Category: BAIC

BAIC introduces big M60 MPV at PIMS 2018

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BAIC has introduced their large M60 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at the 7th iteration of the biennial Philippine International Motorshow (PIMS) which ran from October 24 to 28 at World Trade Center in Pasay City. The new M60 is their first van with: (1) front-wheel-drive, (2) unibody construction, and (3) an automatic transmission (a Punch Powertrain-sourced CVT in this case). By its curb weight, the M60 is technically a mid-size MPV like the Toyota Innova and Chevrolet Orlando, but at 4.8m long and with seven plush seats (with two bucket seats in the center row instead of a 3-place couch), this biggest of BAIC’s van-type transporters borders on being a full-size people mover like the Toyota Alphard. And this while the M60’s sticker price of P0.998 to P1.068 million puts it against much smaller compact MPVs such as the Toyota Avanza and Honda Mobilio.

Press Statement by BAIC Philippines, “BAIC shows new MPVs and SUV at PIMS 2018,” 2018:

Pasay City, 24 October 2018–BAIC Philippines will exhibit three new sport-utility and multi-purpose models at the 2018 Philippine International Motorshow (PIMS) which runs from October 24 to 28 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. At the automotive industry’s major biennial trade show where the brand was first introduced four years ago in 2014, BAIC will launch their new M60 mid-size crossover multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), and will also showcase the M50S compact MPV and the BJ20 compact crossover sport-utility vehicle (SUV), models which they introduced less than a month ago on September 28.

The timing of the launches highlight how the new M60 mid-size MPV pushes further some of the best features of their new M50S MPV and BJ20 SUV models. The M60 scales up the people-mover dimensions of the compact M50S that BAIC dubs a modern-day station-wagon, depicting the bigger MPV as a roomy, seven-seater with the stature of an executive transport. On the other hand, the new M60 takes the BJ20’s small yet powerful 1.5liter turbocharged gasoline engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT) and puts this match-up to more practical use pushing a large three-row MPV to a top speed of 170km/h.

Delivering peak power of 150hp at 6000rpm and maximum torque of 210Nm over a surprisingly wide 2000~4500rpm range like on the BJ20 SUV, the M60’s 1.5 liter turbocharged mill has a power profile that rivals that of turbodiesels while burning cleaner Euro 5 gasoline. And, while the M60’s CVT remains an ideal choice for fuel efficiency and for keeping the turbocharger spooled up during acceleration (BAIC asserts a conservative yet impressive 13km/l of mixed-mode fuel mileage), it also represents BAIC Philippines’ first automatic gearbox option on an MPV model.

The large new M60 crossover is at the borderline between mid- and full-sized MPVs with its 4.8m length, 1.8m width and 1.7m height. Its rigid unibody construction and front-wheel drive transaxle deliver enough weight savings to keep the M60’s curb-weight down to the 1,445kg that’s more typical of a compact minivan rather than that of a mid-sized MPV. In fact, those weight savings keep the M60’s curb-weight to just five kilograms more than that of the smaller BJ20 SUV.

Despite its large size, the M60 stays nimble with a 5.5m turning radius that’s kept tight by a compact 2.76m wheelbase which, in turn, is smoothed out by taking advantage of the big crossover MPV’s independent suspension. And, like both the up-trimmed M50S compact MPV and BJ20 compact crossover SUV, the M60 features a reversing camera and sensors for easing the large MPV into and out of tight situations.

With its Standard 1.5L CVT variant listing at P0.998M, and its Luxury 1.5L CVT variant at P1.068M, the BAIC M60 mid-size crossover MPV is priced to move against larger full-size MPVs as well as smaller compact and sub-compact minivans. Visitors to PIMS 2018 will be offered the chance to evaluate these prices and products hands-on with test drives of BAIC’s newest models as well as their compact MZ40 three-row and MZ45 four-row vans, models that were launched along with the brand and have enjoyed growing popularity since 2014.

