Brilliance Zhonghua Junjie
This is the Zhonghua Junjie, China Brilliance Auto’s 2nd passenger car. The name Junjie means Triumphant Horse, or Winning Gold. The sporty mid-sized sedan was designed by the Italian design firm Pininfarina. It is built on a shortened version of it’s big brother Zhonghua Grandeur’s platform.
The design cues of the Zhonghua Junjie reminds me of a BMW. Which is no suprise, as China Brilliance also manufactures BMW cars for the China market thorugh a 50.99-49.01 joint venture between China Brilliance and BMW AG. The company received technical assistance from BMW AG through the Zhonghua Junjie’s course of development. The styling also reminds me of Rover cars. Even though it mimics BMW and Rover styling, I think this is by far the best looking car to come out of China so far. Come to think of it, now the rear reminds me of the latest 2006 Audi A4. But I definitely wouldn’t mind driving it.
The Zhonghua Junjie comes with 4 engine options, ranging from an entry-level 1.6 liter to the top of the range 2.0 liter. All engines are supplied by Mitsubishi. The 1.6 liter model (99hp at 6000rpm, 134Nm of torque at 4500rpm) is the 4G18. Although the engine code is the same one in our Proton Waja and Mitsubishi’s Lancer 1.6 GLX, the torque curve seems different. Our Proton Waja’s 4G18 makes a peak torque of 140Nm at 2750rpm. The Zhonghua Junjie’s peak torque comes in at a much higher 4500rpm. It seems this engine is tuned for high-end power instead of low-end torque, which seems weird as a car weighing around 1400kg powered by a 1.6 liter engine should have the engine tuned for low-end torque to prevent the drive from feeling sluggish.
The 1.8 liter mid-range model is powered by the 4G93, making 134 horsepower at 6500rpm and 165Nm of torque at 5000rpm. The 2.0 liter is powered by the 4G63S4M. It makes less horsepower than the 4G93, which is a maximum of 127 horsepower at 6000rpm but it has a higher peak torque of 173Nm at 5000rpm.
There is also a more performance oriented engine offering called the BL18T. I’m not sure if this is sourced from Mitsubishi or someone else. This turbocharged variant makes 167hp at 5500rpm and 235Nm of torque across the 2000-4500rpm range. 0-100km/h for this model takes 11.8 seconds. The car weighs 1390 kg for the lightest 1.6 liter model to 1475kg for the heaviest 2.0 liter model. The 1.8 turbo weighs 1465kg.
The car has safety features like automatic tightening safety belts when the car’s electronics sense a collission, and there are 4 airbags; two each for the driver and front passager to protect the front and sides. The car also comes with anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and something called electronic differential lock which I presume is some form of traction control.
April 15, 2006 @ 10:53 pm
Nice looks, the exterior reminds me of Audi. Though for some reason, I really hate the grills-the way it splits in the middle. Looks oddly placed. Interior is simple, I thought there would be more from this nice looking car.
April 15, 2006 @ 11:20 pm
This car doesn’t look too bad. Especially with the brownish paint. I suppose this is one of China’s better carmakers?
The grill looks like a cross-breed of rover and bmw lolz
April 15, 2006 @ 11:34 pm
el cheapo L7 hahahaha .. if it costs below RM100k, I bet it will sell more units than our Perdana V6.
April 15, 2006 @ 11:53 pm
The exterior looks nice, even it reminds me of BMW, the interior looks okay only, the engine should be more than 200 hp, now, I can say this car looks fast…
April 16, 2006 @ 12:17 am
from the pic, the car look pretty much acceptable with the design and the features. not sure bout the built quality though…(which i think is important)
April 16, 2006 @ 12:24 am
wow…quite nice.
April 16, 2006 @ 12:27 am
i love only the headlights. nothing else.
April 16, 2006 @ 12:38 am
i must say this one really stand out from the rest that ever come out of the communistLand. remarkably good looking design. even standing side by side with V6 also, it will win many hearts (money also). I got this deep feeling that this baby only cost around the same as our V6. but i’d sure spend mu rubbles on this rather than V6.hahahahah~
April 16, 2006 @ 12:47 am
boleh tahanlah this car.. like BMW oso ok, since they joint venture.. why not tiru a bit… but still ve its own style… anybody knows how much it sell in china???..
April 16, 2006 @ 12:56 am
Good looking car. Seriously not bad but i dont trust Chinese air bags and crumple zone.
April 16, 2006 @ 2:23 am
The Japs must’ve hate the Chinese very much.
April 16, 2006 @ 3:19 am
By far the ‘nicest’ car that ever came out from China for me. Yeah, Beemer’s DNA are very much visible all over the car. But, heck, I like ‘em. I’m with you Paul. I wouldn’t mind seen driving it.
But, that dasboard is plain ugly. Doesn’t compliment the outer look at all. Am I the only one or is the dashboard are actually taken from a Rover? The interior need a serious re-work!
