The fleet includes ten Horki all-electric sedans and two Kia K5 hybrids. They will be managed by a green car company set up by the government of Yancheng, the city where DYK is based. The local government is also responsible for building EV-charging stations. Neither DYK nor the city has specified the ways in which the EVs will be employed.

Horki is a new car brand launched by DYK specifically for the Chinese market. At the recent Shanghai motor show, where it was launched, a concept bearing the brand was on display, said to anticipate the first production model of Horki. The Horki EV delivered in Yancheng, however, is not a direct issue of the concept.

Judging by exterior style, the Horki EV comes from the re-badged Cerato exposed last year. Its electrical powertrain may have been tested on the Dianyue N30 and be related to that on Shouwang EV from Beijing Hyundai, DYK’s sister company.

Horki EV from Dongfeng-Yueda-Kia

According to the official description, the Horki EV is driven by an electric motor that can deliver up to 50kW of power and 167Nm of torque. It can run at a top speed of 134km/h and as far as 140km on one charge. The lithium-ion battery pack can be replenished in 52 minutes in the fast mode and 6 hours when in no hurry.

In an interview in March, Chen Yunhua, Chairman of Yueda, partner of Kia, said that DYK planned to release its pure-electric car in the second half of 2014, and new-energy vehicles would account for 2%-4% of its production in 2020.

Not content to be in the second tier, Dongfeng-Citroen aims to nearly double in three years its 2012 sales of 223,801, targeting 400,000 for 2015. In the first quarter of this year, sales soared 29% on the strong performance of the long-wheelbase version of C4, the C4L. In 2013, deliveries of Citroen C4L, released last December, are expected to reach 70,000.

In the second half of this year, Dongfeng-Citroen is to put on sale the much-anticipated next-gen C-Elysee, which is to add about 25,000 sales before the year end (the all-new Elysee will be sold alongside, rather than replace, the current model).

Besides the C-Elysee/Peugeot 301 pair, the new Dongfeng-PSA plant, to open this summer in Wuhan, will roll out a Citroen SUV. As Dongfeng-Citroen’s first foray into the fast-growing sector, the unnamed model is said to share a platform with Peugeot 3008 and feature design elements from Citroen C4 Aircross. The last-mentioned is currently available in China as an imported car. Release of the locally-built Citroen SUV is expected in 2014.

The other arm of Dongfeng-PSA, the Peugeot venture, sets sales target at 250,000 for 2013 and 400,000 for 2015.

Peter Arcadipane, BAIC’s design chief, at the Senova release ceremony

Designer of several Mercedes-Benz cars including CL, CLS, and M, Peter Arcadipane, an Australian, had recently worked on Daimler’s EV project run jointly with BYD, entrusted with styling the production model of the first DENZA EV (the all-electric concept, debuted at the 2012 Beijing auto show, was designed by Olivier Boulay). His unfinished work, a preproduction DENZA model, was displayed at last month’s Shanghai auto show.

Preproduction model of the first DENZA electric car at 2013 Auto Shanghai.

What motivated him for the switch is unrevealed. Part of it may be that Mr. Arcadipane began to share the belief of many: DENZA is a doomed project. Although Daimler and BYD have recently raised investment in it, the development of the first DENZA electric car is behind schedule and the market outlook is gloom. By contrast, BAIC’s plan to transplant Saab in China holds greater hopes, and is better funded too.

The BAIC Senova D series released on Saturday was, as Mr. Arcadipane introduced at the ceremony, designed by Leonardo Fioravanti. It has its origins in the Saab platform for the first-gen 9-5, which the Chinese automaker bought in 2009. In localizing Saab, BAIC has enlisted MBtech, an engineering and consulting company controlled by France’s Akka Technologies, and planned to spend 5 billion Yuan to build a Senova annual production capacity of 300,000 units.

At BAIC, the new design chief will have his hands full as several all-new Senova models are to be launched in the coming years–including sedans, MPVs, SUVs, and crossovers.

According to BAIC, the ad was directed by Olivier Megaton (The Red Siren, Transporter 3, Colombiana, and Taken 2), with Romain Lecourbas as director of photogray and Michel Julienne coordinating the stunts.

Below: the video “Town of Car Legends” from Youku.com

Previously called BAIC C70G, the Senova sedan has a 2755mm wheelbase, extended from the 2703mm on the old 9-5, and a stance 4861mm long, 1820mm wide and 1462mm tall. Three turbo power choices are provided, the B185R 1.8T, B205R 2.0T, and B235R 2.3T, all derived from Saab’s Fam.III engines and paired to a 5AT. The 1.8T models target specifically government officials (government cars in most cases are required to have a displacement not exceeding 1.8L).

