Paul Tan's Automotive News» China at Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Geely targets Volvo annual sales up to 1 million by 2013 – possible?

Paul Tan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:58:55 +0000

Geely already has some grand plans for Volvo when it finally takes over the Swedish brand known for safety. It’s a twist of irony for many as Chinese car companies are rather infamous for their iffy crash safety, thanks to the widespread publicity of how badly their dirty cheap models perform in crashes.

A new Volvo factory in China built by Geely will churn out about 300,000 cars per year for the Chinese market, while other Volvo factories around the world will help bring up the total annual output to a whopping 1 million cars! Yes, you can produce all you want but will you be able to sell all the cars you produce? Apparently this is their aim, to sell a million cars a year by 2013, up from 458,323 they recorded in 2008. That’s an increase of about double.

Our very own Volvo assembly plant in Malaysia produces the S40, V50 and the 2.5T variant of the S80 for the local market. The Malaysian plant exports the S40 and the V50 for sale in Thailand. Hopefully Volvo is being rewarded in terms of various incentives appropriately by our government, otherwise there’s just no point for manufacturers to come in and do anything here if the case studies all go wrong.

The other thing that’s bugging people is of course the possibility of Volvo just going down the drain after Chinese ownership. That seems to be what happened to Ssangyong, look where it is now post-SAIC ownership? On the verge of bankruptcy, recovery plan rejected by creditors, and there is even a lawsuit going on now involving Ssangyong hybrid technology being leaked and transferred illegally to SAIC.

Despite Ssangyong being owned by SAIC, as the Ssangyong hybrid tech was developed using some Korean state grants, the tech is registered as state-owned in Korea and cannot be shared without government approval.

Will something similiar happen to Volvo? Will it be siphoned dry and then left to rot, or does Geely have an actual plan to bring Volvo to new heights? A Geely spokesperson today assured that Volvo would be keeping the rights to its technologies but did say Geely would get the right to use those technologies.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

BAIC BE701 – a self-developed electric car?

Paul Tan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:08:30 +0000

BAIC (Beijing Automotive) has unveiled in China its first self-developed electric car, the BE701. The BE701 was built by BAIC’s Beijing New Energy Automotive subsidiary.

Claimed specifications for the car so far looks pretty decent – a 200km range on a full charge, 0 to 100km/h in 15 seconds, and a top speed of 160km/h, which are quite acceptable figures for a car. Maybe not for a car that looks as grand as the BE701 but anyone could live with those sort of specifications.

The 200km range will of course keep it as a city solely for city use, but it will be more than enough for a day’s use before getting to a charge point for an overnight charge.

Beijing Automotive also announced a new clean energy vehicle development and manufacturing facility which it built for 2.28 billion yuan (RM1.13 billion). The facility will be able to churn out 50,000 EVs and 100,000 hybrid models annually.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Beijing Auto takes up stake in Koenigsegg

Paul Tan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:49:36 +0000

When Koenigsegg announced that it was interested in taking over Saab from GM, other than the usual questions on whether the Swedish supercar company would have the ability and experience to turn the brand around, there was also the question of how Koenigsegg was going to finance the deal.

Of course they’re going to get help – and the first ‘partner’ has been announced – Beijing Auto. Beijing Auto will be taking up a stake in Koenigsegg which will help them finance the Saab takeover bid. “This is an important step on the road toward a new Saab. We have a well prepared business plan, an important partnership and we are ready to proceed without government financing,” said Koenigsegg CEO Christian von Koenigsegg.

Beijing Auto was not successful in their bid to get a piece of the GM Europe pie with Opel and Vauxhall, but plan B seems to have worked – they now have another way in through Saab. There were also rumours earlier this year that Beijing Auto is seeking to buy Delphi’s non-core assets and Volvo, though now Geely is the only sole bidder for Volvo. Beijing’s JV partners in China include Daimler AG and Hyundai.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

China pushes for greener vehicles through subsidies

Paul Tan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:56:59 +0000

Auto components supplier Honeywell (famous for Garrett turbos) have signed an MoU with ChangAn Automotive for the two companies to jointly develop micro-turbochargers. Honeywell’s definition of micro-turbochargers are small turbochargers designed for use with two-cylinder or three-cylinder engines, especially diesel engines, designed to make those engines more driveable when installed in low cost and fuel efficient compact cars.