GT27 – I think 167hp is sufficient enough. I mean, if you look at the torque it produces, not bad actually. My dad’s Citroen C5 2.0i only produces 143hp with 200Nm of torque @4000rpm. So, this Junjie is slightly better on paper, performance wise.
This is interesting. Can’t help but to wonder if P1 can design better looking Perdana replacement….
April 16, 2006 @ 7:08 am
wah, sure or not? from Dragonland? hard to believe, mate!!! On paper, one word, AMAZING, on paper that is.
April 16, 2006 @ 9:24 am
Can’t help but to take a second looks, NICE indeed.
April 16, 2006 @ 10:30 am
from RM50K!
U can get 1 at china.
there are more advanced china makers coming up!
for RM100k, u get ACCORD/ camry/ cefiro!
April 16, 2006 @ 10:32 am
Axxxxx p1.p2, G!
that make rakyat suffering”
April 16, 2006 @ 10:34 am
thumbs up.
April 16, 2006 @ 10:59 am
RM100k we can get 2 myvis in bolehland…not so bad…
April 16, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
Damn I keep imagining a BMW placed side by side this car for comparison (the front end of the car). Just can’t help it.
Looks good though.
The tail lights’ cluster looks abit fussy. Nice bumper. The whole rear end reminds me of S4, too.
One thing you guys gotta agree with me – Those wheels really look good in their arches. Large enough, nice rims, sporty suspension set-up.
April 16, 2006 @ 1:30 pm
Interior and exterior looks cool but the heart need to be pumped up a little more…
April 16, 2006 @ 3:17 pm
Cool.. and i tot china made rubbish cars.. im impressed!
April 16, 2006 @ 5:23 pm
they bought Rover platform (old-BMW designed)
so it’s based on ROVER 75 model,
before ROVER go broke,
see, even British can’t make CARS, without protection!
Rover sold their platforms to Shanghai, Najing auto,
before closed shop! so,
we’re gonna see a lot of ROVER-look-alike in the market soon,
out from china.
April 16, 2006 @ 5:57 pm
hmmm…
Nice looking exterior (except for the @$$, looks wierd)
Interior also okok.
Performance wise, could be improved. But the turbo versions sounds nice.
Quality, tak tau lagi. As of now, the quality of Chinese cars have yet to be proven.
All in all it looks and sounds like a promising car, though that could change when i see the car in flesh.
April 16, 2006 @ 6:57 pm
What a beauty! Looks like Chinese car makers are give their Jap counterparts a run for their money. Maybe Proton should form a strategic alliance with China Brillianc Auto instead of this Mahindra or mahai?:)
April 16, 2006 @ 10:06 pm
Brilliant look.
QUALITY >> Hope not like my 3 months gone case VCD player. Ha Ha.
April 16, 2006 @ 11:07 pm
it is looks like a car outside but when it is made in China then it just only a ‘Big Toy Car’. believe me China never intend to produce trustable product. they not even able to produce a pen that will last for more than a month. China products is far worst than our own P1 & P2. do you all agree with me? think again the goods(made in china) that you had bought, how long it will last and how its quality…???
April 16, 2006 @ 11:12 pm
you can put a (china)pen in your hand, when it stop function(ink dried up) in the middle of your work, you can just throw it away. but never put your life in this toy car, what will happend when it suddenly stop(jammed) in middle of highway…???
April 17, 2006 @ 12:57 am
do not be naive to think that China does not produce trustable product,
that only shows how much you know of the capabilities of China as a productive nation,
ask yourself this question,
the pen and VCD players you bought that was made in China,
how much did you pay for them?
in this world, there’s no such thing called CHEAP and GOOD,
such theories doesn’t co-exist in any part of the world,
all first world nations included…
the only reason why the China made stuff you bought has dubious qualities are because of the morality of our very own Malaysia Boleh business traders that imports the lower grade stuff to sell to us Malaysians,
why? because of the profit margin..
but don’t just blame them as such things only happens because of one case,
we Malaysians are darn bloody cheapskates who wants to only pay RM1 for a thing that’s supposingly worth perhaps hundreds more…
and where’s a market supply, such oppurtunists will always exist..
do not expect a RM4X VCD player to work as well as a RM1XX VCD player…
the quality will never be the same..
you get what you pay for, it’s a fair world out there…
April 17, 2006 @ 7:13 am
accordmania,
i think that was what the Americans/Europeans said about the Japanese back in the 1960s and we all know who’s eating whose lunch now. The japs produce better cars, cameras, appliances and much more.
I guess the chinese carmakers are currently in their learning stages.. once they ramped up on their design skills coupled with their already well-known manufacturing prowess, they’ll be charging of dragonland and start to eat you and everybody else’s lunch. ignore them at your own peril.
If only our very own malaysian companies are that hungry instead of being cocooned in the “tempurung” of own making.
April 17, 2006 @ 7:35 am
…everyone used to laugh at the japanese ‘tin cans’.
April 17, 2006 @ 8:16 am
the whole car’s not too bad, except those ugly rear lights… eek!
