JAC has teamed up with Chinese car brand GWM to commission a former Holden chassis engineer to fine-tune its models to better suit Australian conditions.
While many automakers are localizing their vehicles to some degree – including Chinese brands like BYD and Chery with its upcoming plug-in hybrid diesel ute – Ford is the only automaker still able to design and engineer a model from the ground up in Australia, where the Ranger and Everest’s T6 platform was developed for global markets.
Earlier this year, GWM hired former Holden dynamics guru Rob Trubiani to lead a local chassis tuning program at the Lang Lang proving ground, previously owned by General Motors. It started with the answer to the best-selling Toyota RAV4 – the Haval H6 – and followed other models including the Cannon Alpha crew cab.
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Now JAC has followed suit and announced that it has appointed international engineering firm Multimatic and its vehicle dynamics technical director, former Holden chassis engineer Michael Barber, to develop a localized ride and handling package for the upcoming model hunter ute, also at Lang Lang.
When launched in mid-2026, the JAC Hunter will be a direct competitor to plug-in hybrid vehicles including the best-selling BYD Shark 6 and other existing PHEV vehicles such as the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and Ford Ranger PHEV.
Mr Barber has been with Multimatic since June 2015, but began his career in 1998 as a chassis design engineer for Holden before becoming a vehicle dynamics development engineer in 1999. He served in this role for eight years and was responsible for the ride and handling of the Commodores VU, VX, VY and VE.
He then spent two years at GM in Michigan, where he worked as a senior vehicle dynamics engineer on models such as the Cadillac ATS and
Mr. Barber most recently worked at Holden as Senior Engineer – Drive Quality until May 2015 when he moved to Multimatic, a global automotive supplier and manufacturer of niche high performance vehicles and racing cars.
Multimatic’s product portfolio ranges from Formula 1 shock absorbers and carbon fiber composite body structures to large-volume suspension arms and ultra-high-strength crash structural components.
The company also carries out the design and development of racing and road vehicles, both locally and at the company’s technical centers in Canada and the United Kingdom.
JAC says Mr Barber’s more than three decades of experience in vehicle dynamics engineering strengthens its commitment to developing the Hunter specifically for Australian roads and driving conditions after completing the first round of local testing at the Lang Lang Proving Grounds in February.
“Australian roads require specific technical expertise and Michael Barber has mastered exactly that throughout his career,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, managing director of JAC Motors Australia.
“His understanding of what Australian drivers expect will keep Hunter fit and ready to work.”
According to JAC, Mr Barber’s involvement is part of Hunter’s ongoing local tuning program in Australia and will focus on optimization and integration of the suspension system, with particular attention to “reliable performance in all payload scenarios, on-road and off-road conditions, steering precision and ride comfort”.
“The investment JAC is making in both time and resources demonstrates their commitment to developing a vehicle that is truly fit for Australia,” Mr Barber said.
“JAC sent us an impressive library of tuning components, giving us the opportunity to explore different configurations and find the optimal setup.
“Australian roads are unique – we have challenging surfaces, long distances and demanding conditions from the city to the outback. I want customers to find the Hunter an easy-to-drive and confident vehicle in all of these conditions, right out of the box.”
JAC Motors Australia technical director Hongjian Jiang said Multimatic’s chassis tuning program will complement the engineering and validation program JAC has already undertaken with the Hunter, and may even benefit versions of the vehicle sold outside Australia, including China.
“Michael brings a level of dynamics expertise that is rare globally and invaluable to the Australian market,” Mr Jiang said. “His work for JAC focuses primarily on optimizing Hunter driving dynamics for Australia, while also influencing JAC Hunter suspension tuning for China and international markets outside of Australia.”
Melbourne-based engineering firm Segula Technologies Australia was appointed by JAC to demonstrate the suitability of the Hunter PHEV powertrain for local conditions and customers.
The Hunter is the PHEV version of the turbodiesel T9 dual-cab model that the brand debuted in Australia in early 2024.
Back in February, JAC said the Hunter had already completed more than 50,000 km of local testing.
Its PHEV powertrain features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors – one on each axle – with a combined output of 385kW and 1000Nm, beating the Ranger PHEV’s 207kW/697Nm and the Shark 6’s 321kW/650Nm.
With a 31.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the JAC double cab vehicle can also drive “more than 100 km” on electric power in an unspecified test cycle.
The Ranger PHEV has a range of 43 km on the WLTP cycle, while the Cannon Alpha PHEV has a WLTP range of around 98 km (115 km on the NEDC cycle).
The Hunter also has a 3.3 kW vehicle-to-load capability, meaning its battery can be used to power devices or as a backup power source for work or camping sites.
Like the T9 ute, the Hunter PHEV is backed by a seven-year, unlimited kilometer warranty, including for commercial use, 24/7 roadside assistance, maximum price servicing and JAC’s “industry-leading warranty loaner vehicle program”.
Australian pricing and final specifications have yet to be announced, but potential customers can register their interest through JAC dealers or the company’s website.
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