By Adrian Burford
The flood of cheap, low-tech products coming into South Africa from China is changing the way the motoring media assess cars and, indeed, the way people are buying them.
The latest addition to what has become a torrent is Gonow, which has launched its X-Space single and double-cab pick-ups in South Africa. They're based loosely on Toyota underpinnings with Isuzu bodywork and interior trim and cost from R95 000 to R135 000.
However, buyers have a choice: if price is the overriding factor should one buy a new Gonow (all of which have air-conditioning and power steering) or opt for a second-hand Toyota, Nissan, or Mitsubishi?
The question us scribes face is: what defines "value" and what defines "acceptable" when assessing a new bakkie using 20-year old technology but costing R130 000?
The Gonow double cab I drove on the launch had a noisy gearbox, an extremely vocal engine, vague steering, mushy front suspension and a tendency to wander under hard braking.
On the inside I found hard and poorly shaped seats along with panel fit, finish and general quality of materials that confirm why the phrase "Made in China" doesn't conjure up a positive mental image for most people. Exterior quality was of a similar level.
Whatever, the gear ratios of the five-speed box and the fuel-injected, four-cylinder petrol engine seemed well-matched (Toyota components both, after all) and keeping pace with East Rand traffic - on and off the highway - posed no problems.
Unladen, it loped along well enough and the rear end didn't feel especially harshly sprung yet is rated to carry 1025kg. And Gonow Auto South Africa's Chris Asmal proudly told us that the X-Space passed the South African Bureau of Standards mandatory brake test at its first attempt.
Asmal, a mechanic with a number of automotive interests (including a Chevrolet dealership) and a farm, is the sole director of the distributorship and has appointed Adri Roe as general manager. Her background includes stints at Hyundai, Daewoo and Chevrolet. By the end of the year, she says, there will be 44 dealers on the sub-continent, most of them in South Africa.
Asmal's farming connection turns out to be important: his Heidelberg ranch has been used over the last two years to assess the suitability of these bakkies for South African conditions. One significant change made as a result of this "research and development" was an upgrade to the cooling system; another, on a more cosmetic level, was the deletion of "wood trim" in favour of grey or black plastic.
Faux wood and entry-level bakkies clearly don't match but audio systems, power mirrors and windows are fitted to luxury versions. Interestingly, the left front window on my launch unit operated back to front (a push on the wedge-shaped switch raised the window rather than lowered it), causing a fair amount of confusion and then amusement.
Gonow is a fledgling brand internationally and only assembled its first car in March 2004. Unlike many Chinese "manufacturers", Gonow has its own engine plant but they are also ultimately assemblers of old Japanese components made under licence. This, theoretically, means virtually all major components and assemblies can be regarded as tried-and-tested - maybe even trusted.
Last year Gonow produced 60 000 vehicles this way, which means they're something of a bit player in the seven-million strong Chinese car industry. About half of its production was exported with 60 distributors worldwide.
A new plant going up in the company's home province of Zhejiang will quadruple production by 2008 and set the brand on a path to building its own cars.
There is no truth in the rumour that previous generation products will be then be renamed as GoThen with GoNow name kept for the newer vehicles...
In the meantime, the products remain of the cheap 'n cheerful variety and on the local front the six 74kW/193Nm petrol-engined launch derivatives (two trim levels for single and double cabs, a long-wheelbase double cab with a 1.8m loadbox) will be joined in October by turbodiesels using an Isuzu-based 2.8-litre engine.
All-wheel drive units will reach SA in December along with the first cars.
Gonow 2.2i single cab - R94 990
Gonow 2.2iL single cab - R102 990
Gonow 2.2i double cab - R122 990
Gonow 2.2iL double cab - R129 990
Gonow 2.2iX double cab - R127 990
Gonow 2.2iXL double cab - R134990
Gonows carry a two-year or 60 000km warranty (twice the time period of the mechanically-similar Great Wall Motors products) and need servicing every 10 000km. - Star Motoring