The Chinese government have called for car manufacturers to produce more energy-efficent vehicles and equipping cars with downsized force inducted engines are one way to increase a car’s efficiency. China has recently announced a government subsidy scheme where the government will subsidise up to 50,000 yuan (RM25.8k) for hybrid cars and up to 60,000 yuan (RM31k) for electric cars.

There are currently only 5 vehicles on this list with more being evaluated and added soon – the IVECO electric service vehicle, JAC’s electricity engineering electric vehicle for city electricity system maintenance and repairing, Zotye’s electric light bus, BYD’s F3DM hybrid car and JMC Transit’s electric service vehicle. 4 out of 5 are commercial vehicles, and with the huge manufacturing/industrial sectors in China perhaps its for the best that these vehicles get plenty of attention.

BYD is really quite happy about this as they’re the only consumer passenger sedan that qualifies for the subsidy so far. BYD confirms that their F3DM qualifies for the full 50,000 yuan subsidy, and the car will officially go on sale beginning September. The F3DM is a plug-in hybrid which means that even though it is a hybrid, it can be recharged through a wall plug, thus you may never really need to start up its combustion engine if you use it for short trips.

BYD is becoming a big brand when it comes to green tech in China. It recently won a contract to supply fellow chinese automaker SAIC with lithium ion batteries. Its li-ion batteries are based on iron phosphate and are self-developed. BYD claims they can be recharged over 2,000 times and have an estimated lifespan of over 600,000km. Warren Buffet should definitely be happy about all of this – analysts estimate his Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in BYD has already made 430% in just under a year.

In Malaysia all that we have to encourage more efficient vehicles are the prospect of saving on road tax costs and a temporary rebate on hybrid vehicles under 2.0 liters in displacement. When the new NAP review is announced by the end of September this year, we will see if there is anything regarding green technology. There are currently only two hybrid cars on sale in Malaysia through official channels – the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

Most of you will be waiting for any indication of lower car prices but while MITI says import duties for ASEAN countries would be removed from January 1st 2010, it has hinted that we could potentially not see any kind of reduction in car prices that can make an impact in our buying experiences as vehicle prices are “subject to market forces which are influenced by factors such as the price of local and imported (CKD) components, forex, transportation cost, insurance and interest rates.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Nissan Sylphy gets more updates in China!

Paul Tan — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:47:58 +0000

The Sylphy has also been facelifted in China and over there it gets more changes compared to the Japanese and Singaporean market.

In China, the Sylphy receives similiar treatments to the exterior and interior but adds a new front bumper and new tail lamps for the rear. These set of photos from China also lets us have a closer view of the new meter panel. I’m not completely sure if the Chinese and Japanese model share the same meter panel even though both have black faces, as the Japanese photos are a little low-res.

Anyway, enjoy looking at more photos after the jump. Which Sylphy do you prefer – the pre-facelift Sylphy currently sold in Malaysia, the new Japanese facelift or the new Chinese facelift?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Detroit Electric to supply electric car technology to Dongfeng; potential JV in works?

Paul Tan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:56:59 +0000

Dongfeng has commissioned Detroit Electric to jointly research, develop, market and sell Electric Vehicles in China using Detroit Electric’s electric drive systems.

The Chinese company will provide the cars, and Detroit Electric will provide the propulsion, similiar to the arrangement that DE has with Proton. But the DE-Proton deal involves rebadging the Persona and GEN2 under the Detroit Electric brand, but for Dongfeng, the two companies will study and explore the market entry strategy under the Dongfeng and Detroit Electric brand.

The two companies are also discussing the possibility of forming a joint venture company to manufacture, assemble, produce and supply the electric drive technology in China to the Dongfeng Group and other vehicle manufacturers that want to buy the technology.

Dongfeng does Kia, Nissan, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Honda in China, but they have been recently focusing on developing their own brand too. They recently launched a sedan based on the old Citroen ZX chassis called the Dongfeng Aeolus Fengshen, shown above.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Chinese site claims Volvo and Geely purchase deal finalised?

