By Sizwe Dlamini
Mbabane Motors has already sold four Foton vehicles in the country. This is after Foton Commercial Automobiles approached Mbabane Motors to be their sole seller of Foton vehicles in Eswatini.
Foton Motor Co., Ltd, known as Foton Motor or Foton, is a Chinese company that designs and manufactures trucks, buses, and sport utility vehicles. It is headquartered in Changping, Beijing, and is a subsidiary of the BAIC Group.
Foton was founded on August 28, 1996, initially manufacturing light and heavy-duty trucks, agricultural tractors, and various other machinery. In addition to heavier trucks, Foton also builds a vehicle inspired by the Toyota HiAce H100, called the “Foton View” or “Foton Alpha’.
Speaking to this reporter, Majid Daude, Head of Marketing and Sales at Mbabane Motors, said that the Foton International Motor Group approached Mbabane Motors to enter the Eswatini vehicle market.
“We at Mbabane Motors are very excited about our licensing deal with Foton automobiles. They approached us a few months ago after researching our organization and inquired about our range of vehicles and services. They must have been happy with us because in early September they supplied us with four vehicles that we sold within four weeks. This is not the first time Foton has been sold in Eswatini; the company was previously represented by another dealership, but that partnership ended, so now they are back in the kingdom and they approached us at Mbabane Motors,” he said.
The initial stock received from Foton consisted of two single-cab Tunland G7 vans, one double-cab Tunland G7, and one light commercial truck, the Miler. All these feature a list of modern features like daytime running lights, stability and cruise control, excellent and reliable engines, air conditioning, as well as powerful but economical engines.
The Tunland G7 Single Cab Bakkie, in particular, is designed for maximum utility and reliability. Perfect for commercial use, it offers a powerful engine, durable construction, and ample cargo space, making it an essential tool for any business.
Daude added that they are expecting new stock as the public reaction to the initial models was very impressive.
“All four aforementioned vehicles were promptly sold to happy customers in the first month of September. The models that we received from them are very exciting, and we are waiting for the delivery of new stock soon,” he added.