BAIC Philippines ramps up to PIMS 2018 with launch of renegade crossover

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Makati City, 28 September 2018–A month before this year’s Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), the auto-industry’s major semi-annual event where the brand was introduced here four years ago in 2014, BAIC now launches the Bravo Jeep BJ20 compact crossover SUV. In the crowded two-row SUV super-segment that blurs the line between sub-compact and compact five-seaters, the large BJ20 faces off against dozens of rivals by pitching a new sensibility to the multitudes who seem to aspire for SUV versatility.

Sure, the BJ20 looks like what a general-purpose government-issue military transport would evolve into after decades of service in cold and wet hinterland. But, get past that striking lack of sleekness and you’d find engineering that’s elegant and nowhere near the brute force mindset that it projects … engineering that makes it at home on hard smooth roads as well as soft, unpaved tracks.

The BJ20 is a front-wheel-drive crossover with fully independent suspension up front and in back that floats atop 215mm of ground clearance. That kind of altitude makes for generous articulation where each wheel assembly has ample telescoping range for the suspension to keep both front drive wheels well planted on uneven ground. And those stock 225/55 R18 tires on alloy rims make for wheel discs with 0.685m diameters, the gentler arc on those large wheels making for easy rolls across potholes and for good leverage to float up and over inevitable bumps. It’s by no means an off-roader, it still needs a semblance of roadway, but the BJ20 won’t balk at straying from hard pavement.

(It’s like they had appraised the OX Truck: that 2.5 ton hauler designed by a MacLaren Formula One engineer for relief work in Africa; that truck with its front-engine and front-wheel-drive managing to get enough traction to carry tons of payload over unpaved roads. It’s a way to thumb noses at 4×4 purists … and that’s cool.)

The powertrain is also a surprise, evincing quips of “how the heck did they do that?!” and similar invectives. The BJ20 mounts a 1.5 liter Mitsubishi 4A91T 4-cylinder gasoline burner with that maker’s trademark MIVEC variable-valve-timing tech and their TF036HW turbocharger. Sourced from the Shengyang Aerospace Mitsubishi Sino-Japanese joint venture, the 4A91T’s turbocharger delivers early onset and lingering boost. In fact the turbo boost is so early and prolonged, the engine’s torque curve looks like that of a turbodiesel but, of course, with a higher and less stressed top end.

On a naturally aspirated 1.5 liter 4A91 (note the missing “T” from the end, like the type mounted on the Mitsubishi Xpander SUV-wannabee), peak torque is 141Nm @ 4000rpm. But, with the TF036HW turbocharger that Shenyang Aerospace asserts to have turbine vanes with advanced aerodynamic geometry, the 4A91T has torque already reaching 160Nm immediately after roll out with 1500rpm, then hitting 180Nm for early transition at 1750rpm, then peaking with a rich 210Nm at 2000~4500rpm. That’s an extra-wide powerband that starts at 2000rpm, stays peaked until 4500rpm and lingers long enough to deliver a top power figure of 147hp with the system hitting its highest “torque x revolutions” numbers at 6000rpm.

Under the hood: 1.5L Mitsubishi 4A91T turbocharged 4-cylinder with MIVEC valvetrain and high pressure GDI fuel injection rail.

BAIC asserts that the 4A91T was chosen as much for efficiency as for performance: good reminder of why turbochargers were first mainstreamed back in the 1990’s, for cleaner emissions and better fuel mileage. In effect increasing engine displacement by 33 to 50 percent, but only when you step on the gas and spool things up, the plumbing on that 1.5 liter engine makes it push like a 2 liter mill but with a turbocharger’s typical 15 percent fuel mileage improvement over a naturally aspirated engine of that size. BAIC reports getting 13.15km/l on a comprehensive mixed-mode drive.

