Bison Savanna – the Foton Tunland arrives

Bison Savanna 2

It has been nearly a year since it was spied doing road-evaluation rounds locally, but now the Foton Tunland has been officially introduced in Malaysia. The Chinese pickup won’t be known by its original name, but as the Bison Savanna. It’s not really hard to see why Warisan TC has come up with the new name, eh?

The 5.31 metre-long Savanna arrives in its double-cab form (the Tunland is sold in single-cab, extended cab and double-cab form domestically), with both 2WD and 4WD variants available. The first 100 vehicles are CBU units, but local assembly will continue the run.

Both variants are powered by the same 2.8 litre Cummins ISF2.8s4161P turbocharged diesel mill, with 161 hp (or 163.2 PS, as the local brochure states) at 3,600 rpm and 360 Nm from 1,800 to 3,000 rpm for numbers. China also has a lower-output 129 hp version of the mill.

Bison Savanna 4

There’s no mention of it anywhere in the local brochure, but the assumption must be that the Savanna’s performance figures should mirror the Tunland’s, and these include a 150 km/h top speed as well as a 0-100 km/h time of less than 13.5 seconds. Kerb weight is 1,860 kg for the 2WD, and 1,950 kg for the 4WD.

The only available transmission is a five-speed manual, but some differences between local and Chinese vehicles abound. The Chinese version – which we first got up close with in Beijing last year – features a Cadillac-derived tranny, but the Malaysian vehicle is equipped with a Getrag box.

Some other names that the brand’s distributor Angka-Tan Motor was happy to drop – the Savanna’s rear axle comes from DANA, while the transfer case for the 4WD version is sourced from BorgWarner, and the common rail fuel injection system and ABS system are Bosch-derived. Makes you think that people would think lesser of it without spouting those names.

Bison Savanna 10

Equipment common to both variants are projector headlamps, a bedliner tray as well as 16-inch alloys and 245/70 profile tyres, while the rear seats feature a flip-up mechanism to provide luggage space at a pinch. Oh, and let’s not forget the faux wood trim for the interior relief panels, quite possibly a first for a truck here.

Elsewhere, the 2WD model features a radio head unit with USB/Aux inputs and two speakers for its entertainment system. The 4WD adds leather seats, a CD player and another two speakers into the mix. As for safety kit, the list is made up of dual airbags, ABS and EBD. Three exterior colours are available, these being black, silver and white.

The Bison Savanna 4×2 Double Cab goes for RM71,888, while the 4×4 Double Cab is priced at RM79,888, both on-the-road with insurance. Angka-Tan Motor plans to assemble 80 units a month of the Savanna in the initial period, and is targeting to sell 800 units of the truck annually, with 60% of sales to be made up by the 4WD version. At the launch, the company said is aiming to introduce an auto variant by next year.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • seancorr on Jul 29, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    Looks like they took the Adidas logo and flipped it upside down n named it Bison!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 48 Thumb down 19
    • for the love of GOD, stop importing Chinese cars!! unless proved that it is not a death trap and not an eye-sore

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 218 Thumb down 45
  • albag on Jul 29, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    see the thing already feel tulan

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 90 Thumb down 30
  • Tau ceti on Jul 29, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    foton Tunland to sound like Proton Tun Mahathir Lan ciau…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 330 Thumb down 61
    • Alex Chan on Jul 30, 2013 at 9:05 am

      haiyaa..why need to call people bad name aah?..buddha teach like that meh?..so much negetiv inside u..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 52 Thumb down 6
  • Jimmy on Jul 29, 2013 at 11:15 pm

    Does this car has anything to do with ETCM or the close relatives? Expect a Proton-like fit and finish, and of course quality, in this Photon.
    The only good thing is perhaps absence of radioactive contamination.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 10
  • for just a little bit more, you can get an ESTABLISHED BRAND pickup which has better quality, reliability and more accessible service network

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 114 Thumb down 0
  • Sgt Scoop on Jul 29, 2013 at 11:36 pm

    They got the name wrong. Shouldn’t it be Toton Funland?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 36 Thumb down 1
  • Drust on Jul 30, 2013 at 8:02 am

    Cheap on price that’s how they play the game. 4×4 for just 80k, where to get? but then add a bit more will get you establish brand std variant. think for yourself. Sorry to say, i still can’t accept chinese brand yet. Maybe in the future…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 74 Thumb down 2
  • Leonardo on Jul 30, 2013 at 9:31 am

    Any information regarding the crash worthiness or crash ratings?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • amfin on Jul 30, 2013 at 10:06 am

    After coming back from China recently, I was quite shocked of their progress and thirst of progress. Imagine 1.35+BILLION population. The country itself can sustain their own business without the rest of the world.I’m not saying that they are perfect but imagine what will happen in 5,10,15 years and so on.We used to laugh at Korean made cars and look at them now.What are we going to do now to prepare for our own future. Malaysians have to wake up from NAPping for far too long.Chinese companies are now highly sought after for JV by European and American companies, what about us?? Reality check is very much needed.Please go overseas and learn from other countries and not be too proud of our own tempurung.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 2
    • Drust on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:07 am

      Well said amfin, we have to look at other countries and see how far they have progess through the years. We at another hand just syiok sendiri with Perodua and Proton achievement. How long more the Government want to protect them with NAP? This is only NAP, how about ‘AP’? All this policy are bullshiting and very bias, protecting the interest of certain quarters.

