Scoop! Foton test fleet spotted in India

Thanks to Medhaj Shetty - Heartfelt gratitude for sharing this with other enthusiasts!

A large fleet of Foton vehicles has been spotted in India. The images show a pickup, a passenger van and a full-size commercial truck, with all of them having test number plates.

The spotted vehicle fleet includes two units of the Foton Tunland pickup. This double-cab pickup is powered by a Cummins 2.8-litre diesel engine that develops 161 BHP and 360 Nm of torque, while being mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. It is available with both 2WD and 4WD options. This isn't the first time that this pickup has been spotted in the country. A heavily camouflaged version of the Tunland was earlier spotted testing on public roads in India back in 2013.

Foton has also brought in the View CS2 passenger van in India. The CS2 is available in three variants in the international markets: Royal Saloon, Supporter and Transor. The model spotted in India appears to be the Supporter variant, which is a 13-seater people carrier. It is also powered by the same 2.8-litre Cummins diesel engine from the Tunland pickup.

Interestingly, Foton is also testing its full-size heavy truck Auman in India. The Auman brand includes Foton's largest trucks, which are available in various variants. The model spotted in India appears to be the 6x4 truck tractor carrier, which is powered by a 11.6-litre engine.

Foton is China's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer. The company has been eyeing the Indian market from a fairly long time. In 2011, Foton announced plans to invest Rs. 1,676 crore in India to manufacture light, medium and heavy trucks. It had also acquired 250 acres of land in Pune to set up a manufacturing facility. The company secured all required licences for setting up the plant earlier this year.