On all but the entry-level 2.0T model, Senova D series comes standard with a long list of safety devices: TPMS, front-row active head restraints, night panel, blind spot detector, driver fatigue monitor, front and rear parking sensors, etc.

The nameplate "Senova" was launched earlier this year to designate BAIC models (to be) derived from the Saab assets it bought in 2009, which include three vehicle platforms (Epsilon, GM2900, GM2400) and technologies for several engines as well as F25/F35 transmissions. Based on the Saab acquisition, BAIC has developed its own "M-trix" platform and planned a full product line on it, which would feature, besides the D series, subcompact and compact sedans (the upcoming "C50", "C60", both having origins in the GM2400 platform), large family cars ("C80"), crossovers/SUVs, and MPVs.

To promote Senova, SAIC has signed up Nicolas Cage, who appeared in the brand video–"Town of car legends"–shown at the press conference on Saturday evening. The video was directed by Olivier Megaton (known for The Red Siren, Transporter 3, Colombiana, and Taken 2).

BAIC intends its flagship sedan to compete mainly against Japanese and Korean midsizes, especially Mazda6, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia K5.

Above: Senova release press conference

2.0T and 2.3T versions:

1.8T Versions:

In the first four months of 2013, automakers in China sold 7,266,200 units, 13.23% more than the same period a year ago. The count includes 5,864,500 passenger cars (up 16.15%) and 1,401,700 commercial vehicles (up 2.44%).

Click here for an overview of the passenger car market in April, 2013.

(Data source for the above three tables: China Passenger Car Assocation)

In the first four months, the market of passenger cars expanded 16.1% on year to 5,858,889 units. The count includes 3,940,515 sedans (up 13.7%), 408,538 MPVs (up 45.4%), 873,398 SUVs (up 42.4%), and 636,438 microvans (down 7.3%).

Wholesales of the top-ten passenger car makers in April are:

1. Shanghai GM: 129,024

2. Shanghai Volkswagen: 125,868

3. FAW Volkswagen: 123,502

4. SGMW: 122,230

5. Beijing Hyundai: 85,100

6. Dongfeng-Nissan: 74,070

7. Changan Auto: 60,747

8. Changan Ford: 56,823

9. Great Wall: 54,098

10. Dongfeng Yueda Kia: 46,220

The data are from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA)

The upcoming low-cost van, called Jinbei Haixing X30, comes from a subsidiary of Brilliance Auto that is based in Chongqing and specialized in manufacturing micro vans and trucks. Sitting on a 2700mm wheelbase, it is 4200mm long, 1695mm wide, and 1930mm tall. Under the hood is a petrol 1.3 liter, which is mated to a 5MT and can put out up to 87 horsepower.

To compete against Wuling Rongguang, Changan Taurustar, Hafei Zhongyi V5, among others, the new Jinbei model will be released next month with a starting price of about 35,000 Yuan. ABS+EBD, EPS, rearview cameras, and GPS will be available at extra costs.

The double-kidney grille actually appears on the entire Jinbei Haixing lineup, including two other vans and a truck.

Jinbei Haixing A7

Jinbei Haixing A9

Jinbei Haixing T20

According to SASAC, the government agency supervising state-owned assets, the cooperation project will start by introducing latest models of heavy-duty trailer trucks from Tata Daewoo. European-designed, these trucks feature Cummins engines and 16-gear transmissions from South Korea’s S&T Dynamics. When built and sold in China, they will bear the "CHTC-Daewoo" brand.

One of the over 100 companies directly supervised by the State Council, CHTC has its roots in manufacturing textile machineries, in which it remains strong. In recent years, it has expanded into the auto industry through a series of acquisitions. It bought truck-maker KAMA in 2008, truck-and bus-maker Hubei Chufeng in 2010, pickup- and SUV-maker Baoding Dadi in 2011. The division that is to work with Tata Daewoo is Hi-Tech Truck, Co., Ltd, which was founded through the 2010 acquisition and is based in Suizhou, Hubei. It has a production capacity of 15,000 heavy-duty trucks per year

Enraged over a dispute concerning car tires, the driver of a white BMW X1 (shown in the first pic blow) hit the gas and crashed into the showroom, smashing through the glass door and hit several models on display. The identity of the driver and concrete circumstances are currently unknown. Local media have yet to cover the incident. The dealership, called "Meibao Hang," has shut down its website (at www.bmw-mbh.com) and refused to respond to inquiries.

The dealership damaged was opened only two and a half years ago. It was the first BMW "4S store" in the city of Zhuzhou, Hunan.