      When will we wake up? I know we are living in a peaceful and good country but imaging what we can achieve in 30 years if without all these policies. I believe it can be very much more and even faster for Malaysia to achieve high in-come nation.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
  • Maverick on Jul 30, 2013 at 10:35 am

    Crash worthiness? Better than Milo Tin I guess….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Hyundai de la junk on Jul 30, 2013 at 11:05 am

    3 stars ANCAP Australian crash test, skip it u treasure ur life.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Beetle Nut on Jul 30, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    As Captain James T. Kirk would always say…

    “Fire all Foton torpedoes!”

    I’m sure the Unker-Tan clan considered all angles :p

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Beetle Nut on Jul 30, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Wife says to Bison-driving hubby…

    “Honey, are you Cummins home anytime soon? I have some Bison steaks in the oven…”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • Leonardo on Jul 30, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    This is probably targetted for small time businessman or contractors. They will run this truck to the ground and then dispose it off as scrap. Not sure about the spare parts availability.
    Private users would probably avoid it due to the China made brand stigma and percived low quality. It does not have the snob value of Toyotas, Fords, Mazdas, etc. Unless they win Paris Dakka rally 5 times in a row, that is.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • I don’t see how this will appeal even to chinamen contractors when it does not have a price advantage compared to more established brands. The 6-speed Ranger XL 4X4 is RM79888, and Triton Lite Turbo 4X2 is even cheaper at 67k.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
      • Triton Lite turbo only 119 hp bro….
        this Savanna is 160hp…
        sure got difference just depends you looking quality or pricing or performance only…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • tommy on Jul 30, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    People must be out of their mind to buy this car even its dirt cheap considering the abundance of superior japanese models out there below rm100k. This distributor will take ages to market its product, take a look how long the koreans need to break the japs control here. Till today koreans are still lagging behind even though they have leaps and bounds.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Cummins… nice! Best engine in a Malaysia pick-up so far.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
    • Freddie on May 24, 2014 at 2:29 pm

      It is DONGFENG CUMMINS , make no mistake about it. DONGFENG makes the less than 10litre diesel engines while Chongqing Cummins makes the bigger industrial engines. All Cummins under license from up north are disappointing according to industrial engine yard builders in Malaysia.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
      • isuzuki on May 24, 2014 at 9:54 pm

        That bad?

        US product no good ? The Chinese unable to produce good stuff? Or US technology transfer a lower grade stuff?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • DrLou on Oct 10, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    It sounds like this truck has a good drivetrain – Cummins engine, Cadillac manual transmission, and a Dana rear-end. The body looks nice but looks can be deceiving because it might not handle well or do well in crash tests. 0-100 km/hr in 13.5 seconds sounds really slow for a compact pickup with a 2.8 liter engine. Hmm, I wonder why? Nonetheless, I love the concept. Do it come in an extended-cab version?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Ahmedh on Dec 19, 2013 at 10:36 pm

    foton members please help me

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • isuzuki on Mar 27, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    Yeah…. Maintenance how?

    Sell cheap cheap…. maintenance high high?

    TQVM.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Peter on Aug 07, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    I live in Australia,I bought the Tunland 4×4 a month ago done 4000ks
    Up to now this is an excellent pick up looks tough the grille takes a bit of getting used to but it grows on you.The size is deceiving it is bigger all round than the hilux and Nissan navara .The engine and drivetrain feel rock solid lots of pulling power and sits flat in the corners.I change my vehicle every two years swapped a subaru brz for this $29500 Aussie dollars with leather interior,blue tooth,on board tyre pressure monitoring
    Side steps rear step and tub liner the equivalent big name brand would cost around $45000 to $50000.I was very surprised with the fuel economy over 900ks per 75ltr tank,I have owned a Mitsubishi triton duel cab and driven nissans this drives as good if not better.They lost an ancap point for not having rear child seat restraints which are now fitted to my model.it is true there is no stability control but 2 years ago no pick up truck did

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • jason on Nov 11, 2022 at 12:46 am

    i own bison savanah since 2013 and still going strong today. fuel efficiency and power are excellent.i find bison is a very reliable pickup truck and i travelled from kedah to k l very often and so far no major problems . Even though bison is not as comfortable as more expensive japanese pickups, value for money i think it is worth my support and trust. my wish is they can bring in automatic and antah tc can give better service.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Lim hock gee on Mar 07, 2023 at 3:36 pm

    I own bison savanna pickup truck and when I send my vehicle for repair at tan chong motor, but I was informed that they don’t have the service mechanics to service my vehicle so what should I do.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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