Dongfeng Motor Corporation Debuts Z9 All-Terrain Pickup Star

When Dongfeng Motor Corporation lifted the cover off the new Z9, the room went quiet for a second - and then the chatter started. This isn't just another mid-large pickup rolling onto the market. It's a truck we have spent three years obsessing over, from the first sketch on a whiteboard to the last mile of desert testing. Our goal was simple: give drivers a machine that feels as happy crawling over boulders as it does easing through Monday traffic.

Power That Feels Personal

Slide behind the wheel, tap the starter, and the Renault-Nissan Alliance M9T engine wakes up with a low growl. Numbers can feel cold, so let me translate the spec sheet into real life.

✅500 N·m of torque means you get instant pull when merging onto the highway or muscling out of a muddy trench.

✅140 kW of peak power and a ZF 8-speed automatic keep the revs right where you need them - whether cruising at 160 km/h or crawling at walking speed.

✅A 73-liter fuel tank buys you the freedom to chase a horizon instead of the next service station.

We matched that drivetrain to BorgWarner's latest MLOCK smart splitter and a dozen selectable modes, including a tank-turn feature that lets the Z9 pivot almost on the spot. Think of it as an off-road U-turn button; you'll smile the first time you try it.

Comfort and Safety on the Rough Stuff

Power is pointless if the ride beats you up. That's why we started with a stout ladder frame - 97 percent high-strength steel, 4000 N·m/deg torsional stiffness - and layered on a suspension that feels civilized on pavement yet shrugs off washboard trails. The front double wishbone and rear five-link axle soak up potholes, while 240 mm of ground clearance keeps the under-carriage out of harm's way. Inside, the Z9 borrows ideas from passenger cars. The new EEA 3.0 electronic architecture powers an intuitive cockpit: voice commands that actually understand you, a 540-degree camera array for threading tight lanes, and OTA updates so the software ages gracefully. Rear seats recline, doors swing out to a 90-degree angle, and the tailgate drops with one damped push - little touches we added after talking with owners who live in their trucks. Safety? We built the cabin to C-NCAP five-star standards, then punished prototypes over 12 million kilometers of ice, sand, rock, and rain. If you ever roll the odometer that far, send us a photo - we'll frame it.

A Platform for the Next Adventure

Z9 is the first model on our α·Star global off-road platform - a modular backbone that supports fuel, electric, and PHEV drivetrains without redesigning the whole truck each time. That flexibility matters because the way people use pickups is changing fast. Some buyers want silent battery torque for night fishing trips; others need diesel range for a week on a job site. We can now build both on one assembly line. From day one we decided this platform had to be international. So we tuned the cooling system for Saharan heat, calibrated the heater for Siberian cold, and made sure the frame could take a 3.5-ton trailer on rough corrugations without wagging its tail.

What does all that tech talk mean for real drivers?

•865 kg of bed payload for lumber, camp gear, or a couple of dirt bikes.

•31° approach and 26° departure angles, so steep driveways and riverbanks stop feeling like obstacles.

•800 mm wading depth, because sometimes the nice paved road just… ends.

Add 28 clever storage nooks and running boards rated for 200 kg, and you start to see why we call the Z9 a “playmate” rather than a tool.

Looking Ahead

With the Z9, Dongfeng Motor Corporation isn't merely ticking boxes on a spec sheet; we're planting a flag. The pickup landscape is evolving toward smarter, tougher, and more sustainable machines, and we plan to lead that charge. If your weekdays involve concrete and your weekends involve campfires, give the Z9 a look. We built it for people who refuse to choose between work and wonder - and we can't wait to hear where you take it next.