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Keep in mind JMC? No, not JAC, which isn’t to be confused with GAC. This one was a ute model, like ZX Auto… in case you keep in mind that one, both.
No matter whether or not you keep in mind it or not, JMC seems to be on the cusp of returning to the Australian market, with authorities paperwork exhibiting its Vigus ute has been granted native street car kind approval.
These approval paperwork listing a single dual-cab ute variant, powered by a 3.3-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 118kW. This displacement doesn’t align with any of the diesel engines supplied by JMC in China, so it’s probably a typo.
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No torque determine is listed within the paperwork, although the Vigus is recorded as having an eight-speed computerized transmission and an computerized all-wheel drive system, and the selection of 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels.
Only one variant is listed within the paperwork, and listed here are a number of the key dimensions listed:
| JMC Vigus | |
|---|---|
| Size | 5335mm |
| Width | 1882mm |
| Top | 1892mm |
| Wheelbase | 3150mm |
| Working clearance | 210mm |
| Tare mass | 1910kg |
| Gross car mass | 2780kg |
Unusually, the paperwork seem to element not considered one of JMC’s new Dadao household of utes, launched in 2023, however relatively a much less subtle mannequin generally known as the Vigus Plus or Yuhu, which slots someplace between the funds Baodian and the extra trendy Dadao.
JMC, like many different manufacturers in China, gives a number of generations of automobiles concurrently, with even older Vigus/Yuhu automobiles additionally out there in its home market.
Launched in China this yr, the actual ute is on the market there with a selection of two wheelbase lengths, in addition to totally different tubs and cab configurations. The one engine is a 123kW/430Nm turbo-diesel 2.5-litre four-cylinder, and suspension is a double-wishbone association up entrance and leaf springs on the rear.
Inside, there’s a 7.0-inch instrument cluster display screen and a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Unusually for a car that seems to be Australia-bound, there’s no lively security and driver help expertise like autonomous emergency braking on the spec sheet. Dadao/Grand Avenue utes, in distinction, may be had with a full suite of this tech.
It’s unclear if JMC’s Dadao utes will launch right here, although examples have been spied testing right here beforehand and Jiangling Motors filed to guard the Grand Avenue export title with IP Australia again in 2023.
Badged ‘Grand Avenue’ in sure export markets, there are totally different Dadao variants aimed toward personal consumers, fleet prospects, and off-road fans, with JMC providing an analogous breadth of choices as GWM does with its Cannon/Poer vary in China.
Certainly, of the 9 utes listed on JMC’s Chinese language-market web site, 5 are members of the Dadao household; the others are the model’s older Yuhu and Baodian utes.
There’s a selection of 190kW/450Nm turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol and 130kW/450Nm turbo 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel engines, the latter known as the ‘Puma’ engine.
There’s even an electrical variant with a 180kW/385Nm electrical motor and an 88kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery providing 423km of NEDC vary.
The Dadao ute household makes use of a platform co-developed with Ford, with which guardian firm Jiangling Motors has a detailed relationship.
Ford acquired an fairness stake within the automaker in 1995, and it maintains two Chinese language joint ventures: one with Jiangling Motors, and one with Changan.
The approval holder on the federal government paperwork is listed as Salygon Pty Ltd – a enterprise which solely has an ABN itemizing courting again a couple of days. It’s unclear, then, whether or not JMC’s return might be by way of factory-backed operation or a third-party distributor.
Final time round, JMC entered the Australian market as different funds ute manufacturers like Nice Wall and ZX Auto pale.
In 2015 the Vigus, generally known as the Yuhu in China, was launched domestically. It got here with a ubiquitous-in-China naturally aspirated 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine sourced from Mitsubishi outputting 100kW and 201Nm.
Optionally available was a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder from Ford, delivering 90kW/290Nm.
Obtainable in 4×2 fashions was a licensed model of Ford’s EcoBoost 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 149kW/325Nm.
At the very least half a dozen dealerships signed on to promote JMC utes however the firm withdrew from the Australian market in 2018 after gradual gross sales on account of poor title recognition and the shortage of an computerized transmission. What number of gross sales isn’t clear because the figures weren’t reported by VFACTS.
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