In China, the premiere of the latest Foton Mars 7 and Mars 9 pickups took place in April this year, and they will arrive in Russia next year — this was stated in an interview with Kolesa.ru by Dmitry Gritsay, head of the car sales department of Photon Motor LLC.
Foton Motor has returned to the light commercial vehicle segment of the Russian market: this year the Tunland G7 mid-size pickup truck and the Toano van will go on sale — these are not the latest, but quite successful models in Foton's home Chinese market. There will also be new models in Russia: next year we are waiting for the latest pickups from the Mars line — the name emphasizes the focus of these pickups on discovery, in a number of export markets Mars 7 and Mars 9 will be called V7 and V9, respectively. What name the versions for Russia will receive is unknown — for now we will call them Mars.
Foton Mars 7 1/2 Foton Mars 7 2/2
Mars pickups are based on the latest Foton platform with the factory index P4, its official name is FIA (Full-Size Intelligent Architecture). The new platform is designed for «hydrocarbon», hybrid, hydrogen and electric power plants. The wheelbase can vary from 2900 to 3650 mm, that is, you can make full-size pickups even according to the American classification. The front suspension is on double wishbones, the design of the rear suspension may vary depending on the purpose of the machine: for Mars 7 it is typically cargo — dependent and spring, for Mars 9 — also dependent, but already spring and equipped with Panhard stabilizing rod. There are options with air suspension, that is, Foton is preparing a very wide variety of models and modifications.
Foton Mars 9 1/2 Foton Mars 9 2/2
Mars 7 and Mars 9 are already available for order in China. Mars 7 costs in the range from 118,800 to 168,800 yuan (from 1.34 million to 1.91 million rubles translated at the current exchange rate) depending on the performance, Mars 9 is more expensive — from 153,800 to 187,800 yuan (from 1, 74 million to 2.12 million rubles).
Foton Mars 9 1/2 Foton Mars 9 2/2
The engine of both pickups is still the same — a 2.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel (163 hp, 450 Nm), supplemented by a 48-volt mild hybrid makeweight. Gearbox — 6-speed «mechanics» or 8-speed hydromechanical «automatic» ZF. Drive — rear or full, with an automatic BorgWarner clutch that takes power to the front axle. For all-wheel drive versions, a downshift in the transfer case, locking cross-axle differentials and several driving modes for different types of soil are provided. />Foton Mars 7
The Foton Mars 7 looks like an American Ford F-150 from the front. The wheelbase of Mars 7 is 3355 or 3505 mm, the overall length is 5617 or 5797 mm, but in any case the cabin is two-row, four-door. Styled after the Ram 1500, the Mars 9 pickup is only available with a 3355mm wheelbase.
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Mars has a common interior design: a laconic and expensively designed front panel has a 12.3-inch instrument screen and a 14.6-inch multimedia screen. There is a wide range of entertainment on board, up to singing karaoke.
Foton Mars 7
Add, that, thanks to its wide range of pickups, Foton is currently the leader in the LCV segment of the Chinese market: according to LMC Automotive, 121,400 vehicles were sold in the first quarter of this year, which is 15.8% more than in the same period in 2022. The closest competitors are not just lagging behind, but losing market share: Wuling sales in China in the LCV segment in January-March 2023 amounted to 93,998 units. (-26%), Changan — 84,689 units. (-26.1%), Dongfeng — 55,915 units. (-19%), JAC — 50,231 pcs. (-7.6%), Great Wall — 48,817 units. (+13.7%), Maxus — 40,839 units. (+0.9%).
Foton Mars 9
Mars 7 and Mars 9 should further strengthen Foton's position in the LCV segment, including in Russia. Read about other Foton models for Russia in our interview with Dmitry Gritsai.
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