The first batch of the new BYD Shark 6 bakkie has landed in the port of Cape Town.
Photos posted to the BYD Owners Group on Facebook shows the Shark and what appears to be the Sealion 6 on the back of a delivery truck somewhere in the Mother City.
Both vehicles are scheduled to launch in the domestic market before the end of March, so they should appear in showrooms before the week is out.
The Shark will become South Africa’s new most powerful bakkie upon its debut, usurping the accolade from the popular Ford Ranger Raptor.
Meanwhile, the Sealion is one of four new plug-in hybrid SUVs on their way to the country in the coming year that will be capable of driving over 1,000km on one top-up.
What to expect
Under the skin, the new BYD Shark features a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine complemented by two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear.
The setup generates a healthy output of 321kW and 650Nm – more than any other bakkie currently for sale in South Africa – whilst being rather frugal when considering its heady power figures.
The Chinese double cab can sprint to 100km/h in a mere 5.7 seconds. Ford hasn’t published the acceleration time for its Ranger Raptor, but unofficial testing has it around 6 seconds, rendering the BYD fractionally quicker.
The newcomer also posts a combined fuel usage of 9.6l/100km, noticeably lower than the Raptor’s 11.5l/100km.
Being a plug-in hybrid, the Shark can travel up to 85km on nothing but its 29.58kWh battery and a maximum of 670km when both power sources work together.
The Chinese bakkie additionally supports a maximum payload capacity of 790kg as well as a decent maximum braked towing capacity of 2,500kg.
It’s off-road capable, too, boasting a ground clearance of 230mm and approach and departure angles of 31 and 19.3 degrees, respectively.
It also boasts a water-wading depth of 700mm, which is below the Ranger but on par with the nation’s best-selling bakkie, the Toyota Hilux.
When it comes to creature comforts, the BYD can battle it out with the best of the best.
The new double cab will be shipped with a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, electric seats with heating and ventilation wrapped in imitation leather, a 15.6-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker stereo, a 50W wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control, a heads-up display, and adaptive LED lights.
This is on top of an extensive suite of driver aids such as 360-degree cameras, intelligent cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention, blind-spot detection, traffic sign recognition, and front and rear cross-traffic alert.
As with many of the manufacturer’s other vehicles, the Shark also supports Vehicle-to-Load functionality that enables the owner to charge or power external devices such as a laptop or camping fridge using unspent charge from the hybrid battery.
The Shark will be among the biggest entries in the bakkie segment upon its arrival, with imposing dimensions of 5,457mm in length, 1,971mm in width, and 1,925mm in height.
This is significantly bigger than the Hilux and Ranger, and almost equal to the new GWM P500 which will undoubtedly be the BYD’s biggest competitor.
Rumour has it that BYD is targeting a sub-R1 million price tag for its ferocious newcomer, which would see it undercut the Raptor by a minimum of R270,000.
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(source: TopAuto)