Undoubtedly contributing to that mileage number is the continuously variable transmission (CVT) they’ve mated to the engine. It’ll be a sore point for some prospective buyers, it not being a traditional or manual transmission with discrete gear ratios, and instead having a chain between pulleys that automatically change diameters (and thereby vary their reduction ratio). But that continuously changing ratio without need for shifting between gears is what keeps the turbo unceasingly spooled up for acceleration–talk about an effective and efficient match up.

Plus, if the BJ20 has the JATCO CVT8, the CVT gearbox that’s been widely paired to Mitsubishi engines with actual or boosted displacements of 2.0 to 3.5 liters, it gives the compact crossover an exceptionally deep “first gear” ratio for hauling itself out of sticky situations. The JATCO CVT8 has a maximum deep ratio 7.0:1 that’s better than the 6.0:1 typical of other CVTs and can multiply torque significantly more than manual or automatic transmissions with first gear ratios that are typically around 4.0:1.

The BJ20 with its pugnacious looks, elegant powertrain and sublime undercarriage comes in two variants: the 1.5L Turbo CVT Standard that lists at PhP1.148M and the 1.5L Turbo CVT Luxury at PhP1.288M.

China’s BAIC partners up with behind-the-scenes giant Magna of North America

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After their major win overtaking Nissan and Tesla sales with their all-electric EC hatchbacks, leading Chinese carmaker BAIC partners up with North American giant Magna International to build electric vehicles at a 180,000-unit annual capacity plant in Zhenjian.

Press Statement by BAIC Philippines, “BAIC and silent giant Magna partner up to make electric vehicles in China,” 2018:

Magna International, Inc., the auto-industry’s silent global giant, is partnering up with BAIC to build electric vehicles for and in China, the world’s largest automotive market. Well known only in B2B circles, Magna International of Canada is the world’s largest automotive contract manufacturer, both producing parts for major brands like Detroit’s big three and assembling entire vehicles for marques such as Peugeot and MINI.

Where China has required joint ventures of any foreign company intending to manufacture vehicles in the country, they are now phasing out the requirement in the case of electric vehicles, zero-emissions vehicles that they’ve fast tracked to advance their eco-industrial agenda. But, in spite of this shift that would allow Magna to set up their wholly-owned shop in China, they’ve partnered up with BAIC subsidiary Beijing Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd,.

With a deal already in place to develop an all-electric vehicle for China, the partners now add a second agreement for Magna to take over an existing BAIC production facility in Zhenjian, Jiangsu Province where they intend to roll out new models by 2020. Part of the large facility’s 180,000-vehicle annual capacity will also be used for contract work for other companies.
BAIC Chairman Xu Heyi says, “from a strategic point of view, the establishment of the JV’s will benefit both Magna and BAIC to further strengthen our business growth in China.”

Bestselling BAIC electric hatchback beats Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S in first quarter 2018

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From China, where energy strategies reach beyond maxing out efficiencies and scrubbing up emissions from gasoline and diesel fuel, comes the BAIC EC electric car that outsold the popular Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S in the first quarter of the year.  Unmistakably an economy model, the BAIC EC hatchback is a fitting leader, harking back to when sub-compacts dominated global markets after the oil crises of the last millennium.

Press Statement by BAIC Philippines, “BAIC overtakes Nissan and Tesla with bestselling electric car for first quarter 2018,” 2018:

The BAIC EC has overtaken the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S as the world’s bestselling purely battery-powered electric vehicle. The first quarter 2018 review completed by industry monitor JATO Dynamics puts BAIC EC sales at 25,360 units, giving the Chinese carmaker a comfortable margin over the Nissan Leaf’s 22,124 units and the Tesla Model S’s 11,450. The numbers depict phenomenal 260 percent growth for the BAIC EC since the first quarter of 2017, as compared to the Nissan Leaf’s 47 percent increase and Tesla Model S’s 6 percent decrease.

The BAIC EC leads the battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV) category which, along with hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), as well as extended range electric vehicles (EREV) and fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs), comprise the industry’s alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) segment. In this context, given how electrics represent a major avenue for curbing the world’s fossil fuel consumption and emissions, it seems appropriate that the BAIC EC sub-compact hatchback comes in ahead of the larger and more sporty Nissan Leaf compact hatchback and Tesla Model S premium mid-size sedan.

