MIAS 2022: Foton brought the Thunder with a new look, engine

A new pick-up truck has just arrived in the country, and it has set its sights on the top brands.

Following several teasers released by Foton Motor Philippines Inc. (FMPI) last week, the automaker has officially revealed the 2022 Thunder pick-up truck at this year's Manila International Auto Show (MIAS).

Receiving an extensive upgrade inside and out, the 2022 Thunder gets a more aggressive exterior, along with a more modern and high-tech cabin.

Immediately grabbing our attention is the Thunder's new front fascia. It gets a bold front grille that appears to have been inspired by the Blue Oval. Meanwhile, a sleek pair of headlights give the pick-up truck a more assertive appearance. Last but not least, Foton gave the Thunder restyled taillights, new front and rear bumpers, 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/60 tires, and LED daytime running lights.

In terms of size, the Thunder now measures 5340mm long, 1940mm wide, and 1870mm tall. It also has a 3110mm wheelbase and a payload capacity of 1,090 kg. There was no mention of its water wading depth, but we won't be surprised if it's at par with what its closest rivals average at 800mm (give or take). As for the Thunder's bed size, it's 1520mm long, 1580mm wide, and 450mm tall.

Those who find the Thunder's interior spartan and bare will like what Foton did to the updated pick-up truck. Not only does it get a more car-like look and feel, it now comes with more standard equipment than ever. For starters, high-grade variants come with a new touchscreen infotainment, restyled gauges on the instrument panel, a new steering wheel, and a revised center stack complete with automatic climate control.

Foton replaced the 2.8-liter Cummins turbo-diesel engine. Under the hood of the 2022 Thunder is a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four that makes 161 PS at 4000 rpm plus 390 Nm of torque at 1800 to 2600 rpm. Power is then sent to a 6-speed manual gearbox. At the show they only had the 4x2 manual, but eventually it will be available as a 4x2 automatic and a 4x4.

Foton hasn't finalized the pricing or the specifications and features yet, but we'll get to that soon enough. The indicative price for the manual version is around PHP 1.15 million. Foton executives say that the automatic will be about PHP 50,000 more.