In a surprise turnaround, Chery South Africa confirmed that its first-ever bakkie, the Himla, will arrive on local soil in 2026.
First shown at the Shanghai International Auto Show in April, the Himla, which takes its name from the Himalaya mountains, had originally been earmarked solely for the People’s Republic without any chance of being exported.
Revealed under the revived Rely brand in June as the Rely R08 instead of Himla, the internally named KP11 Chery bakkie has been given the go ahead for the local market. This despite it previously being reported that a completely different bakkie, the still unseen KP31, is the prioritised product.
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Chery bakkie only a double cab
Shown as Himla at the brand’s annual International User Summit conference in its hometown of Wuhu on Friday, complete with a series of accessories, the Chery bakkie double cab-only model rides on Chery’s first ladder-frame and not a unibody platform as originally reported. No figures surrounding it dimensions or ground clearance is known.
In China, motivation comes from a single powertrain. A new 2.3-litre turbodiesel sends 120kW of power and 420Nm of torque to the rear or all four wheels. The mill is mated to eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Later to arrive is a 2.0-litre petrol, an electric variant and a plug-in hybrid. The latter using both petrol and diesel engine as base. The Himla will, seemingly, form part of a two-pronged Chery bakkie programme for South Africa comprising it and the KP31.
ALSO READ: Chery Himla revealed as marque’s long awaited first bakkie
Two bakkies for Mzansi
“Our initial products were only built in left-hand drive, but from next year we will have them in right-hand drive. From next year, we might bring two pick-ups to South Africa,” Chery International President, Zhang Guibing, said in April
Details surrounding the South African-spec Chery bakkie in KP11 guise, including whether it will be called Himla, remains unknown. Expect, however, more to be revealed throughout the course of 2026.
*Charl Bosch is in China as a guest of Chery South Africa.
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