BAIC South Africa has officially announced the launch of their iconic SUV, the B40 PLUS today. The OEM, headquartered in Linbro Park, Johannesburg also boasts a local assembly plant in Coega, Eastern Cape which is set to create much-needed employment opportunities for the Port Elizabeth community. In addition, the facility, with a footprint of 10,000 hectares aims to produce 40,000-50,000 vehicles for local sale and export by the end of 2022.

Mr Hu, Vice President of Marketing Operations for BAIC South Africa said “BAIC SA is proud to add the B40 PLUS to the model line-up. We believe this vehicle will be well received by the market and will find quite a following amongst consumers that want to stand out in a crowd.”

Speaking of the company and its commitment to the country, Mr Hu added, “We are committed to the people of South Africa. We are actively working to improve the standard of the local automotive manufacturing industry, whilst creating more local employment opportunities. Our goal is to provide South Africans with a wide range of quality products to suit various lifestyles and requirements.”

Heritage

The B40 PLUS which has its roots in the military, has over 60 years of heritage to draw on. It has been tested in almost every condition, altitude, terrain, and application over this time leading to the claim that it was born in the battlefield and perfected in the real world.

Design & Interior

The design of the B40 PLUS is bold and imposing. The styling echoes the confidence of the driver, with aggressive bumpers and wheel arches. The vehicle commands presence whether it’s on city streets or showcasing its prowess off-road.

The front of the B40 PLUS is striking, with the iconic 5-slot grille design that is inspired by the Great Wall of China. The chrome and black accents on the exterior contrast the vehicle’s body colour, adding visual interest. This is also echoed in the interior of the B40 PLUS.

The bold design features imposing headlights with Daytime Running Lights (DRL) as well as front and rear fog lamps. The vertical windshield design, large exterior mirrors and high seating position make for great all-round visibility.

The red tow hooks are a confident design characteristic on the B40 PLUS, while making it easy to pull, tow or rescue travel companions in other vehicles.

Off-road capability

Mr Basil Costa, Senior Manager for Sales and Marketing, said “The B40 PLUS is more than capable off-road. The testing on extreme environmental adaptability included a process called “5 high & 1 drought” which included high temperature, high altitude, high humidity, high cold, high salt content and of course, a drought. This stringent testing process ensures adaptability to extreme conditions that is 10% higher than regular passenger vehicles.”

The off-road ability did not just inspire the design, the B40 PLUS was designed with practicality, and functionality, at the forefront of consideration.

The front suspension is a double wishbone/coil spring independent suspension while the rear suspension is a 5-link/coil spring non-independent suspension. The overhangs are minimal and combined with a ground clearance of 210mm, it results in a generous approach angle of 37 degrees, departure angle of 31 degrees and rampover angle of 23 degrees.

The selectable 4WD system with mechanical central transfer case and rear differential lock allows driver control over how the engine is powered, dependent on the terrain, conditions and requirements.

Safety and Security

The B40 PLUS comes standard with a host of active and passive safety features to ensure your adventure is on your terms. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) are standard across all models, while some models also feature Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Ascent Control (HAC) and Hill Descent Control (HAC).

Engines

The B40 PLUS is available in 2.0 litre Petrol Turbo or 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel. The choice is yours on how you power your adventure. The petrol engine kicks out 160kW @ 5500 r/min while the diesel pushes out 110kW @ 4000 r/min and 350Nm of torque at 1800-2800 r/min.