Chinese automotive brand JAC has added a sub-P1 million pickup to its Philippine lineup. Triesenburg Auto Corp. (TAC), official local distributor of the brand, recently unveiled the JAC T8. Joining the previously released T6 pickup, the company said in a release that the J8 “perfectly fits the needs of the Filipinos amid the pandemic,” and at an affordable price point relative to the competition.
Said TAC marketing director Brian Badilla to WHEELS: “We’re confident in bringing in the T8 because we’re already aware of its ability to withstand a full day’s worth of arduous racing and off-road performance as local and international racecar drivers pushed the pickup. After more than eight hours, the T8 performed as if it was on fresh legs.” The new JAC vehicle was entered sometime back into the Rally of Champions staged by MP Turbo Philippines.
In a release, TAC continued: “The JAC T8 is designed to have the specs that high-end trucks have but with the affordable price of a base model variant. TAC wants its consumers to have and experience business and pleasure, as well as safety all bundled into one – something not found in the market with a price so affordable.”
During the truck’s digital launch, JAC Motors Philippines group general manager Dan Rudolph Navarro stressed this value proposition: That the T8 has conveniences in a daily driver that are absent from other vehicles priced below P1 million.
The T8 measures 5.325m x 1.88m x 1.83m, and boasts a ground clearance of 220mm. The T8’s front suspension is an independent double wishbone with coil springs, while the rear has leaf springs. It gets 18-inch alloy wheels with 265/60 tires. The Ultimate variant gets disc brakes, while the Luxury trim has drum brakes at the rear.
Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine (mated to a six-speed manual transmission) that generates 136hp and 320Nm.
A large grille with a huge “JAC” marks the vehicle’s front fascia. This feature is flanked by projector Xenon HID headlights, LED DRLs and fog lamps. At the rear are dual C LED taillamps and rear fog lamps for added visibility and safety. Standard features include a bedliner, fender flares, side stepboards and tow hitch receiver.
Brown leather covers the T8’s seats – the same material that lines the door panels and dashboard. Its infotainment system is headlined by an eight-inch touchscreen. The pickup gets steering wheels controls.
An array of safety measures is provided the pickup, including: hill start assist, hydraulic brake assist, traction control, vehicle dynamics control, electronic stability control, tire pressure monitoring system, dual front airbags, and a 360-degree-view camera. Standard also are headlamp auto lighting, headlamp leveling, auto folding side mirrors, remote-controlled opening and of all windows, and front and rear parking sensors.
The pickup is available in two variants: Luxury 4×2 priced at P928,000, and the Ultimate 4×2 priced at P998,000.
For more information, visit www.jacmotors.ph and follow https://www.facebook.com/jacphilippines.