Paul Tan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:26:21 +0000

There are no confirmed reports in the Western media yet, but Chinese website auto.sohu.com claims that Ford and Geely have already struck an agreement for the Swedish car company best known for their safety to be sold to the Chinese manufacturer. But it is the only news source that seems to be covering this story, so it either might only be a blown-up rumour or it might be so fresh that only the Chinese side want to talk about it at the moment.

Nevertheless even that news report is skeptical about how such a deal can pull through successfully. Geely’s market value is over 30 billion yuan, which is about 4.3 billion USD, and a Volvo buy would also require several billion USD, claims the site. They are saying Geely might take government loans and other financial assistance. And given Ford’s improving financial health, it will be less desperate to sell Volvo, which might raise the Swedish manufacturer’s price.

Elsewhere in media reports, people are still talking about another Chinese car company recently deciding to join the race to buy Volvo from Ford – Beijing Auto Industry Holdings. Beijing Auto currently has joint ventures in China with Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. Other names mentioned before in the press said to be interested in Volvo include Renault, Chery, and Changan.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Chevrolet Lova (Aveo) facelift unveiled in China

Paul Tan — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:37:09 +0000

Chevrolet has launched the facelifted version of the Chevrolet Aveo Sedan in China. The new notchback sedan Aveo gets the front end and grille from the latest Aveo hatchback. This attempts to bring it closer to a family resemblance to its larger sibling, the C-segment Chevrolet Cruze. The Chevrolet Aveo notchback sedan is also sold in Malaysia in 1.4 liter form for about RM69,888 to RM72,888, last I checked. Look after the jump for a gallery of images, mostly snapped in China, where it is known as the Chevrolet Lova.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Geely GE shamelessly apes the Phantom

Paul Tan — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:31:27 +0000

Everytime Chinese automakers begin to show that they’ve moving one step ahead towards being able to produce advanced and most importantly SAFE cars, things like this destroy all that goodwill and return them to rip-off death trap status.

This is the Geely GE, which at first impression is obviously a rip-off of a Rolls-Royce. Geely denies this of course, saying that while it shares some similiarities it is “original” because while it looks similiar, the details are different enough to be called something new. The 5.4 meter long car has a 3.5 liter V6 engine under its hood.

The Geely GE (GE = Geely Excellence) shown here is a concept car but it must be for the truly antisocial high class Chinese customer as when you peek into the rear passenger cabin there is only one seat, somewhat like a little throne in the car. Only 3 seats in such a large thing – one driver and perhaps a bodyguard at the front and the boss at the back. The production version will be sold under a new brand called YingLun, which is meant to sound like England.

Rolls-Royce Asia Pacific is contemplating legal action, but we don’t know of any further action yet as of publishing time. But what they did say is that despite imitation being the best kind of flattery, they definitely are not flattered.

Look after the jump for more angles of the Geely GE.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Buick Business MPV Concept built for China

Paul Tan — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:47:34 +0000

The Buick brand is possibly GM’s most successful brand out of the US and it’s quite big in China. The Buick GL8 was the 2nd most highest selling MPV in 2008 in China, selling 36,252 units second to the JAC Refine’s 36,304 units.

Here comes the Buick Business MPV Concept, which was designed and engineered by GM’s Pan Asian Technical Automotive Center. It’s designed to appeal to the upper class Chinese customer and styling-wise it looks like a larger version of the Opel Meriva concept showcased late year – you should be able to immediately recognise it by the shoulderline profile which takes a little dip in the middle before rising back up. Perhaps this is a “Grand Meriva”.

There is no B-pillar and the rear doors slide rearward to offer full easy access to the interior, which features 6 individual seats that look rather comfortable. The middle row can be rotated to face the rear for easy meetings between 4 people, and there is even a table in the middle which you can use to place your notebook or something.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Buick.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

New 2010 MG6 based on Roewe 550

Paul Tan — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:42:12 +0000

The 2010 MG6 was unveiled at the Auto Shanghai 2009 recently and is essentially an MG-badged version of the new Roewe 550. It is a larger car than the Roewe N1 Concept also shown at the Chinese autoshow.

