The author | Nie Yiyao
The source | Auto Grand view
Pickup trucks, a distinctive species, are a special presence in the classification of automobiles.
Created by americans in the 1920s, this "pickup" uses a sedan front and cab, and with an open wagon compartment, which is a model type that integrates the functions of cars, off-road vehicles, vans, and small trucks.
In the life of Americans, pickup trucks are suitable for many use scenarios, such as farm transportation of farm tools and food goods, weekend camping bucket loading tents or mountain bikes, holidays to pull up the caravan travel, usually repair the house to transport building materials, take care of the garden to load gardening flowers, etc., so the pickup truck has become a popular means of transportation in the United States, and formed a unique pickup culture.
In the 1990s, pickup trucks began to enter the country. However, due to the different development models, consumption preferences, usage scenarios and laws and regulations of the US car market, in the past few decades, pickup trucks have not been able to become the same models generally favored by consumers in China as passenger cars such as cars and SUVs. In the eyes of the Chinese people, the pickup truck is more of a relatively low-end "tool car" image.
However, "pickup fever" in the domestic car market in recent years, but it is "suddenly like a spring breeze overnight". Both consumers and car companies have turned their attention to the segment of pickup trucks.
Especially with the official announcement of the national recommended standard for pickup truck models in October this year, the "General Technical Conditions for Multi-purpose Trucks", many cities have lifted the ban on pickup trucks, and the development of pickup trucks has opened the door of opportunity.
In the promising pickup truck field, which brands or models will become the leaders, winners, or dark horses in this segment?
On December 22, 2021, Automotive Grand View followed the expert quality appraisal tour of China Pickup Truck Network's "Innovation and Leading the Trend - Visiting the New Forces of Pickup Trucks", walked into the Sinotruk VGV factory in Chongqing, experienced the brand's first passenger pickup truck VX7 at close range, and also felt the amazing strength of the SINOTRUK VGV passenger pickup truck.
Create fun all-scene passenger life pickups
In the pickup truck, the HEAVY Duty Truck VGV is a standard new force, a "post-birth boy", but this does not prevent it from going all out to fight into the siege.
Sinotruk VGV is an indispensable part of Sinotruk's light vehicle business segment and an indispensable part of Sinotruk's strategic layout to achieve its vision of becoming a world-class full-range commercial vehicle group.
Therefore, SINOTRUK VGV has laid out a full range of product planning covering pickup trucks, SUVs, MPVs, VAN and so on. As well as a variety of energy forms including hydrogen fuel, pure electric, hybrid, fuel oil and so on.
"Especially in the production process and equipment, Sinotruk VGV plant has a modern vehicle factory with four complete processes including welding, painting, stamping, and final assembly, and adopts the world's leading technical system, production equipment and manufacturing process." Yang Xu, general manager of China National Heavy Duty Truck Light Vehicle Marketing Company, introduced.
As for what kind of car the VX7, the first pickup truck of sinotruk VGV, Yang Xu called it a "fun all-scene passenger life pickup truck". "The unveiling of the first pickup truck further improves the full range of product layouts of SINOTRUK Group." Yang Xu said.
In the next demonstration and experience session, we also fully experienced the fun, full scene and passenger characteristics of the SINOTRUK VGV VX7.
The passenger characteristics of the SINOTRUK VGV VX7 are that it is a pickup truck model based on the U75 medium-sizeDUV developed on the same platform as the previous Sinotruk VGV, so it has the bearing body structure of a passenger car.
Compared with the traditional tool-type non-load-bearing pickup truck, the driving comfort of the SINOTRUK VGV VX7 is greatly better than the former. This point was unanimously praised by industry experts such as Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the National Passenger Vehicle Information Federation, yao Chunde, deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Combustion of Internal Combustion Engine and professor of Tianjin University.
Regarding the full-scene use, the SINOTRUK VGV VX7 demonstrated the characteristic design that meets the needs of a variety of uses.
For example, the powerful 2.0T+8AT power combination ensures the power demand of off-road enthusiasts for the vehicle.
Sinotruk VGV VX7 passes through the angle steel section
For example, the combination of large bodies and small cargo compartments brings a wide cockpit for parent-child travel, leisure tourism, outdoor camping, etc., and also meets the needs of the carrier.
Another example is the ingenious hidden storage compartment, which is very suitable for wild fishing enthusiasts.
The elaborate hidden step ladder is convenient for users to get on and off the cargo compartment, and also achieves a perfect storage effect, which is very user-friendly.
Judging from our experience of the SINOTRUK VGV VX7, this pickup truck, which is scheduled to be launched in the first half of next year, is indeed practicing the goal of SINOTRUK VGV to create a fun all-scenario passenger pickup truck experience for users.
Serious, rigorous, sincere, the achievement of excellent products
In addition to experiencing the SINOTRUK VGV VX7, we visited the SINOTRUK VGV plant. What you see is a neat and bright workshop, the assembly line is running smoothly, and the workers are methodically assembling the vehicles. Each production process is rigorous and meticulous.
The sinotruk VGV VX7, which rolled off the production line, is ready to attack the passenger pickup truck market from the inside out.
In terms of power, the SINOTRUK VGV VX7 is equipped with the most cutting-edge 2.0T+8AT configuration in the field of pickup trucks. Achieve a maximum power of 225 hp and a maximum torque of 385 Nm. The chassis tuning is excellent, and it is completely the chassis performance of mid-to-high-end passenger cars.
It is understood that the Sinotruk VGV VX7 adopts a four-wheel independent suspension, matching bosch version 9.3 ESP body stability system, integrating HBA brake assist system, ARP electronic anti-rolling system, DAC steep slope slow descent system, HHC slope auxiliary function.
In addition, THE SINOTRUK VGV VX7 is equipped with the popular panoramic sunroof, the large-size central control screen of the straight waterfall type, the 10.25-inch dual-interface full LCD instrument panel, the 360-degree panoramic image, the intelligent voice system, the Internet of Vehicles and the mobile phone interconnection system and other configurations and functions.
The exterior design of the whole vehicle also looks young and sharp, the front face dot-shaped middle net plus the sharp headlight group enhances the product recognition, the side waist line runs straight through the tail, and the red and black decoration at the bottom of the bumper adds to the sense of sportiness of the whole vehicle. In fact, if you look at the front of the car, the SINOTRUK VGV VX7 is very much like a large SUV ready to go.
The interior also uses a large number of upholstered fabrics, which are more advanced and comfortable, both visually and tactilely.
A passenger pickup truck that combines sedan comfort and convenience, SUV off-road, station wagon leisure, and light truck loading, can be described as a family universal car. With the liberalization of policies and the further release of demand, passenger pickup trucks may usher in a broad market space.
According to Yang Xu, SINOTRUK VGV VX7 has completed the construction of 3 major technology platforms (U+ platform, R platform, F platform), the product is positioned in the high-end and high-end pickup trucks, the scope of coverage of a full range of pickup truck models, including load-bearing body / non-load-bearing body, front-drive / rear-drive / four-wheel drive, energy forms include fuel, pure electric, hybrid, hydrogen energy, etc.
On the road to attacking the pickup truck market, the pace of SINOTRUK VGV has just begun, whether it can kill a bloody road, or it will never be recovered, just like a mystery, full of unknowns, but also exciting.