LDV has unveiled its latest weapon in the battle for off-road SUV supremacy, with the LDV D90 Pro emerging as a muscled-up answer to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
Unveiled over a series of Chinese auto shows this year - and almost certain to make it to Australia - the LDV D90 Pro ups the off-road cred across the board.
That story starts with LDV's bi-turbo-diesel engine, which now produces a (current) LandCruiser Prado-rivalling 500Nm of torque.
In fact, the brand's 2.0-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo-diesel's outputs have been bumped up by 20 per cent, unlocking 160kW and 500Nm.
The Prado, by the way, makes 150kW and 500Nm, giving the LDV instant bragging rights in the power stakes.
But it doesn't end there. LDV says the its D90 Pro is also fitted with a a ZF eight-speed automatic, with a new "cross-country suspension" system that includes double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, with a new stabiliser bar, and the whole package, the brand says, "has been "perfected by world’s top chassis performance experts."
There's also a BorgWarner transfer case, an all-terrain intelligent 4WD system and a lockable rear differential.
It's also offered with a 'Professional Off-Road Kit' which ups the equipment list further, with 18-inch wheels wrapped in off-road rubber, a wading snorkel, bash plates and plastic-clad wheel arches.
The price? In China, the LDV D90 Pro starts at just $46,335.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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