Under the hood will be a turbocharged 1.8 liter Rover K-Series engine. MG calls it a fastback while the Roewe 550 looks more like a sedan, and its styling definitely looks sportier and edgier compared to the Roewe-based alternative. For one, the fact that there is no weird Toyota Venza-like front is a plus point.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Updated Volkswagen Passat Lingyu B5

Paul Tan — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:30:45 +0000

The B5 Passat soldiers on in long wheelbase form in China with this latest version called the Volkswagen Passat Lingyu, while the newer B6 model sold here in Malaysia as the Passat is called the Magotan there.

The B5 Passat gets its wheelbase extended by 91mm to suit Chinese chauffeur-driven application (even the A4 gets extended there) and is powered by a 163 horsepower 1.8 liter turbo, up from 150 horses in the pre-update version. There are also 2.0 liter and 2.8 liter normally aspirated V6 engines.

FYI, if I am not mistaken it is this B5 Passat platform that Proton intended to use as the base for the new Perdana should the Volkswagen-Proton deal had gone through.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Citroen C-Quatre (C4 notchback sedan) in China

Paul Tan — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:06:17 +0000

The C4 facelift has been extended to the notchback sedan model in China and with the facelift comes a namechange – the C-Triomphe is now known as the Citroen C-Quatre.

Sedan models or at least a notchback is important in China as like Malaysian and unlike Europe, the market there favors cars with boots. The new name is an obvious tribute to the original C4 name, which they probably decided not to use in China because of the meanings associated with the number 4.

Citroen’s stand at Auto Shanghai 2009 encompasses a 1,000 square meter stand which showcases the C4 WRC rally car, the GTbyCITOREN GT5 tie-in concept car, the C3 Picacco, and the C-Elysee powered by CNG. Next up for Citroen in China will be the new DS line.

Look after the jump for more pix of the C-Quatre.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Roewe N1 Concept showcased at Auto Shanghai

Paul Tan — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:11:09 +0000

This is the Roewe N1 Concept, one of the first new designs to come out of the now renamed SAIC-owned Rover company. The Roewe N1 is said to be going into production by as early as early 2010, sitting below the 550 in the product range (called the 350?) and powered by Rover’s K-Series 4-cylinder engines.

Doesn’t look too bad does it?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Geely buys Drivetrain Systems International

Paul Tan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:01:44 +0000

Geely has acquired Australian automatic transmission manufacturer Drivetrain Systems International. Drivetrain Systems International is the company that supplies the 6-speed automatic transmission to Korean car company Ssangyong, which is used in the updated Ssangyong Actyon truck sold here in Malaysia. It also supplies transmissions for the Australian-built Ford Falcon and the Ford Territory.

The deal is set to help Geely expand its product line and improve its ability to develop, produce and equip its cars with competitive transmissions. Drivetrain Systems has an annual production capacity of 180,000 transmissions. No financial details related to the deal were revealed.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

BYD M6: Estima inspired Chinese MPV

Paul Tan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:11:25 +0000

BYD cars have always been curiously similiar to Toyotas, for example the BYD F3 is clearly inspired from the previous generation Corolla Altis and it is sometimes referred to as the poor man’s Corolla Hybrid, since it recently was made available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain (BYD F3 DM). But erm of course there is also the BYD F8 which looks like a shrunk-down R230 pre-facelift SL convertible.

Mind you, this is a company that Warren Buffet has invested in! This new BYD M6 MPV is inspired from one of the most popular MPVs out there, the Toyota Estima. The M6 is BYD’s first MPV and it’s quite a large one, measuring 4,600mm x 1,760mm x 1,490mm with a 2,950mm wheelbase.

Under the hood will be a choice of BYD’s own 2.0 liter engine from the BYD483 series good for 138 horsepower 6,000rpm and 186Nm of torque between 4,000 to 4,500rpm, or a Mitsubishi 4G69 2.4 liter unit producing 162 horsepower between 5,000 to 6,000rpm and 220Nm of torque between 3500 to 4500rpm.

The MPV, while in its essence a boring people mover vehicle, has quite a high percentage of decent-looking models compared to ugly ones out there which means it is surprisingly easy to style and make good-looking.

