BYD Fangchengbao Tai 7: Land Rover Defender rival for SA?
Will a new addition to a Chinese automaker's line-up roll into our local market to challenge a British car manufacturer's luxury SUV?
As CAR Mag anticipates the local arrival of Denza and this BYD luxury sub-brand’s Toyota Land Cruiser Prado/Land Cruiser 300- and Land Rover Defender-rivalling B5 and B8 SUVs, we can’t help but wonder if models – the one pictured here, especially – from BYD’s Fangchengbao subsidiary could also make their way to our market.
Fangchengbao’s portfolio comprises sedans, station wagons, SUVs, and sportscars; all of which employing new-energy powertrains – the latter including plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery-electric. Among the company’s SUV offerings is the Tai 7, which we detail here. If the Tai 7 were to come to South Africa, we expect it will likely be sold under the Denza brand, as the Denza B7, perhaps?
The Fangchengbao Tai 7, known as the Titanium 7 in its home market, measures 4 999mm long and 1 995mm wide – dimensions comparable to the Land Cruiser 300 and Defender 110. These measurements position the Tai 7 between the Denza B5 and B8. The Tai 7 stands 1 865mm tall, with its wheelbase spanning 2 920mm.
The Tai 7 employs BYD’s Dual Mode Super (DM-S) PHEV setup, which comprises a 115kW/225Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors – the front and rear units producing 160kW/260Nm and 200kW/360Nm, respectively – in the all-wheel-drive derivative. The front-wheel-drive model is equipped with a single electric motor producing 200kW and 315Nm. The Chinese automaker has yet to disclose combined power and torque outputs.
The front-wheel-drive variant is available with the choice of either a 26.6kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which serves up a claimed 135km electric-only operating range, or 35.6kWh unit offering a claimed EV-only range of up to 200km. The AWD derivative is exclusively fitted with the 35.6kWh LFP item and offers a claimed EV-only driving range of up to 190km.
Will the Fangchengbao Tai 7 come to South Africa?
Although the Denza B5 and B8 have been confirmed for South Africa, whether the Fangchengbao Tai 7 will be introduced to our market remains to be seen. However, reports have suggested that this SUV will launch in Australia, a market that largely mirrors ours. So, it seems likely that this SUV could make its way here in the future.
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The post BYD Fangchengbao Tai 7: Land Rover Defender rival for SA? appeared first on CAR Magazine.
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