Foton, a subsidiary of Beijing Automotive Industry
Holding C0., (BAIC) is a commercial vehicle manufacturer that has previously
tested the Tunland pickup truck in India. In a new development, Team-BHP forum
member ObsessedByFIAT has spotted three completely uncamouflaged units of the
Foton View CS2 minivan being transported on a flatbed truck near Pune.
The Foton View CS2 is a minivan that is on sale in
several Asian and African markets. It comes equipped with features like power
steering, keyless entry, power windows, and an FM/AM receiver with a CD player,
AUX-IN and a Type-C port. Safety equipment includes dual front airbags,
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), and
reverse parking sensors.
The Foton View CS2 shares its engines with the
Tunland pickup. The diesel variant is powered by a Cummins-sourced 2.8-litre
turbocharged unit that outputs 161 hp/360 Nm. The petrol version features a
Mitsubishi 4G69-based 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated motor that produces 136
hp/200 Nm. Both engines come paired with 5-speed manual transmission and are
compliant with EURO 4 emission norms.
Foton first came to India in 2011 and announced
investments of INR 1,700 crore over a period of five years to set up a commercial
vehicles plant. However, the lack of relevant diesel options in its engine
lineup and a lacklustre growth rate of the commercial vehicle market pushed the
Chinese automaker to shift its focus to the passenger vehicle market.
On June 18 2018, The Economic Times reported that
while the company had finalised plans to launch a premium van in India, the
project was ultimately deferred by about 3 years owing to the BSVI emission
norms that will come into effect from April 2020. The company is heard to be planning
the Indian facility for the production of Borgward SUVs for the export market.
The Foton View C2 that has been spotted near Pune
could have been imported by the company for testing, internal use or by a
competitor.
