering a comfortable and safe journey. Rory Daley