FOTON Motor Philippines, Inc. (FMPI), the exclusive distributor of FOTON vehicles in the Philippines, showed off its latest commuter vehicles in the 107th Anniversary of the Land Transportation Office in LTO East Avenue, Quezon City, last May 21 to 24.
FOTON showcased three workhorses built for various transport requirements of the Philippine market: first, the F-Jeepney as the brand’s entry for the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program, the utilitarian Gratour TM MPV designed to move people and cargo of small and medium enterprises, and the TransVan HR suitable for private and more luxurious transport services.
“The launch of our commuter vehicles is a substantial effort to move the Philippines toward an efficient transportation network that is in line with the standards of our government, commuters, and environment,” said FOTON Philippines President Rommel Sytin.
The F-Jeepney was derived from the brand’s best-selling light-duty truck, the Tornado 2.4C, with the rear body designed by Centro Manufacturing Corporation. It’s powered by an ISF 2.8S41 17V CRDi 4-cylinder, in-line, turbocharged Cummins diesel engine paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. It generates 116hp at 3,200 rpm and torque of 260Nm from 1,300 to 3,200 rpm, and belongs to FOTON’s lineup of Blue Energy Euro 4-compliant vehicles designed for cleaner and more powerful mobility.
It is equipped with stainless fixed bench-type seats that can hold up to 24 passengers — 16 seating and 8 standing. With a length of 5650 mm, width of 1828 mm, and height of 2615 mm, the F-Jeep is more spacious, providing maximized room for cargo and legroom. It has comparatively wider passenger doors, making ingress and egress much easier.
“The birth of the F-Jeepney is also FOTON’s way of supporting the government’s policy for economic and social development, and adapting its innovations and smart technologies to advance transportation efficacy,” Sytin added.
Aside from the essentials, the F-Jeepney is also equipped with air-conditioning, GPS navigation system, a CCTV camera, dashboard camera, Wi-Fi connection, and entertainment system to keep the passengers in comfort and connected while on the road. The middle entrance operates electronically, and supports cashless payments, too. These may just be the icing on the cake, but they can make a world of difference in improving the quality of commuting for passengers.
Representing the smaller people moving segment is the Gratour TM MPV. This vehicle is capable of carrying 14 passengers at the back and has a 1455-kg payload capacity. The side-facing benches can be folded up to provide additional cargo room. Powering the Gratour TM is a 1.5-liter DAM15R four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 110ps at 6000 rpm and 142Nm of torque between 3000 and 4500 rpm and is connected to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Sytin noted: “Our main mission is to improve basic infrastructure and provide public transportation services to drive economic and social development, to enhance the Filipino livelihoods and sustainability, and to increase the country’s ability to compete.”
Specially designed for private transport, the TransVan HR uses the luxury-oriented Traveller as basis when it comes to its exteriors particularly with its high roof. It features a 16-seater configuration, dual air-conditioning, a full-fledged entertainment system, and power windows and door locks. It is also equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with EBD and Brake Assist for added safety. To ensure that the TransVan HR has the power to pull its bigger and wider body, it is equipped with a 2.8-liter turbocharged common-rail direct-injection (CRDI) 4JB1 engine.
“With these vehicles, commuting and transporting goods from point A to point B will be smooth, accessible and cost-effective, give value to the existing resources and move the country’s system toward a less-hassle transportation system, because that’s what we all deserve,” Sytin closed.
FOTON is considered to be Asia’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer. It has a wide range of commercial vehicles, which include, but is not limited to, passenger vehicles, light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks, agricultural and heavy machinery. For more info, contact 0999-999-9998 or visit www.foton.com.ph and www.facebook.com/FOTONPhilippines.
