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Great Lake Motors’ LDV T60 ute.
LDV distributor Great Lake Motors says it expects to shake up New Zealand’s ute market with its new LDV T60.
At a recent gala event in Auckland to launch the new vehicle, attended by NZ dealers, executives from the Chinese manufacturer SAIC and about 50 Chinese journalists, GLM ‘van geek’ Warren Willmot said “NZers have been paying too much for too long for over-hyped utes”.
Priced from $28,990 + gst for a double cab, 4WD that doesn’t skimp on spec, and which comes with a 5-year/130,000km warranty, 10-year anti-perforation warranty and a roadside assist package, the T60 warrants a closer look.
Components from industry stalwarts Borg Warner, ZF, Sachs, Bosch and Eaton should impress would-be buyers, and the promised package suggests value for money.
A 2.8L Motori turbo diesel delivers 110kW and 360 Nm torque, mated to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
A full-size ute which doesn’t look out of place when parked next to its competitors, the T60 is the first Chinese vehicle to achieve the ANCAP 5-star safety rating, not surprising given its standard specification.
That list of standards includes ABS, EBD, EBA, blind spot monitoring, hill descent control, hill start assist, traction control, electronic diff lock, rear view camera, park assist and even tyre pressure monitoring.
Then there’s airbags and a 10 inch, full colour touch screen control panel and infotainment system. The latter includes Apple Car Play and Android Auto and a useful auto volume function. Specification includes the Elite, or the optional Luxury version that upstages the Elite with heated leather seats, running boards, sport bars and roof rails.
At the business end the well-deck has a liner and multiple tie-down points and is designed to carry a euro-pallet and weights of up to one tonne, while the towing capacity is rated at 3 tonnes. So what’s not to like?
While it wouldn’t be unfair to call the LDV T60 “the poor man’s ute”, a change of distributor in 2023 has seen the brand raise its profile, while the recent arrival of the new LDV T60 Max Plus, will undoubtedly open the door to a wider audience for the brand.
While the LDV brand has been available in New Zealand for a number of years, it’s typically been recognised as a second tier offering. That has started to change after distribution passed to the Inchcape Group in 2023, who are on a trajectory to improve that public perspective, and in due course, push sales upwards.
While there seems to be a feeding frenzy for hybrid or electric cars of late, there’s no such madness for the humble ute.
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