The new SouEast V5 sedan debuted last month at the Beijing Auto Show. Chinese media reports it will hit the car market in September. The V5 is a fine looking car based on the last-gen Mitsubishi Lancer which is still made in China by the SouEast-Mitsubishi joint venture.

Price will range from 70.000 yuan until 90.000 yuan and that puts the SouEast V5 in one of the most competitive market segments in China. Well, if you survive there… The V5 will be available with only one engine at launch: an imported Mitsubishi-sourced ’4B10′ 1.8 with 144hp mated to a CVT. Later on SouEast will offer its own 1.5 and 1.5 turbo which will push price up to some 120.000 yuan.

Via: 163.com.

A very smoggy day today in Beijing, time so for a very blue Aston Martin Virage spotted in the west of the capital. Aston Martin arrived late in China and tries to catch up with Ferrari, Lamborghini and the fast Germans. Aston Martin is selling the whole range in China including the maniac One 77. Last month’s Beijing Auto Show saw the first China-special editions, the ‘China 88 Dragon Edition‘ to commemorate the Chinese year of the dragon.

The brilliant Virage sits between the DB9 and DBS in Aston Martin’s line-up. Power comes from a 6.0 liter V12 engine with 490hp and 570nm. Top speed is 299 km/h and 0-100 is gone in 4.7 seconds. Impressive numbers but even Audi’s come with 500hp+ these days. This matters in China where bragging is still very important… Bragging about the price however is no problem, the Virage starts at 4.3 million yuan in China, or 679.000 USD.

Yellow brakes a fine touch.

Aston Martin still got to learn a few things about China. This pics comes from their China-website, steering wheel is on the wrong side. How hard can it be to, get that right?

The Volkswagen Routan MPV has been spied testing in China. A very interesting development because the Routan is a rebadged Chrysler Voyager (aka Grand Voyager, aka Town & Country) that is made by Chrysler in Canada and so far only sold in North America.

Just last week we saw the first spy shots of that very Chrysler Voyager testing in China. I bet that isn’t a coincidence! Chinese media says the Routan will be imported, they said the same about the Voyager. Are Volkswagen and Chrysler working together here? It is very well possible. Volkswagen needs Chrysler when they want to sell the Routan in China, for the cars themselves obviously but also for spare parts.Volkswagen doesn’t sell a large MPV in China at the moment, the biggest the sold was the Sharan which is no longer available on the Chinese market.

New spy shot from the Voyager in China.

Volkswagen Routan.

Chrysler Voyager.

Via: Sohu.com.

Chery is working on a facelift for the Fulwin 2 hatchback and sedan. The Fullwins get a new grille, new bumper, new lights up front & on the back and an updated interior. The facelifted Fullwin will hit the Chinese car market in the second half of this year.

The current Chery Fulwin 2 hatchback debuted in late March 2010. Price starts at 51.800 yuan and ends at 60.800 yuan. Lone engine is a 1.5 with 80hp and 140nm. Engine will continue, price will be about the same.

The current Chery Fulwin 2 sedan debuted in early March 2010. Price starts at 56.800 yuan and ends at 65.800 yuan. Same 1.5 as the hatchback.

Via: Sohu.com.

Honda will launch a new 2.0 engine for the Spirior, it is currently only available with a 2.4 and Honda wants to have a cheaper entry-level model. The Spirior, from Spirit and Superior, is a China-only Honda based on the Acura TSX.

The Spirior is made in China by the Dongfeng-Honda joint venture. Price starts at 237.800 and ends at 271.800 yuan. The 2.4 poops out 181hp and 225nm. The tops-spec versions is called Spirior Type S, it comes with a body-kit and race wheels. Engine however still got 181hp.

Honda Spirior Type S.

Via: Autohome.

Chinese automotive media cite ‘rumors’ that Lincoln cars will be made in China from 2015. The rumors say the Lincolns will be produced under Ford’s existing joint venture with Chang’an Auto. The joint venture is working on a new plant in the city of Hangzhou in Jiangsu Province. This plant will come online in 2015 and, again according to the rumors, this is where the Lincoln will be made alongside several Ford-branded cars.