The base variant of the Tesla Model S has its motor delivering 362hp with 441Nm of torque to attain a top speed of 249km/h. The Nissan Leaf’s powerplant puts out 147hp with 320Nm of torque to push things up to a max of 150km/h. In contrast, and in context, the bestselling BAIC EC is optimized as a city commuter with an efficient 41hp and 140Nm motor keeping things civil with a top speed of 100km/h,

Consequently, these top-ranking BEVs, which represent a good sampling of all models that are currently on offer across markets, also have efficiency numbers that differ widely. Without needing a full picture of the fuel burnt for generating city grid power, a simple scan of battery capacities and vehicle ranges reveal just how divergent these models are in terms of energy efficiency.

The Tesla Model S with a 60kWh battery giving it a range of 335km manages to get 5.6km per kWh of capacity. The Nissan Leaf, its 40kWh battery giving it a 240km range, is more efficient as it gets 6.0km per kWh. But, best of all, the top-selling BAIC EC has its base variant’s 20kWh battery lasting for 156km and managing to deliver 7.7km per kWh.

This year’s first quarter is also when overall AFV sales broke the million-car mark with a total volume of 1.09 million units after a 21 percent increase over numbers from the same period last year. It seems even more appropriate that, behind this historic million-cars milestone for fossil fuel alternatives, the bestselling battery-powered electric vehicle is the BAIC EC, a sub-compact economy model much like the hatchbacks that started overtaking fuel-guzzling land yachts in the 1970’s.

BAIC joins jeepney modernization push with biggest Class 1 prototype so far

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BAIC Philippines unveiled their Kalayaan jeepney prototype last month, putting it on display at the Land Transportation Office’s 106th anniversary motor show last month and, in so doing, announcing their participation in the country’s public utility vehicle modernization initiative. Based on BAIC’s Freedom compact truck and meant to be a compact commuter for short routes on crowded city streets, the 12-seat Kalayaan is the biggest prototype in the Class 1 category so far. Before the Kalayaan, the Suzuki’s 10-seat Super Carry jeepney prototype dominated the category.

Still in prototype stage with an Almazora-built body that looks to be from the same template as that on the Suzuki Super Carry, the Kalayaan’s 810kg payload can conceivably be made to seat even more, up to 14 people including the driver. Adding to the two seats in the front cabin, the rear body seating capacity can be increased to an even dozen if allowances are reduced from 40cm- down to 35cm-wide seating for each passenger, and the rear door is narrowed down from 70 to 65cm wide (to accommodate more side-facing seating on the door’s side).

Suzuki Origins

Interestingly enough, Japanese-Suzuki origins are starting to look commonplace in the Class 1 jeepney category. Before the Kalayaan came along, the Class 1 category was dominated by Suzuki Philippines’ 10-seat Super Carry jeepney. And, that Suzuki Super Carry truck platform actually comes from another Suzuki joint venture, this one from the Maruti-Suzuki partnership in India.

Both prototypes are built on Suzuki platforms evolved further by joint-ventures outside of Japan. And, predictably, both the BAIC and Suzuki platforms feature very similar rear bodies built by Almazora, though with the Kalayaan having the advantage of single-body construction with the rear box being welded to the front cabin.

In contrast, where the Suzuki Super Carry is a slightly enlarged version of the 9th-generation Carry micro-truck with it’s cab-over cabin (driver position atop front wheels), the BAIC Kalayaan’s platform is the Carry Extra–a significantly scaled up version of the Carry’s 10th-generation with that edition’s distinctive semi-forward cabin (driver behind front wheels). This explains the difference in payloads and dimensions that result in one having 10 seats, the other having 12.

