Santana returns: Spanish SUVs will be revitalized with the support of the Chinese car industry
By ForGeeks The Santana -the once-famous Spanish SUV maker that partnered with Land Rover, Suzuki, and Iveco-is back on the global market.
Santana returns with new pickups and SUVs
As reported Autocar, the project involves the production of a whole line of new models under the Santana brand. The first vehicle is a pickup truck that is technically almost identical to the Nissan Frontier Pro recently shown in Shanghai. The Santana will apparently use the existing platform and powertrains from related models, adapting them to the European market and offering a unique design and positioning.
It’s expected to have either diesel engine or plug-in hybrid powertrain under the hood. And the latter is already known from the Frontier Pro: it is a combination of a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and an electric motor built into the transmission with a total power of 408 hp and torque 800 Nm. Drive is all-wheel drive, and the options list includes an electronic locking rear differential. There are four driving modes: Hybrid, Electric, Performance and Snow.
Chinese base and Spanish spirit
The Frontier Pro is based on the Dongfeng Z9 Dongfeng Z9 -a versatile Chinese pickup truck that is powered by a 2.3-liter diesel engine with outputs ranging from 147 to 190 hp and torque up to 500 Nm, depending on equipment. It is on the basis of this car will be built and the future model from Santana.
The Spanish brand isn’t just going to copy Chinese designs, however. The company plans to focus on off-road enthusiasts, creating cars in the spirit of classic “passers-by” like those produced under the license of Land Rover. In essence, it’s about competing with projects like the Ineos Grenadier.
What’s next?
No production start dates or exact specifications for the new Santana models have been announced at this time. But one thing is clear: the Chinese-Japanese investment has given the once-forgotten Spanish brand a second chance, and now it’s ready to return – in a new guise and with global ambitions.
The Santana returns: Spanish SUVs to be revitalized with Chinese support was first published on ITZine.ru.
