Another Chinese automaker is heading for South Africa in the shape of Jetour. This brand is also owned by the larger Chery Holding Group. We already know products from Chery as well as Omoda & Jaecoo that are on sale in SA. Over the last five years alone, Jetour has sold over 1 180 000 vehicles globally across its five product lines, with over 1 200 partners in over 60 countries and regions worldwide. Company execs held an online press conference to introduce the brand, themselves and initial product offerings.

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Homework

Jetour has been doing its homework in the local market for some time. The company has already appointed dealerships in all major centres in SA. 40 will be in operation by the time the cars go on sale. Sales will start from as early as September this year. Jetour has taken note of challenges and criticism faced by other Chinese automakers. To deal with these issues Jetour already has a warehouse in Midrand with 80 000 parts totaling over R100m, and that’s without a single Jetour on the roads yet. And there are even more parts on the way. This is to deal with the sales target of 800 units per month.

Initial models

Johnny Fang, managing director of Jetour in South Africa, has confirmed the initial models that will go on sale. “We will start with two models, the X70 Plus and the Dashing,” said Fang. The X70 is a seven-seater while the Dashing offers seating for five. Both models will be powered by 1,5-litre turbocharged engines. This is a Chery Group engine, similar to that found in the Tiggo7. The petrol unit used by Jetour delivers 115 kW of power and 230 N.m of torque.

Jetour will offer its products exclusively with dual-clutch transmissions. Early next year we can expect the T2 to make its appearance on local showroom floors. The rugged-looking T2 will be available with a 2,0-litre engine. It will be offered in front- and all-wheel-drive versions. This will be followed by the T1, a brand new product that was shown for the very first time at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show.