BYD-owned Fangchengbao will enter South Africa next year as part of Denza. Image: Fangchengbao China Following the returns of Geely, MG and JMC last year, as well as Chana under its official name, Changan, the influx of Chinese vehicles into the South African market will have no let-up in 2026. As it stands, the end of 2025 saw 18 marques from the People’s Republic being present locally.
Headed by Chery and GWM as the only regular brands to feature in the top 10 monthly National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) sales figures, four other brands have so far been confirmed for 2026. Of these, BYD-owned Denza will, seemingly, be the first to arrive with a pair of SUVs from the dedicated off-road Fangchengbao Known as the Denza B5 and B8, but in their home market as the Fangchengbao Bao 5 and Bao 8 respectively, both utilise plug-in hybrid powertrains, as well as body-on-frame platforms – the former sharing its platform with the BYD Shark. Equipped with BYD’s Disus-P hydraulic suspension, the Denza B5 uses the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the Shark, mated to two electric motors powered by a 31.8-kWh Blade battery pack.
The result is a combined output of 505kW/760Nm, a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and an all-electric range of 125 km according to China’s CLTC measurements. Inclusive of the combustion engine, the B5 has a total range of 1 200 km. Seating seven instead of five, the B8 eschews the 1.5-litre engine for a 2.0-litre unit, still paired with two electric motors, but powered by a larger 36.8-kWh Blade battery.
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Combined, the B8 develops 550 kW and will do 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The claimed CLTC electric range is 100 km and the combined with the combustion engine, 1 200 km.
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