IMOTO: JMC VIGUS DOUBLE CAB
It is NOT easy to be impressed by something you first see.
For me, this admiration happened when I was at Lanseria International Airport, Gauteng, seeing the JMC Vigus double cab van for the first time. It has a 2.5l diesel engine with a power of 123kW and a torque of 430Nm. The gearbox is divided into two as there is a 6 speed manual and an 8 speed automatic.
It’s been nailed down for being rugged and built to withstand the rigors of taking it up and down hills, mudding it, and swimming it in the marshes of Syringa Park, Muldelsdrift.
Although it arrives in a world that has fallen in terms of competitors – which is the Toyota Hilux that does not fall below taxi drivers and the Ford Ranger that is the favorite of tenders, Isuzu D-Max and Mahindra Pik UP, the JMC Vigus looks like it may turn the tables due to its affordable price.
For those who live in royal areas such as Loskop, Lotheni, Mpendle, Nkandla and Mashobeni, and those who bring goods to people from shops, they can still take refuge in it, and life will continue.
It washed my heart and I remembered that in fact China has been at the forefront of technology if you look at the things we use at home, especially gadgets, many of them are made there.
Even Terence Tracy of Afro Offroad 4×4 Driver Training agreed with me and boasted, saying that JMC, which sells approximately half a million vehicles a year worldwide, has hit the mark with the Vigus double cab.
Commenting on the Head of Product at JMC and GAC Motor, Karabo Ndaba, he was heard to be optimistic about the future of the JMC Vigus double cab 4×4, saying that the people of Mzansi who came out in large numbers will buy it because they will not be sidelined.
JMC stated that with 7.1l diesel you can travel up to 100km and if you are going to travel with it on tarmac it should be in 2H, on dirt put it in 4H. If you have a lot of obstacles, put it in 4L, don’t overdo it because it can spill and grind.
This van was just launched, not long ago JMC – whose cars are delivered by Salvador Caetano South Africa – launched its first van in South Africa, the Vigus, the price of which started at R299 900 for a single cab.
Its all-terrain wheels are 17 inches. It has hill descent control that doesn’t require you to hold the brake when you’re on a slope as it does the job for itself. It has four airbags in the automatic and two in the manual. It has LED daytime running lights and climbing stairs.
This van’s structure is similar to that of a 1970 Ford, they say it can carry a weight of 915kg.
To stay safe, it has a tool that notifies you when the air is low in the tires.
It has a ground clearance of 225mm, a length of 5,335mm and a width of 1,882mm.
Inside, it has a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and a 9.0-inch stand-alone instrument cluster.
The front leather seats are electrically adjustable, so you don’t have to keep pulling them. It has a camera that shows you when you’re backing up and tells you when you’re close to something that’s going to drag it or it’s close to a wall.
Even if you go forward, it warns you to be aware of the danger.
It is opened with a key and has a hand brake that requires you to press it and then raise it by hand.
This JMC 4×4 is striking with a grille and a rear with a name that attracts people from afar, and I believe it will make customers notice it and talk about it.
On the other hand, the JMC 2.5TD 4×2 double cab auto that I drove to the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, reminded me of the Ford Territory in the way it skids on the road. Even the convertible JMC Vigus that I was sitting in the back of on our way to OR Tambo International Airport, was sliding smoothly into its gears.
It showed that Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC) is a veteran in the automotive industry since it was founded in 1947.
Apart from that, it has relationships with the famous companies Isuzu, Ford and Changan that it works with in its country of origin.
In fact, the Ford Territory that sells in this country is built in the JMC factory in China.
In China, JMC also builds the Isuzu D-Max and MU-X.
Price:
JMC Vigus 2.5TD double cab manual – R399,900
JMC Vigus 2.5TD double cab 4×2 8AT – R459,900
JMC Vigus 2.5 double cab 4WD – R499, 900
They come with a four-year or 200,000km service plan, a five-year or 200,000km warranty.