Berichten in September 2010
Spy Shots: Luxgen sedan
Published on September 13, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Luxgen is a brand from the Taiwanese Yulong Group. They make cars in Taiwan for the Taiwanese market and in China for the Chinese market in a joint venture with Dongfeng. First up is the Luxgen7 suv, second a Luxgen7 mpv and third this new sedan. The sedan will likely, like the suv and mpv, debut in Taiwan first and make it to China a bit later.
Spy Shot: Beijing Auto BC801 Sedan based on ?
Published on September 12, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Another new sedan from Beijing Auto, codenamed BC801 sedan, but this one is a bit of a mistery since the platform is yet unknown. The car itself however is no stranger, it started life in 2008 as the ’700′ concept and came back in 2010 as the C70EV concept. Size-wise the car could be based on the Saab 9-5 platform, like the C71 concept, but Chinese media now speculate it might be based on a Hyundai-platform. Beijing Auto and Hyundai make Hyundais for the Chinese market in their Beijing-Hyundai joint venture so that is indeed a possibility.
Spy Shot: Beijing Auto BC701B Sedan based on Chrysler Sebring
Published on September 12, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
The Beijing Auto BC701B (code name) is based on the Chrysler Sebring. Beijing Auto’s mother company BAIC used to have a joint venture with Chrysler, they made the 300C and Sebring for the Chinese market. The joint venture is now disbanded but BAIC bought the tooling and factory for its brand Beijing Auto, known as Beiqi in China.
Beijing Auto will bring two new cars to da market based on the two Chrysler-platforms, earlier we saw the 300C-based T8. The BC701 doesn’t come as a very big surprise, Beijing Auto developed the electric BE701EV, a concept based on the Sebring. What this al means for the new Saab-based Beijing Auto C60 and C70 is not very clear, those cars would directly compete with the BC701B and T8.
Spy Shot: Beijing Auto T8 Sedan based on Chrysler 300C
Published on September 12, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Beijing Auto’s mother company BAIC used to have a joint venture with Chrysler, they made the 300C and Sebring for the Chinese market. The joint venture is now disbanded but BAIC bought the tooling and factory for its brand Beijing Auto, known as Beiqi in China. Beijing Auto will bring 3 new cars to da market based on the two Chrysler-platforms, this T8 sedan is first, it is based on the Chrysler 300C and got a new front.
Engines will remain the same, Chryler will continue to sell ‘m to Beijing Auto. BAIC will also continue to sell imported Jeeps in China. Chrysler’s new owner Fiat wants to start making Chryslers in China again as soon as possible by Fiat’s new joint venture with Guangzhou Auto. The nex-gen 300C will likely one of the cars that will see production, the new 300C will so compete directly with the old one made by Beijing Auto.
Spy Shots: Hongqi HQE limosine
Published on September 12, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
FAW is working hard to get the Hongqi, Red Flag in English, HQE limosine in production. The HQE will get a 6 litre V12 with 300kw and 550nm, the V12 is developed in house.
The more than 6 meter long machine is meant for the new ultra-rich upperclass who wants to drive, or be driven in, something Chinese instead of the default German or British limosines.
At the same time FAW is developing a smaller Hongqi-sedan, codenamed C131, to compete with the audi A6, BMW 5 and Benz E. The CA7600L which debuted at the Beijing Auto Show seems to remain for government only.
Chery launches Chevoo-brand for clean energy cars
Published on September 10, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Chery got a new baby and she is called Chevoo, in Chinese: 骐诺 (Qi Nuo). Chevoo will be Chery’s brand for clean energy cars, such as hybrids and electrics. A funny new name again, Chery already has some:
From left to reght: Chery itself for volume-sellers, Riich for luxury cars, Rely for mpv’s and suvs, and Karry for small commercial vehicles. It is yet unknown when Chevoo will launch but expect a concept-Chevoo at the Guangzhou Auto Show in December.
TheTycho.com Holidays in Weihai
Published on September 3, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Dear Readers,
Busy the times have been. Time so for a short holiday in the city of Weihai in Shandong Province, I will be back on Sep 13. Beihai has a lot of beaches and cold beers, hoi! I will of course keep my eyes open for strange vehicles, on the pic a Hafei Mianbaoche that I just found on a Weihai second-hand car website. It ran 100.000km and costs only 2 yuan, guess that is a mistake but maybe it is not, Weihai ain’t Beijing indeed.
Greetings and hope to see y’all back soon.
Tycho
Spy Shots: up Close to the B-class inspired Beijing Auto C30
Published on September 2, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
Earlier we saw two C30′s running on the road, this time we get a much closer look. After the hatchback Beijing Auto will start to be orginal and make a C30 sedan and an electric version. Mercedes-Benz and Beijing Auto have a joint venture called Beijing-Benz, it makes the C-class and E-class for the Chinese market.
Spy Shots: Roewe W5 SUV in the Factory
Published on September 2, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
We have seen the Roewe W5 many a times before, including once naked, but this is the first time we got two in one frame in the factory. The W5 is based on the SsangYong Kyron, Roewe’s mother-company SAIC still has a large stake in the toubled South Korean outfit. The W5 is sceduled to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in December.
Jiangnan Auto brings Alto back
Published on September 1, 2010 by Tycho de Feyter
The Suzuki Alto has been made in China by many a factory with many a name. Some factories did have a deal with Suzuki but most factories actually did not. Most famous of all is the Chang’an-Suzuki joint venture which made the Alto until only one year ago when it was replaced with the new Alto. The old one though refuses to die.
Jiangnan Auto, under ownership of Zotye Auto, brings it back for only 18.000 yuan (2600 usd) which makes it the cheapest passenger car on sale in China today. The Alto, ‘Aotuo’ in Chinese, has an 0.8 litre engine which won’t make it quick but not too slow either because the Alto is a very light car.
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