The Kalayaan is based on BAIC’s Freedom compact truck that’s in turn sourced from the BAIC Group’s Jiangxi-Changhe joint venture with Suzuki Automobile of Japan. Notably, the Kalayaan is powered by a license-built Suzuki K14B-A inline 4 petrol burner, an engine from the same series as that of the Suzuki Ertiga MPV and Ciaz sedan.

<SOURCE> Press Statement by BAIC Philippines, “BAIC Philippines introduces biggest Class 1 modern jeepney prototype so far,” 2018:

BAIC Philippines, seller of rugged body-on-frame people movers like the MZ40 WeVan, MZ45 Transporter and M20 compact MPV, has officially joined the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization initiative with their 12-seat Kalayaan jeepney. Making its first public appearance at the Land Transportation Office 106th anniversary motor show last month, the Kalayaan prototype puts an Almazora-built body on the rear deck of a Freedom compact truck–what BAIC Philippines President George Chua asserts to be the “smart man’s pick-up.”

The Kalayaan is the biggest prototype in the Class 1 category so far. Intended as compact transport for short routes on crowded inner-city roads, the Kalayaan can seat 12 people, including the driver and a front-seat passenger, with 10 people in the rear cabin afforded generous 40cm wide seating on side-facing benches. Based on the Kalayaan’s useful 810kg payload and going by the PUV modernization program’s narrower 35cm wide seating standard, the modern Class 1 inner-city jeepney can actually seat one to two more passengers in the rear.

Built by BAIC’s Changhe joint-venture with Suzuki Motors of Japan, the Kalayaan featues a license-built Suzuki K14B-A 1.4 liter gasoline engine delivering peak numbers of 94hp at 6000rpm and 115Nm at 3200rpm. The Kalayaan’s cleaner burning Euro 4 compliant gasoline engine could be advantageous on the short, crowded inner-city routes it’s meant to serve. And, the engine’s conventional valve-train, eschewing the K14B’s variable valve timing (VVT) option, could translate to easier, less complicated maintenance.

The Kalaayan jeepney benefits from a semi-forward cabin layout that enhances its handling as well as its engine-cooling characteristics. Putting the driver behind the front wheel axle line (instead of on it like on cab-over trucks) makes for a more stable and comfortable driving position. The engine is set back to an under-seat location, improving the vehicle’s front-rear weight balance. And the water-cooling radiator is kept up front under the hood and in normal airflow’s direct path, keeping the system separate and less affected by the engine heat-source–a definite plus on hot and crowded inner-city routes.

Another distinction of the Kalayaan jeepney is its body-on-frame single-body construction. Unlike modular two-box implementations with the front cabin and the rear body separately bolted down to the chassis-frame, the Kalayaan features front and rear cabin compartments that are welded together into a single body. This contributes to the body’s overall rigidity, making the Kalayaan resistant to body twisting and delivering greater stability that’s critical on the modern jeepney with its mandatory high ceiling and consequently higher center of gravity.

BAIC Philippines Vice President for Marketing Honeymae Limjap says the 12-seat Kalayaan jeepney was developed explicitly to list at around P600k in its base configuration. She adds that operators can expect to spend another P50k for the CCTV cameras, GPS tracker and BEEP payment system being mandated for modernized jeepney franchises.

BAIC Philippines opens flagship showroom after building nationwide network of sellers and servicers

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Now almost three years in the country, BAIC Philippines finally opens their flagship showroom after first focusing on fundamentals and having already established a network of dealerships and service centers nationwide. And, after the market’s positive response to their bargain priced utility vehicles, they now also launch a new line of light trucks, among which is the Freedom mini-truck that’s remarkably suited to the role of family workhorse.

Press Statement by BAIC Philippines, “BAIC Philippines opens flagship showroom, launches light truck models,” 2017:

BAIC Philippines formally opened their flagship showroom in Makati City last July 14 and made the new facilities the backdrop for the official unveiling of their new Bayanihan H5 light truck and Freedom compact truck models. The flagship showroom in a new, purpose-built building now speaks of BAIC Philippines’ continued commitment to this market, while the new Bayanihan H5 and Freedom trucks show their intent to keep providing up-to-date, affordable and versatile vehicles to Philippine customers.

