Brand makes NZ debut

Forthing has marked its arrival in New Zealand with the launch of the Taikon SUV, which is now available at four dealerships.

The model is being offered as a battery EV or super hybrid, pictured, and comes in Luxury and Exclusive variants. Pricing starts at $39,990 plus on-road costs.

A 1.5-litre petrol engine and 31.9kWh plug-in battery give the super hybrid an electric-only range of 180km and more than 1,000km in hybrid mode.

The battery-electric model has a 64.4kWh battery and offers up to 400km WLTP range.

Forthing, a Chinese brand launched in 2001 and part of Dongfeng Motor Group, has begun its operations here with dealerships in four cities.

The Ateco Group is managing the network, which includes Smith Motor Group in Panumure, Auckland; Winger Motor Group in Hamilton; Automarque in Wellington; and Euromarque in Christchurch.

The company plans to eventually open further locations on Auckland’s North Shore, Tauranga and Dunedin.