Dongfeng Rich Becomes 2017 Peugeot Pick Up In South Africa

“The what?” The Pick Up. It’s not a replacement for the Euro-spec 504 Pickup that went out of production in 1993, but a model developed exclusively for the African continent. If it looks as if the Pick Up has nothing to do with the styling language of Peugeot, that’s because the workhorse started life in China as the Dongfeng Rich. Beyond that, the model can trace its roots back to the D22-generation Nissan Navara.

Let’s make a quick recap, shall we? French pickup truck, built by the Chinese, based on Japanese underpinnings. In other words, modern one-tonners such as the ever-popular Ford Ranger don’t have anything to be worried about. Standing 5.08 meters long and going on sale in September, the utilitarian mélange is exclusively available in double cab body style.

The bed is 1.40 meters long and 1.39 meters wide, as customary for a workhorse, anchoring hooks and protective resin are on the menu. Maximum payload? That would be 815 kilograms (1,796 pounds), which is better than the best the U.S.-spec Chevrolet Colorado has to offer (1,580 pounds / 717 kilograms). Be it rear-wheel-drive or 4x4, the Pick Up’s only engine option is a Nissan-developed 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel.

With 115 metric horsepower and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque to its name, the oil-chugging plant is connected exclusively to a five-speed manual transmission. Four-wheel-drive models boast a lever that reads 4H and 4L, with the reducer there to help the truck maneuver out of the most hellish off-road scenarios.

As for creature comforts, the Pick Up is as simple as workhorses get in this day and age. Manual air conditioning, power windows, an entry-level radio with a CD player, as well as a USB port are the highlight standard features, regardless of the trim level.

Today @Peugeot makes a strong comeback in #Africa with its new #PeugeotPickUp: robustness, endurance, modernity. pic.twitter.com/NlRMNU8q5r

— JP Imparato (@JPImparato) June 20, 2017