Chinese giant's HiLux rival ready

China's largest vehicle manufacturer, SAIC Automotive, will stage the world debut of its first direct rival for Toyota's dominant HiLux ute at China's biggest commercial vehicle show, the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition on November 20, before it goes on sale in Australia late next year.

Motoring.com.au sources have also confirmed the all-new Chinese one-tonner, which will be badged as the LDV Ute here, will be available with a full range of body styles and powertrain options, including single- and double-cab, petrol and diesel, manual and automatic, and 4x2 and 4x4.

Pictured here in a spy shot taken by Thai website headlightmag.com in China, the LDV pick-up will initially be revealed in top-spec dual-cab form, and is likely to be based on the same rugged ladder chassis as a new large SUV to follow from LDV in 2018.

That vehicle is likely to borrow styling cues from the large D90 concept revealed at April's Beijing motor show by Maxus, the brand under which SAIC markets LDV vehicles in China, and both models were developed as global vehicles – including right-hand drive versions – from the outset.

The SUV and ute will double LDV's model range in Australia, where the Chinese brand was launched in June 2015. LDV currently offers the G10 van and people-mover – a diesel version of which will soon be launched – and the larger V80 commercial van. A diesel version of the G10 is expected to make big inroads in a van segment dominated by Toyota's HiAce and the Hyundai iLoad.

While the LDV SUV will be a direct rival for big, go-anywhere 4x4 wagons like the Toyota LandCruiser and Haval's H8 and H9, the LDV Ute will compete not only with the HiLux and Ford Ranger, but cut-price Chinese utes like the Foton Tunland and newly launched Great Wall Steed.

Both new LDV vehicles are expected to be available with SAIC’s latest 1.9-litre DTi-Tech turbo-diesel engine, which delivers 110kW/350Nm and will make its local debut in the LDV G10 in October.

The Steed is a facelifted version of the Great Wall V-Series ute previously sold in Australia by Ateco Automotive, which is now the local distributor of both LDV vehicles and the Tunland.

While the factory-bcked Australian importer of both Haval and Great Wall vehicles is rapidly expanding its dealer network, the number of local LDV retailers could reach 50 by the end of this year in preparation for the ute and SUV, potentially making it the largest of any Chinese auto brand here.

Meantime, in August, SAIC officially launched its official Australian outpost for the MG brand, SAIC Motor Australia, which will distribute a range of small MG-baged cars and SUVs.

Between LDV, Maxus and MG – under which brand name the ute could be sold in Thailand, where it could be produced – SAIC is the largest of the ‘big four’ Chinese automotive producers, last year making 5.9 million vehicles.

The Fortune Global 100 company, which traces its origins to the start of the Chinese automotive industry in the 1940s, was the Chinese partner in the oldest Chinese automotive joint-venture with a western car-maker.

Motoring.com.au understands SAIC will also use the Guangzhou motor show to display a range of LDV V80 electric vehicles that, according to LDV Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa, "are on the agenda for Australia and could significantly change the Australian urban delivery van market".

Chinnappa said the list of new LDV products coming to Australia over the coming 18 months includes "diesel versions of the G10 van and people-mover, the launch of an LDV Ute and test marketing in Australia of all-electric commercial vehicles, as well as other models yet to be publically confirmed".