Meet the adventurous Foton 4×4 Thunder Ironman

IN-YOUR-FACE  Foton Thunder Ironman: all-metal Ironman front bumper, bull bars, bumper fairlid, halogen headlights, adjustable height headlights, LED fog lamps, Ironman snorkel PHOTOS BY AIDA SEVILLA-MENDOZA

The Foton 4×4 Thunder Ironman is like no other pickup sold commercially in this country.

With its offroad gear, heightened suspension and chunky all-terrain tires as standard equipment, this one-ton truck looks as if it continuously dares you to grab its steering wheel and test its mettle off the beaten track.

Once you meet the Thunder Ironman, you would entertain little doubt about its ability to cross rivers, mountains and deep ravines, crawl over boulders, plow through mud pits, climb up steep grades and conquer practically any obstacles that may stand in its way,

The unusual thing about the Thunder Ironman is that although it is made in China, it is not a 100-percent Chinese vehicle but a multinational one in the sense that its 2.8-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine was developed in Columbus, Indiana, United States, its 4×4 Ironman components came from Australia, and its common rail direct injection (CRDi) fuel system is Bosch, a German brand.

JOINT VENTURES. In fact, Foton Motor Co. and Cummins, one of the largest engine makers in the world, are joint venture partners. In 2008, Foton and Cummins formally established the Beijing Foton Cummins Engine Co. Ltd.

Inside, leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a five-speed manual transmission, radio with CD and audio inputs

Aside from China, Cummins is also a leading engine manufacturer in India. Cummins has more than 5,000 facilities in 197 countries and territories. A Cummins 6.7-liter turbo diesel engine powered the award-winning 2007 Dodge Ram heavy-duty pickup. In 2013, Cummins earned more than $17 billion in global sales.

Cummins is not Foton’s only foreign partner. Foton, which was founded in 1996, makes light- and heavy-duty commercial trucks in a joint venture with Daimler AG called Beijing Foton Daimler Automobile Company. The trucks are sold under the Auman brand name.

Why am I delving into Foton’s history? To raise awareness that this company, founded in 1996 in Beijing, is not the usual run-of-the-mill, inward-looking Chinese homegrown manufacturer targeting only the huge Chinese domestic market.

In a short span of 19 years, Foton has grown into one of the world’s biggest producers in volume of commercial vehicles and has become the leading maker of light-duty and heavy-duty trucks in China.

In the Philippines, Foton commercial vehicles are distributed by the United Asia Automotive Group Inc. with head office in Balintawak, Quezon City, and 22 dealerships nationwide.

CULTURE SHOCK. Now, back to the 4×4 Thunder Ironman. After a weekend of driving the low-slung BMW Z4 roadster, I literally experienced a culture shock climbing up the step board to drive the Thunder Ironman, which has a ground clearance of 225 millimeters.

The Thunder gains additional height from the 3-inch suspension lift kit and snazz from fender liners, window visors, stepboard and side body accents.

A front-engine, rear-wheel drive, crew cab pickup, the 4×4 Thunder Ironman’s dimensions (5,320-mm length, 1,970-mm width, 1,870-mm height), wheelbase (3,105 mm) and curb weight (1,900 kg) are stouter than most other competing brands.

Its overall length is extended even more by the all-metal Ironman bumpers front and rear, plus the front bull bars that intensify the truck’s aggressive stance.

The bulk, weight and 6-meter minimum turning radius translate into very high steering effort, making parking the Thunder Ironman an absolute chore.  But then this monster was not created for the tight parking slots of lifestyle and business centers like Greenbelt Makati and Bonifacio Global City since it is an all-terrain workhorse more than anything else.

Please don’t get me wrong. I’ve driven big pickups before, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150. But they weren’t fitted with Ironman off-road equipment, much less the 3-inch suspension lift kit that gives the unit additional height and leverage to navigate all kinds of terrain and road obstacles.

LIFT KIT. The suspension lift is complemented by the 17-inch Black Rhino hard alloy rims shod with 275/75/R17 Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tires.  The suspension system consists of double wishbone, spiral spring, sway bar in front, and a nonindependent longitudinal leaf spring arrangement at the rear with a limited slip differential rear axle.

The Ironman 4×4 snorkel and 2.8 Cummins engine emblem

The longitudinal leaf springs enable the Thunder Ironman to carry as much as 1,085-kg payload in its short cargo bed. On the other hand, the leaf springs also mean a bouncy ride when the cargo bed is empty. That’s what is called truck-like unloaded ride quality.

Stopping power is provided by disc brakes in front and drum brakes at the rear, all four supplemented by ABS with EBD. The Ironman rear bumper of the Thunder has a winch, ready to haul a trailer, a boat or whatever. But the max towing capacity is not on the manufacturer’s specs list.

At night, the Thunder Ironman ensures driver visibility and brightens up every place it goes, however dark or remote, with its halogen headlights, adjustable height headlights, and high intensity LED fog lamps.

Turn signal lamps are integrated into the side view mirrors.

The 2.8-Liter Cummins ISF 16-valve CRDi turbodiesel engine produces 360-Nm max torque at 1800 rpm and 160 HP.

ENHANCED. The exterior is enhanced with Ironman packaging details such as a snorkel, fender liners, chrome trim, window visors, side body accents, and a step board while the cargo bed has a pair of fat roll bars.

Inside are black leather seats, hard plastic dashboard, adjustable lumbar support, and headrests for the driver, a leather-wrapped (in overstitched contrasting tan and black) steering wheel, faux wood strip on the dash and doors, meter gauges with adjustable backlight, and interior lights with off-delay function.

The audio system consists of an AM/FM radio with single in-dash CD player, Aux and USB ports. The audio does not sound so good, but then the Thunder Ironman isn’t exactly a lifestyle vehicle.

The back seat offers generous legroom and headroom for three passengers, given the size of the structure. The safety features other than the Ironman gear are dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors, three-point seatbelts, seatbelt reminder and child safety lock.

TORQUEY. The Cummins ISF 2.8-liter, 16-valve CRDi turbo diesel engine produces 160 ponies and 360 Newton-meters  of twist starting at a low 1,800 revolutions per minute—

torquey enough to easily propel the 2,985-kg gross vehicle weight and then some.

The five-speed manual transmission is notchy and long-throw, the engine is noisy and clatters, but once the 2.8 powerplant hits its stride in fifth gear, it stabilizes at 100-120 kilometers per hour.

If the tranny were upgraded to six-speed, fuel efficiency would improve from the estimated 10 km per liter at present.

Summing up, the Foton 4×4 Thunder Ironman is a tough, solidly built, robust all-terrain workhorse worth its P1.468-million price tag. It may not win awards for refinement or stylishness, but it serves its purpose, which is to go where other motor vehicles dare not go.