JMC previews incoming Grand Avenue and prototype Dadao

The Nanchang-based brand's new flagship bakkie will launch officially on 9 September. Although shown to the media at the launch of the Vigus in March, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC) used the Kyalami Festival of Motoring last week to publicly show the Grand Avenue ahead of its market debut this month. Basics Approved for South Africa in January, the Grand Avenue will become the brand’s flagship double cab bakkie, though for the moment, no pricing is known. Essentially a plusher version of the Vigus, the Grand Avenue, which has been on-sale in China since 2023, is expected to have the following dimensions: Length: 5 435 mm; Wheelbase: 3 270 mm; Height: 1 872 mm; Width: 1 935 mm Exhibited model features a series of aftermarket accessorise, including wider all-terrain tyres. Picture: Charl Bosch This makes it 100 mm longer than the Vigus, 38 mm taller, 10 mm wider and 120 mm longer on the wheelbase front. At the same time, the Grand Avenue has a reported 235 mm of ground clearance, 25 mm more than the Vigus, wading depth of 800 mm and tow rating of 3 500 kg. Power Up front, it retains the same 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine as the Vigus, but with power and torque lifted from 123kW/430Nm to 155kW/500Nm. Sending power to the rear or all four wheels falls to the same ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox as in the Vigus. Likely spec Still to be confirmed, the Grand Avenue, depending on the trim level, is anticipated to have the following features as standard: Auto High Beam Assist LED headlights; 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels; folding electric mirrors; rain sense wipers; sunroof; 12-inch rotating infotainment system; dual-zone climate control; six-speaker sound system; 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster; electric, heated and ventilated front seats; leather upholstery; wireless smartphone charger Interior has the same 14.6-inch infotainment system as the Vigus, but receives a new steering wheel and imitation wood trim. Picture: Charl Bosch Safety and driver assistance systems is set to include: 540-degree camera system; front and rear parking sensors; tyre pressure monitor; Adaptive Cruise Control; Automatic Emergency Braking; Traffic Jam Assist; Lane Keep Assist; Forward Collision Warning; Lane Departure Warning; Hill Launch Assist; Blind Spot Monitoring; Lane Centring Assist; Hill Descent Control; Rollover Mitigation Dadao ‘first look’ Aside from the Grand Avenue, JMC also showcased a prototype version of the off-road focused Dadao ahead of its stipulated launch in 2027. Billed as JMC’s take on the Ford Ranger Raptor, the Dadao, which could be re-named Grand Avenue Pro as in other export markets, incorporates a series of changes seemingly derived from the Raptor, which comes as little surprise as the Blue Oval has been in partnership with JMC since 1997. ‘Prototype’ Dadao will become a reality in 2027. Picture: Charl Bosch As such, the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro is differentiated from the standard model by a Watt’s rear linkage, new front suspension, adaptive nitrogen shock absorbers, a coil spring rear suspension and a Ford-style Trail Turn Assist system. Along with an optional front locking differential to go with the standard locker at the rear, the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro has a Crawl control function, a 540-degree transparent camera and an all-terrain mode selector with seven settings: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Sand, Mud and Rock. Compared to the normal Grand Avenue, the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro has a wading depth of 900 mm and ground clearance of 255 mm. Being a prototype, no details were disclosed. Picture: Charl Bosch Being a prototype, no details were revealed, with JMC also remaining mum on whether the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro will be diesel powered, or follow the Raptor in having a petrol engine. However, unlike the Raptor’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 that makes 292kW/583Nm, the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro uses a version of Dearborn’s own 2.3 EcoBoost rated at 190kW/450Nm. More very soon As mentioned, final details of the Dadao/Grand Avenue Pro will only be announced next year, whereas the launch for the “normal” Grand Avenue will happen on 9 September. Therefore, expect JMC importer, Salvador Caetano Auto South Africa, to announce pricing and final specification then.