April 17, 2006 @ 8:51 am
the points is
if we apply china car policy type here,
perdana should sell at RM50k,
while accord/ camry RM100K,
kancil at 10k,
April 17, 2006 @ 9:13 am
thus, NOW,
every motorbikers can drive KANCIL”
April 17, 2006 @ 9:35 am
the dragon has been awaken.. the car not bad though.. QC remain doubtful..
April 17, 2006 @ 10:21 am
where are the boleh-land car industry heading? Go back to fight against P2 with Sav-me? Oh please la. I am bored already. I wish P2 buys P1 and expand the boleh-land car industry to fight against the world! I think till then only my grandchildren can consider the boleh-land cars.
April 17, 2006 @ 10:45 am
audi head lights, bmw grill, and that rear lights look damn familiar. another copy cat car.
April 17, 2006 @ 10:58 am
I think this is the most modern Chinese car ever produced hence far.
April 17, 2006 @ 4:55 pm
i kinda like this car..
im sure people will stop and look at it if i park this car at the office.
look neat and exclusive.
P1 should look at this masterpiece and start working on its new perdana.
throw away the plasticky dashboard and pun a better one for new P1 cars!
April 17, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
i dont condemn China products tht much, as we all know, most of the gizmos we have r actually made in China. If u r using an Apple Mac, the computer is also manufactured in China, so does iPod. Heck, that sleek expensive Nike shoes you r wearing r made in China too!
The world doesnt recognize their motor industry yet, like the world did with the Japs many decades ago. Who would have thought that Japs r one of the world’s leading car makers?
Taken into consideration that China has such huge production magnitude, i bet they can be as good as the Japs a decade later. But right now, im also being skeptic about their cars’ quality, but i wont be making any pre-judging bashing w/o testing one out myself.
Design-wise, the car looks good, way better than our P1 outdated Perdana. I also dont mind seen driving it. I just hope the price is affordable tho.
April 17, 2006 @ 7:09 pm
be prepare 4 the worst, PERDANA enchance version 4,5,6,7,8,9,….. and the list goes on like ROVER?
April 18, 2006 @ 8:49 am
I personally have a good impression about this Zhonghua car. Why?
I was in China for a biz trip last year. My company used one of the Zhonghua(i guess a higher range of this) taxi me from Tianjin to Beijing at night.
As you may know during night time the China highway is full of trucks. But this Zhonghua cruised me from Tianjin to Beijing with comfortable. I remembered i was falling asleep at that time.
Well i don’t mind to have one if it open sales in Malaysia. The quality above par of our Proton. This is for sure.!
April 18, 2006 @ 9:24 am
Except for the front grill and the tail light, the exterior looks nice to me, though it reminds me of a BMW. The interior is also nicely designed and simple and i think suitable for its category.
April 18, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
Its butt reminds me of the previous Civic ;p
April 19, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
looks fierce, looks solid, looks good and look like it has some “quality” in it. second car of the company? OMG.. our poton 2nd car cannot fight wif it and even poton’s latest car also cannot fight… poton totally potong out…
April 23, 2006 @ 10:43 am
looks damn good! the best about it, is that its something about the size of an Altis, but the proportions made it to look larger than life, its as if something the size of a 7 series, or S class. Nice job there chinamen !
September 19, 2006 @ 12:01 am
I think it is a very good looking car and for the price, I think it is an excellent car.This is a very suitable car for families.(beggars)
September 19, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
hello guys, nice work, suitable for a biology teacher.
September 21, 2006 @ 2:23 am
the two backseats are suitable for people with no house
October 27, 2006 @ 4:33 pm
im from Tianjin, China. i wanna buy a Junjie of Zhonghua or Elantra of Hyundai, but haven’t decided yet. could you help me guys?
the 2 cars in the webs bellow:
Junjie1.8 mt:
http://auto.sina.com.cn/salon/HUACHEN/junjie/junjie1.8mth/car.shtml
http://auto.sina.com.cn/salon/HUACHEN/junjie/junjie1.8mth/canshu.shtml#top
Elantra1.6 mt:
http://auto.sina.com.cn/salon/bj-hyundai/bj-hyundai/elantra1.6MTh/car.shtml
http://auto.sina.com.cn/salon/bj-hyundai/bj-hyundai/elantra1.6MTh/canshu.shtml#top
October 27, 2006 @ 4:37 pm
im from Tianjin, China. i wanna buy Junjie of Zhonghua or Elantra of Hyundai, but haven’t decided. could you help me, guys!
July 20, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
Hey Seaman. Junjie should be ok I think. But the current Elantra is better in term of quality. Say, go to the showroom and scrutinize them yourself. You should have the access of the Junjie, I don’t. Junjie’s exterior is quite good but the real let down would be the powerplant. Whatever your choice is… don’t drive it to the sea man. Cheers.
July 21, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
such an ugly car
July 21, 2008 @ 12:50 pm
China can make better cars compare to proton. Proton is around for more than 23yrs but still behind many autocar maker, Very sad !!!!!