Flagship to a fleet of showrooms and service centers

The inauguration of the flagship facilities comes with the automotive brand already having 8 dealers and 22 accredited service centers in Luzon, Visayas and in Mindanao.  A division of Universal Motors Corporation (UMC), BAIC’s Philippine distributor Bayan Automotive Industries Corporation (Bayan Auto) was launched almost three years ago at the 2014 Philippine International Motor Show.

Ceremonial ribbon-cutting by Mr. George Chua, president and CEO of BAIC Philippines, and Dr. Haiyang Dong, president and CEO of BAIC International Development Co., Ltd..

The new showroom stands in the country’s premier business district at 2232 Don Chino Roces Avenue in Makati City. The two-storey building has 1,200 square meters of floor-space featuring a 12-vehicle street-front showroom, a plush customer lounge, multiple sales offices, an after-sales services reception area, and the executive suites.  Well attended by business partners, customers, members of the motoring press, and by BAIC global brand dignitaries, the inauguration was officiated by Mr. George Chua, president and CEO of BAIC Philippines, and was graced with the participation of Dr. Haiyang Dong, president and CEO of BAIC International Development Co., Ltd..

The event was a milestone in many ways with Mr. Chua saying, “close to 3 years ago when we first introduced the BAIC Brand in the Philippines … we were confident that with the long and strong history of UMC and partnership with the dynamic and global outlook of BAIC, failure was not an option.”  Adding to the significance of the occasion, Dr. Dong revealed that, “the Philippines is a key market and a potential hub to service the ASEAN market.”

Mindful focus on Euro 4, lowest taxed haulers

“Establishing a new brand is indeed a challenge and doing so in a highly competitive market like the Philippines requires more than experience, financial resources and luck,” says Mr. Chua. “We realize that for us to succeed we must have the right product at the right price.”

Bayanihan H5 cab and chassis

Citing the county’s clean air act which mandates January 1, 2018 as the deadline for all new vehicles to be Euro 4 compliant, and the tax reform program that calls for a significant increase in vehicle excise taxes, Mr. Chua observed that these make “ownership of new vehicles more difficult and possibly out-of-reach for many of our countrymen.”

With these compelling factors in mind, BAIC Philippines has officially launched their Bayanihan H5 cab and chassis and Freedom compact truck, both with SRPs that put these squarely in the lowest taxed tier of the new vehicle excise tax structure.  The Bayanihan H5 is the only model in the light truck category that offers a ton-and-a-half of payload on a roomy 10-foot rear deck and is powered by an up-to-date Euro 4 compliant turbodiesel.  The Bayanihan H5 lists at P598,000 in basic cab-and-chassis form with built up variants that will feature dropside flatbed, aluminum van and passenger rear bodies—the last, also with an option for dual-type air-conditioning.

Double-cab Freedom compact truck

Completing BAIC Philippines’ small hauler line-up is the new Freedom offered in pickup truck layouts with a dropside flatbed cargo bed in back and either a single- or double-cab up front.  SRP for the single-cab variant is P458,000, the double-cab’s is P488,000. With its Euro 4 compliant 94hp and 115Nm 1.4L gasoline engine, and almost a ton of payload, the Freedom offers surprisingly mainstream capabilities yet at competitive prices. And the double-cab variant in itself is a rare enough offering in the light truck category, at least as far as new vehicles are concerned.  In Mr. Chua’s estimation, these features put together make the Freedom, “the affordable, smart man’s pickup!”

More to come from BAIC

Mr. Chua reveals that, in addition to the Bayanihan H5 light truck and Freedom compact truck, BAIC Philippines is looking to introduce a new model among their MPV offerings.  Although other details are still under wraps, Mr. Chua says the distinction of the new multi-purpose-vehicle vis-a-vis their popular M20 MPV will be an automatic gearbox for driving convenience in the country’s notorious traffic jams.

