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Despite years of endeavor, Chery has mostly failed to gain a foothold in the mid-size sedan segment. None of its three entries there, Chery Eastar, Riich G5 and G6, delivered over 100 units last month (according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers). The Eastar in particular sold only 224 units so far this year...
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On May 9, the first Chevy Move N300 microvan, a re-badged Wuling Rongguang, rolled off assembly line in GM’s factory in Egypt. Built from complete-knock-down (CKD) kits provided by SGMW, a three-way joint venture between SAIC, GM, and Wuling, the N300 will go on sale in the third quarter of 2012. It will be...
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At the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, which closed on May 2, the Jonway lineup featured a strange-looking EV concept. Although bearing the Jonway logo, the three-wheeler’s unique design tells unmistakably that it is an Aptera 2e. From an annoymous source at the company, we have learned that Jonway acquired the 2e through buying the...
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Automakers in China sold 1,624,400 vehicles in April, 5.19% more than a year earlier, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Compared with March, sales fell 11.65%. The passenger car market expanded 12.46% on year to reach 1,276,000 units, while demand for commercial vehicles dropped 14.97% to 348,400 units. In the first four...
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A marketing manager at Venucia told a Chinese media recently that four new models will be launched bearing the China-only brand operated by Dongfeng Nissan. They include a production version of Venucia e-Concept, which, as shown at 2012 Beijing Auto Show, is a re-badged Nissan Leaf (see our report here), a SUV from the...
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Figures released by General Motors on Monday show sales of its three Chinese ventures–SGMW, FAW GM, and Shanghai GM–rose 11.7% in April from a year earlier to 227,217 units. However, Shanghai GM, the most profitable of the three ventures, saw a rare negative growth, as deliveries dropped 2.2% from April 2011 and over 10%...
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Great Wall Motor (GWM) has decided to scrap the Voleex brand, a marque launched only two years ago for its non-SUV passenger cars (sedans, hatchbacks, and MPVs). In a recent interview, Wang Fengying, General Manager of GWM, told reporters that as "Voleex" failed to gain sufficient recognition in GWM’s overseas markets, it was dropped...
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Since the debut of the NL concept at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, Geely has revealed on various occasions a set of SUV models, the relationship among them confusing many. The Gleagle GX7, which is a production version of the NL, was first unveiled at 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. However, it largely disappeared from...
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Working with its local partners, Honda operates two China-only brands: Everus (from GAC Honda) and Ciimo (from Dongfeng Honda). The two brands share a common task to sell outdated Honda models as new to Chinese consumers. Just as the first Everus model, the S1, restored a retired Honda City, Ciimo brought back the eighth...
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Dongfeng Motor (DFM) unveiled a new member of its Hummer-inspired lineup, the HUV, at the show in Beijing. Like the DFM Hanma, the HUV is said to derive from the Mengshi and targets ordinary fans of bulky and muscular SUVs, while Mengshi serves primarily the military. Many see influences from the Hummer H3 and...
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The Haval H7 mid-size SUV is the mass-production model of the Haval SC60 concept, which was first showcased at Auto China 2010 in Shanghai. Projected to arrive in showrooms in 2013, it will become Great Wall’s new flagship SUV. With a 2915mm wheelbase, the show car is 4788mm long, 1931mm wide, and 1815mm high....
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According to Zhongxing Auto (ZXAUTO), its all-new crossover, "Dushi Fangzhou" (which literally means "Urban Ark") was inspired by Toyota’s "urban cruiser," although many see it an imitator of Kia Soul. Combining features of a SUV and hatchback, Dushi Fangzhou represents the SUV- and pickup-maker’s first attempt at the mainstream passenger car market. Sitting on...
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Hongqi, the luxury brand of FAW Cars, brings four models to the Beijing auto show: H7, H7 PHEV, L7, and L9. Targeting high-level government officials, the H7 executive sedan (previously called C131) will be the first to hit the market. With a projected price range of 260,000 – 450,000 Yuan, it is to arrive...
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A month after the Eado compact hit the market, Changan debuts an all-new mid-size sedan, the Raeton, previously known by its codename CD101. Like Geely’s emgrand EC8, Changan Raeton is said to be modeled upon the sixth generation Toyota Camry (which is currently sold alongside the seventh generation in China as "Camry Classical"). Sitting...
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As the Chinese government demands Sino-foreign joint ventures to be more localized and increase sales of alternative fuel vehicles, Dongfeng Nissan has decided to introduce the all-electric Leaf under the Venucia brand, which was launched in 2010 specifically for the Chinese market. Venucia showcases two models at the Beijing auto show: the D50, a...
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JAC showcases 13 new cars and 4 powertrains at Auto China 2012 in Beijing. The Rein II, previously known as BSUV or SII, attracts most attention on JAC’s stand in the W2 Hall of China International Exhibition Center (New Venue). Sharing platform with the J5 ("Heyue"), Rein II has a 2640mm wheelbase and is...
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The passenger car joint venture Changan Ford Mazda announced on Thursday that it will build a new vehicle plant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, with an investment of $760 million. The plant is to add a production capacity of 250,000 units a year when it opens in 2015. The joint venture aims to increase its capacity...
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For years we had learned that FAW Cars was preparing to release a compact sedan, the Besturn B30, based on Volkswagen’s PQ32 platform. The B30 had never arrived because, as we learned in last November just before the Guangzhou Auto Show, FAW Cars had decided to re-badge it as an "Oley." The Oley cars,...
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At a press conference held on April 18 in Beijing, China High-Tech Group Corporation (CHTC), a state-owned conglomerate, announced the market launch of two new pickup trucks, the Tuteng T1 and T2. The two models share a 3380mm wheelbase and powertrains, while varying from one another in size and styling. The T1, the smaller...
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Yema, one of the lesser known Chinese auto brands, released its third SUV model, the F12, on April 11. Currently, only one 1.5 MT version is available, selling for 58,800 Yuan (9,327 US dollars). The 1.6 CVT version, priced at 69,800 Yuan, will go on sale later this year. All of the three Yema...
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SAIC Motor released today a group of images of the MG Icon concept, a sports car to premiere at 2012 Beijing Auto Show. The MG Icon is a compact SUV/crossover built on SAIC’s global ZP platform (which also gives rise to MG3). Its retro style is said to be inspired by the popular sports...
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Chery released today two photos of the TX, a concept SUV that is going to debut at the upcoming auto show. With a design inspired by the movement of water, the TX looks curvy and sleek, and is said to anticipate future Tiggos in styling. According to the automaker, the "T" in the "TX"...
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A week before 2012 Beijing Auto Show, BYD offered a preview of ‘Qin," a new hybrid featuring second generation Dual-Mode technology. With a high-voltage e-drive system, the Qin is said to be more energy efficient than the current F3 Dual-Mode (F3DM). Built on an all-new platform, Qin can run as either a pure-electric or...
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Targeting to double its annual production capacity in China to 2 million by 2015, Dongfeng Nissan is to build a new plant in Dalian, Liaoning, according to Nikkei. The Dalian factory will add a capacity of 200,000 when it opens in 2014. Nissan plans to spend 30 -40 billion Yen on it. A harbor...
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Passenger car sales in China rose 2.6% in March from the same month in 2011 to 1,268,489, according to China Passenger Car Association. The SUV sector continued to outperform the overall market, posting a 20.2% year-on-year growth and 155,175 sales. Sedan deliveries increased 2% to 837,685. MPV and microvan sales dropped 2.5% and 3.8%...
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