Building on the popular T1 and T2, Jetour South Africa has confirmed the T8 for next year

Jetour provided the first official preview of its third T-Series model in the shape of the T8. Picture: Supplied As reported by Charl Bosch from when he was at the Beijing Motor Show last month, the Jetour T8 was one of several new models shown. The T8 is expected to sit above models like the Jetour T1 and T2.

So, think of it as a bigger, more family-focused SUV rather than a smaller city crossover. It has a strong, boxy, upright design with a high bonnet and a premium SUV stance. Some reports describe the styling as similar to luxury off-road SUVs such as the Land Rover Defender 110 from side, the Range Rover Sport at the front and past generations of the full-size Range Rover at the rear.

The Jetour T8 is expected to be a seven-seater SUV with three rows of seats confirmed. This makes it more practical for bigger families or people who need extra passenger space. It is being positioned as a mid-to-large SUV, meaning it should compete more with bigger family SUVs than compact crossovers.

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So, think Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest straight off the bat with what one can only think will be better pricing. Though not confirmed yet, the good money is on the T8 running the 180kW/375Nm turbocharged 2.0 litre petrol engine from the T2 as the entry point. This should see a seven-speed DCT box run power to all four wheels.

And then there should also be aplug-in hybridoption derived from the same T2 iDM. This will see the 1.5 litre turbo petrol do duty with an 18.4kWh battery and offer a full 265kW and 610Nm. Power here will be driven to all four-wheels via a single speed dedicated hybrid transmission with claims of over 1300km on a tank of fuel. Just as with the T1 and T2, theJetour T8is expected to focus heavily on comfort and technology and include the likes of: One can also expect advanced driver-assistance features such as: Full pricing and specification for the Jetour T8 will be made closer to the official launch date.

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