New BAIC mini-truck could become big family mainstay

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BAIC Philippines launched their Freedom mini-truck during the inauguration of their flagship showroom in Makati City just last Friday. Offered cargo flatbed configurations, the BAIC Freedom is available in single- and double-cab variants, and priced at P458k and P488k, respectively … and rather surprisingly. That mini-truck tag and those prices that put it squarely against the Suzuki Super Carry and Tata Ace (vehicles commonly known here and abroad as miniature trucks), all these have the effect of reinforcing the image of the Freedom as being a bare-bones scaled-down something. But, get to see the Freedom in the flesh, even try her on for size, and it’s clear that she exceeds the boundaries of the mini-truck category.

The Freedom measures around 4.5m in length (the single-cab at 4.400m, the double at 4.565m), much longer than the 3.8m of the Suzuki and Tata models. This up-sizing translates into greater capacity with the Freedom having payloads of 990kg on the single-cab variant and 905kg on the double. At close to one ton of payload, the Freedom brandishes a significant margin over the 735kg of the Super Carry and the 800kg of the Ace. The Freedom’s cargo bay is much longer, to the tune of more than 0.3m when comparing single-cab variants. On the double-cab variant, the cargo bay is similarly longer than those on sporty mid-size double-cab pickups.

A surprising plus: the Freedom mounts a Euro 4 compliant 94hp 1.4L Suzuki K14B-A engine (from the same, well-proven series that powers the Suzuki Ertiga MPV and Ciaz sedan). That Suzuki mill hasn’t been outsourced but manufactured in-house instead, and legitimately, by the Freedom’s original manufacturer. Coming to this market by way of the global BAIC Group of China, the Freedom is manufactured by Jiangxi Changhe Suzuki Automobile Co. (Changhe), the light commercial vehicle manufacturer that’s in a joint venture with Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan. Changhe became a subsidiary of the BAIC Group in 2013 when the big conglomerate acquired 70% controlling stake. (In the China domestic market, the model is differently branded but similarly badged as the Changhe Freedom Mini-Truck.)

And, finally, that double-cab option on the Freedom is a game-changing rarity in its category (not counting those on small, surplus multi-cabs). With the option for sedan-like seating for five passengers combined with her close to mainstream dimensions and full-grown engine (an engine that’s aircon-ready, no less), the Freedom stands an excellent chance of becoming widely accepted as a common family pickup truck. Not like the high-riding and sleeked-up pickups from the big brands that figured in the truck wars last year, but something that’s less sport and more utility, something that’s more of a truck.  Sure, the Freedom is less pretty, more of your money invested in function, damned little of it in form, but that also speaks to character, makes a fair statement about the owner, doesn’t it?

Quick note: BAIC’s new base-model micro-bus

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Meet the BAIC MZ45 Transporter. She seats 11 adults in 4 rows, is powered by a torquey 1.2L Euro 4 petrol engine, and has the high-clearance body-on-frame build that makes her at home on city streets and countryside roads. (The MZ45’s platform is rugged and smooth-riding enough to be also configured as a municipal ambulance.)

This new, P548k base-model rendition is spartan in comparison to the MZ45’s Comfort and Luxury variants but it does have that extra blower array in the rear that ensures the dual AC’s effectiveness up to the rearmost seats.

She’s aptly named and could’ve been badged either as the Transporter or the Commuter–that’s how optimized she is for the people-mover role.

Quick note: ruggedly real, the Bayanihan H5

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BAIC Philippines’ new ute brandishes payload numbers that are both impressive and–with rugged live-leaf suspension at front and in back–refreshingly realistic.

That 16-seat capacity on the passenger rear body is at the same time conservative (there’s just enough elbow room to go to 18) and fairly backed by a metric ton of max loading. The dropside flatbed variant fares even better with a third of a ton more in payload.