News24 | The man of the moment: Saffas name Chery’s new bakkie Grootman

South Africans have named Chery's new KP31 bakkie Grootman.

Chery

• Chery South Africa’s first bakkie will debut locally early in 2027.
  
• The automaker ran a competition, calling on South Africans to choose a name for the bakkie.
  
• Grootman came out tops, beating suggestions such Nduna, Orca and Brahman.

Put your hands together for the man of the moment: Chery’s new bakkie, which Saffas have named Grootman.

According to Chery, the new name describes someone who has earned their standing through experience, achievement and the way they take responsibility.

“Rooted in Afrikaans and literally meaning ‘big man’, grootman has become a familiar South African expression of respect. At a family gathering or around a business table, the grootman is someone whose opinion matters and who can be relied on when a decision needs to be made, or a problem needs solving,” the automaker said.

Local introduction is planned for the first quarter of 2027.

When Chery first unveiled its bakkie at the Chinese auto show last year, it was initially called Himla.

Later, it went by the code name KP31.

Locally, the automaker was stumped about what to call it when it eventually reached South African shores, so they ran a competition calling on South Africans to pick a name – a novel way to get people talking about the vehicle.

More than 20 000 submissions were received.

But now that the official name has been released, people are talking even more.

The internet and South Africans are in utter disbelief.

Some people even jokingly asked whether April Fool’s Day had moved to 1 October.

General manager for Chery South Africa, Jay Jay Botes: “Chery brings its Chinese heritage and global engineering expertise to this bakkie, and we wanted South Africans to have a hand in shaping its identity here.”

“Grootman is a word people use with respect, often for someone who has worked hard to get where they are and can be counted on. Having South Africans choose it makes the name particularly meaningful, and we recognise that it comes with expectations we will have to live up to.”

The Grootman has arrived

The automaker adds that the name speaks to the vehicle’s intended character, too.

Carrying a load, handling the working day and bringing the family along are all part of the thinking behind Grootman, according to Chery.

The qualities associated with the name — strength, capability and reliability — reflect what Chery wants its new bakkie to deliver.

The new name introduces the campaign “The Grootman Has Arrived”, which draws on the sense that, when the grootman turns up, things get done.

Other names that were thrown into the pool included Stockman, Terra, Outrider, Ridgeback, Ironbark, Longreach, Bushwalker, and Mate.

The following six names made it through to the final round before voting opened to the public:

Bakkie;
Grootman;
Nduna (leader or chief);
Chief;
Orca; and
Brahman.

Chery intends to explore what Grootman means to South Africans through conversations about the people and qualities they associate with the word.

Chery says the new model will carry a distinctly local identity when it debuts in South Africa early next year.

Chery’s KP31 bakkie is expected to debut in SA next year.

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The automaker says Grootman has been developed on a dedicated hybrid platform and combines a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine with electric power and four-wheel drive.

Preliminary specifications include combined outputs of 350kW and 800Nm, along with an electric-only range of up to 100km on the NEDC cycle.

The bakkie is also rated to tow up to 3 500kg braked, while its load box measures 1 560mm long, 1 560mm wide and 500mm high. Ground clearance is at least 230mm when fully loaded.

Vehicle-to-load functionality allows Grootman to power external equipment such as tools and camping appliances, extending the usefulness of its hybrid system beyond driving.

More information on Grootman, including final specifications, pricing and the local model line-up, will be announced closer to the launch date.

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