True or not? Ford said recently the Lincoln-brand would not be introduced in China anytime soon. 2015 however is still three years away. Ford really wants to push the Lincoln-brand globally and China is the biggest market worldwide, and especially huge when it comes to luxury sedans and SUV’s which Lincoln makes. To compete on the Chinese market with Lincoln Ford indeed does need local production. All competitors from Audi, Benz and BMW are already in production in China.

The rumor so makes sense, but for now a rumor is what it is. We’ll keep watching…

Rumor via: Autohome.

The new Chang’an Yuexiang V3 will be launched on the China car market in June, price will range from 50.000 yuan until 70.000 yuan. The Yuexiang V3 is a completely new car for Chang’an designed to compete at the low-end of the small-sedan market.

Power comes from a 1.3 with 93hp and 121nm, mated to a five-speed manual. Chang’an is considering offering other engines, such as a 1.1 and a 1.6, to broaden the V3′s appeal. These engines however will follow later, likely not before 2013. Size: 4180/1650/1465, wheelbase id 2410.

The V3 looks fine and totally unexciting, that is very good because it is exactly what buyers in this segment want. A few fuzzy lines too many and buyers will leave it alone…

Very neat again, and there is a bit excitement!, see chrome around the stick.

The 1.3.

Via: Autohome.

The stretched Infiniti M-series will hit the China car market on June 8. The ‘M-L’ is stretched by 15 centimeters in the middle for more space in the back. There will be two versions: the patrol powered M25L and the hybrid M35hL.

The M-L will compete against fine cars such as the Audi A6L, the BMW 5Li, the Mercedes-Benz E-L and the Volvo S80L. The Infiniti however will be imported from Japan while its competition is all locally made. This means the M-L will be some 25% more expensive.

But the Infiniti has something the others don’t: that hybrid. Sadly, hybrids are very unpopular in China because car buyers think they are too expensive. The M-L hybrid will so be double-expensive, but there might be a few tech-crazy buyers who really want one. The Infiniti is the longest and tallest car compared with the Germans. What matters most however is wheelbase where BMW wins. Most popular of the bunch by far is the Audi A6L, and the Infiniti M-L won’t change that.

Via: Autohome.

A very rare car for China, seen here in the capital Beijing. This is the Dodge Stealth sportsmachine, strangely with Chrysler badges on the bonnet and on the back. The Dodge Stealth was never officially sold on the Chinese car market.

This particular car has black plates, meaning it belongs to a foreign company which until the late 1990′s could import cars for their employees. This is likely how this fine red Stealth flew into China.

The Dodge Stealth was basically a rebadged Mitsubishi 3000GT, which was called Mitsubishi GTO in Japan. Cars looked identical except for the badges and some minor details. Engines were the same as well except for one; the US-bound Stealth started its life with a rather poor 160hp V6. It was replaced soon by a 220hp V6 and a very hot 300hp twin-turbocharged V6 in the Dodge Stealth R/T. All engines were made by Mitsibishi. The Dodge Stealth was imported from 1991 until 1996, the Mitsubishi 3000GT was made from 1999 until 2001.

Great car, good Japanese American cooperation!

No better way, to start the day, than with a fine crash in China! Here we have a huge Type 86 122mm towed howitzer that collided in a nasty way with a tiny Chevrolet Lova sedan, made in China by the Shanghai-GM joint venture and recently succeeded by the Chevrolet Aveo.

The gun, towed by a FAW truck, was making a turn when its muzzle hit the Lova full in the back, the Lova flipped over, the gun was all right. Fortunately there were no passengers sitting on the Lova’s rear bench. Who is to blame for the accident is unclear, but even if is was the army, well, forget about getting any money back!

Towing guns around at daytime on a busy road seems a stupid idea…

Locals very excited.

Elderly locals even more so.

Via: Huanqiu.