The new LDV T60 pickup did not get a salon, like his brother, but he also got a 218-horsepower diesel

Last updated Apr 15, 2022

A truck with a rather aggressive appearance is about to reach New Zealand and Australia. There, the model will be available with a new two-liter twin-turbo diesel engine.

In native China, this frame pickup appeared in the spring under the Maxus brand, where it is considered a new model, which was assigned the T90 index. However, in fact, the “nineties” is a significantly modernized version of the T70 truck, and that one, in turn, is made from the Maxus T60. Almost simultaneously with the Chinese debut of the Maxus T90, the premiere of the Thai version took place – “their” model is known as the MG Extender, and the local analogue of the “ninetieth” is positioned precisely as a restyling. Now it's the turn of the option for Australia and New Zealand, where Maxus cars are presented under the LDV brand (by the way, Maxus came from this once British company, which was once owned by the GAZ Group). Well, we recall that today the brands LDV, Maxus and MG belong to the SAIC concern.

New LDV T60

So, for now, a pickup truck has been announced only for the New Zealand market, although the Australian version will obviously not differ from it. In New Zealand, the pickup is advertised as an all new T60, that is, “brand new”. Outwardly, such a “sixtieth” as a whole repeated its brother from Maxus, except that the impressive radiator grille was made in matt black, while in the T90 it is chrome-plated. Other exterior features are two-story head optics and plastic lining on the wheel arches. At the moment, the new LDV T60 has been spotted with only a four-door cab – and only such a T90 is sold in China. But in Thailand, the MG Extender still has a version with a one-and-a-half cab.

New LDV T60

The dimensions of the transformed “sixtieth” have not yet been named. The Maxus pickup truck has two length options – 5365 or 5680 mm (the length of the loading platform is 1485 or 1800 mm, respectively). The wheelbase of the short T90 is 3155 mm, the extended one is 3470 mm.

In the interior of the truck for China, a new front panel was installed, in addition, it has a curved scoreboard, that is, a virtual “tidy” and a touchscreen of a multimedia system combined with each other. But the interior of the LDV T60 is much more modest: compared with the pre-reform “sixties”, the central air vents and the “climate” control unit have become different, the tunnel has also been modernized, plus the “four-eyed” pickup has received a different multimedia system. By the way, the restyled MG Extender completely retained the interior of the pre-reform car.

Former LDV T60

In New Zealand, the LDV T60 will be offered with a new 2.0 biturbo diesel engine, like the T90 (the Thai MG pickup truck has the same technology): it produces the same 218 hp as the Maxus model, but the maximum torque is 480 Nm versus 500 Nm in the Heavenly. The motor is combined with a six-speed “mechanics” or an eight-speed “automatic”, of course, the pickup truck has all-wheel drive. The previous LDV T60 is equipped with a 2.8 turbodiesel producing 150 hp. and 360 Nm, this engine is paired with 6MKP or 6AKP. Meanwhile, in the homeland of the Maxus T90, it still happens in the form of an electric car – it is possible that in the future this version will also be exported.

Maxus T90 for China and restyled MG Extender for Thailand

The new LDV T60 will appear in the New Zealand market in the near future, and sales in Australia are also likely to begin this year.