Look after the jump for some sketches of the BYD M6. More details to come later when the BYD is launched, then hopefully we’ll get some interior photos.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Dongfeng Aeolus Fengshen based on old ZX

Paul Tan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:40:07 +0000

Dongfeng does Kia, Nissan, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Honda in China, but they have been recently focusing on developing their own brand as well. This is the Dongfeng Aeolus Fengshen sedan, and if you’re wondering if it’s basically an old recycled PSA or Honda chassis with a new skin, you’re right. Underneath all the metal is the old Citroen ZX, with power coming from a 105 horsepower 16 valve 1.6 liter PSA engine. The Fengshen is 4,502mm long, 1,740mm wide and 1,465mm tall with a 2,610mm wheelbase. The Fengshen will debut at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show this April.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

CKD Europestar RCR gets its own front-end

Paul Tan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:39:17 +0000

Phase 2 of the Proton GEN2 export and rebadging deal with China’s Youngman group under the Europestar brand is well underway and this is the new styling that Europestar will be applying on their locally assembled GEN2, called the Europestar RCR.

The changes are mostly on the front end with new headlamps, bumper and grille and the rear gets lots of badges including a Lotus Europestar badge, a new rear bumper and a new tail lamp design. The first phase involved CBU cars and styling was identical to the GEN2 other than different badges. The Europestar RCR is also called the Europestar Jingsu.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Great Wall Wingle spotted again on test!

Paul Tan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:42:25 +0000

Here’s another shot of the Great Wall Wingle being tested in Malaysia, this time snapped in Genting by reader Mior. This time there’s a very clear front shot of the car, featuring a design that was clearly “inspired” from the Volkswagen Magellan Concept (shown left). I have no idea when this is scheduled to launch, but from what I am aware of, it uses a Bosch-developed 2.8 liter turbodiesel engine putting out 95 horsepower and 225Nm from 1,600rpm. Having it appear so often doesn’t really mean anything especially with a Chinese marque as there is a precedent somewhat set by the ChangAn CM8, which was also spotted over a year before it was actually launched. In case you’re wondering what’s with the odd name, Wingle is actually said to be a combination of Wind and Eagle.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Guangzhou Toyota launches facelifted Toyota Camry

Paul Tan — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:38:28 +0000

Guangzhou Toyota, the Toyota JV company in China has revealed a facelifted Toyota Camry in China. Now considering China is big enough for their own development projects, for example the Hyundai Sonata has its very own Toyota-like look in China compared to the facelifted Sonata Transform that the rest o the world gets, we don’t know yet whether this will be the same Camry facelift that Asia will be getting, but it seems likely as it doesn’t seem to have any overly localised design cues and Toyota would most likely want to push as much shared development costs as possible in light of their recent expected first ever loss in many decades.

The new Toyota Camry facelift features a new front end with a “frowny” central air intake design as opposed to the smiley one on the current Camry. The new air intake is much wider and gives the rather tame front end of our Camry a more aggressive look. On the rear there is not much changes except the rear tail lamps seem to now stick out a little, I believe some of you call this the bug-eyed look, but if it’s at the rear what should it be called, bug-butted?

Look after the jump for more shots of the facelifted Camry.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Chery unveils new Chery S18 electric car

Paul Tan — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:13:52 +0000

Chinese auto manufacturer Chery claims the new Chery S18 (it’s not wrong for you to see a resemblance to the Suzuki Splash) to be Chery’s first self-developed electric car, capable of hitting a top sped of 120km/h and a maximum range of 150km on a full charge. The Chery S18 uses iron-phosphate-based lithium-ion batteries which can be charged in between 4 to 6 hours, and 80% charged in half an hour.

This makes Chery the 2nd Chinese manufacturer to unveil an electric car after BYD unveiled its plug-in hybrid BYD F3DM last year. Chery also demonstrated its hybrid systems as part of the Beijing Olympics fleet. Hybrid versions of the Chery A5 with electric motors and hybrid systems developed by supplier Ricardo were used as part of transportation arrangements. Its rival BYD on the other hand, has the confidence, support and investment of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Look after the jump for a rear shot of the S18.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Proton-SAIC talks for Roewe 750-based Perdana?

