Chery has won the T2 Production Vehicle class in the gruelling Taklimakan Rally for the third time.
The company competed in this Dakar-style rally in a standard Tiggo 8 Pro with all-wheel drive. The vehicle was sourced directly from the Chery production facility with only a roll cage, additional fuel tanks and more off-road focused tyres added.
The rally, known as ‘The Game of the Brave’, sprawls over 4 377 km of the most unforgiving terrain that includes the Gobi desert’s oceans of sand and rocky gullies. Most of the competitors compete in the T1 class, that allow for modified or purpose-built racing vehicles with customised off-road suspension systems and space frame bodies.
In all classes, the drivers and their teams are tested to the utmost in extreme weather conditions and high temperatures as they cover hundreds of kilometres daily. Thankfully Chery’s factory driver Tao Pengfei and his co-driver could enjoy all the creature comforts, such as dual-zone climate control and electrically adjustable seats while racing across this unforgiving terrain.
This is the third year that Chery has won its class in the Taklimakan Rally. In 2023 the team was on the top step of the podium and so too in 2019.
This achievement will come as no surprise to South Africans who have fallen madly in love with the Tiggo 8 since it was launched locally in 2022. The Tiggo 8 Pro was one of the first new SUVs to use Chery’s proprietary TX1 platform with its extremely high tensile strength and low weight.
Matched to either the 1.6 TGDI turbo-petrol engine or Chery’s powerful 2.0 TGDI turbo-petrol engine with 187 kW and 390 Nm, the Tiggo 8 Pro and Pro MAX deliver unmatched performance and value for their price points.
“As our flagship in South Africa, the Tiggo 8 Pro and Pro MAX represents the best in technology, luxury and performance on offer by Chery. By winning its class in this gruelling international rally, Chery has proven to its customers that it also offers some of the best build quality on the market,” says Tony Liu, Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro’s credentials are further supported by 33 racing titles under its belt, 14 product awards and numerous other international honours. It has found favour with over 1 million owners in 80 countries, including thousands of satisfied customers in South Africa.
“No Chery product will leave our production facility without meeting our exacting standards. By participating in, and winning, international competitions like this rally, we also prove that our Chery models meet the highest standards globally,” says Liu.
