India-bound SAIC Motor's rival to the Toyota Fortuner ready - Report

SAIC Motor's LDV brand to launch the D90 this August.

SAIC Motor's Toyota Fortuner rival - the LDV D90, is ready to roll out in China. According to a report from autohome.com.cn, the D90 should reach the domestic market on 8 August 2017.

[caption id="attachment_273056" align="aligncenter" width="880"] Derived from the Maxus D90 concept introduced at Auto China 2016, the LDV D90 is a ladder frame SUV based on the LDV T60 pickup.[/caption]

Signifying the model's global importance, SAIC Motor had unveiled the LDV D90 in Australia in April before staging its motor show debut at Auto Shanghai 2017 the same month. Derived from the Maxus D90 concept introduced at Auto China 2016, the LDV D90 is a ladder frame SUV based on the LDV T60 pickup. It is 5,005 mm long, 1,932 mm wide and 1,875 mm tall, and has a 2,950 mm long wheelbase.

SAIC Motor will sell the LDV D90 in 5-, 6- and 7-seat seating layouts with features like four-spoke multifunction steering wheel, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument panel, leather seats with electric adjustment and more. In China, the D90 will have a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine under the hood. This unit will produce 224 hp and 360 Nm of torque and send power to the wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.

Australia, the SUV's first export market, will get a diesel engine option in the LDV D90. Some reports say that it's a 2.2-litre unit, while others speak of a 2.8-litre mill. An official announcement is awaited, but an automatic transmission and a 4x4 system are a given for the AU-spec D90.

[caption id="attachment_273059" align="aligncenter" width="880"] In China, the D90 will have a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine under the hood.[/caption]

Also Read: SAIC establishes MG Motor India, to commence operations in 2019

Besides the Toyota Fortuner, it will compete with the Ford Everest (Ford Endeavour), the Holden Trailblazer (Chevrolet Trailblazer) and the India-bound Mitsubishi Pajero Sport also.

SAIC has confirmed its entry into India with the 'MG Motor' brand through locally manufactured products in 2019. To fill segments that MG doesn't have cars in, reports say that MG Motor could also pick out cars from SAIC's subsidiaries Boajun, Maxus and Roewe.

[Source: autohome.com.cn]