Paul Tan — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:22:53 +0000

Click for enlarged image

Apparently Proton is revisiting an old “friend”. Proton was in talks with Rover to supply it with the Proton GEN2 to be rebadged as a Rover to replace the Rover 45, which was at that time a car based on a derivative of the Honda Civic EG (Honda Domani).

We first heard of this in the year 2000, but things only picked up in 2004. In return, Rover would supply Proton with the Rover 75’s platform, which would have been used to produce a Perdana Replacement Model. Towards the end of 2004, it looks like things turned sour and the collaboration was canceled without any fruitful outcome. All they said was the partnership was “not viable”, and that was the end of it.

Now it appears that Proton is once again in talks with Rover, only this time the people doing the talking are their new owners SAIC. According to a source in Proton, things are still at the discussion stage. The deal once again is for the Rover 75 platform (now the Roewe 750) to be used by Proton as a new Perdana replacement car, and in return Proton will allow SAIC to use one of their platforms to badge produce a Roewe.

This could be the GEN2 (which is also sold in China as the Europestar RCR) or even the Proton MPV, as despite there being so many shots of what everyone assumed to be a Roewe MPV out there on the internet (with rear sliding doors), but apparently this has turned out to actually be the Luxgen MPV.

The 2.5 liter KV6 engine from the Rover will also likely be bundled together with the platform. While this is considered by many to be an old engine, SAIC has made some changes to the new rechristened 188 horsepower Roewe KV6 with the help of Ricardo and updated it to Euro 4 standards. A variant of the KV6 is found in the Naza Ria.

So, a Rover Perdana and a Mitsubishi Waja it is? Can’t wait for something concrete.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Chana Era CV6 launched in Malaysia based on the ChangAn BenBen

Paul Tan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:51:02 +0000

This is the other car launched by Changan Berjaya Auto on Monday, the Chana Era CV6. It’s essentially the same 5-door hatchback we saw in Putrajaya in March 2008. It’s pretty much a Viva-type of vehicle and the thing is it actually is decent to look at. There aren’t any strange jarring design cues that spoil the design, it’s simple, unpretentious and perhaps boring but it’s not hideous, nor does it employ any odd patterns like the triangles all over the Naza Forza.

For a sum of RM 36,862.00 for the Standard Solid version, you’ll get 5 seats, a 1,301cc engine producing 85 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 110Nm of torque between 3,500 to 4,500rpm, steel wheels, power steering with adjustable tilt, front power windows and a top speed of about 145km/h. For Metallic paint, you pay RM 37,368.00.

Going for the Premium version will cost you RM 40,888 for solid paint and RM 41,394 for metallic paint, and you’ll get alloy wheels, power windows for all four doors, ABS brakes, a single CD player with radio and a driver’s airbag. So it’s got ABS and an airbag covered, that’s pretty much how far safety features can go at this segment. Apparently during the launch period, you can get the Premium version for the price of the Standard version as an introductory offer.

	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase
Chana Era CV6	3,525mm	1,650mm	1,550mm	2,365mm
Perodua Myvi	3,750mm	1,665mm	1,550mm	2,440mm
Perodua Viva	3,575mm	1,475mm	1,530mm	2,390mm
Naza Forza	3,633mm	1,563mm	1,533mm	2,355mm
Hyundai i10	3,565mm	1,595mm	1,540mm	2,380mm
Proton Savvy	3,710mm	1,643mm	1,480mm	2,395mm

The 1.3 liter engine is also a Suzuki-derived one, and probably a unit that’s a little more modern than the one in the van covered earlier, but it’s still pretty much a basic unit though it has a nice peak torque spread starting from 110Nm. From my observation of the units they had for display at the media preview, the build quality was even worse than the van. ChangAn even got basic things like the feedback an air conditioning knob gives when you turn it wrong. Go to a showroom and try it, it feels really weird, like you were forcibly twisting something through some thick oil, I would imagine this is what goes on inside a torque converter or something.

The selection knob for fresh air or recirculation air for the air conditioning appeared to be positioned too close to the dash and was cutting in to the dash plastic itself. The dashboard plastic itself isn’t really too bad however parts where various pieces meet together were way too rough. Some metal mounts and etc were too exposed like the bolt and joint where the seat and backrest connect together, etc. It’s a pity as the exterior doesn’t look too bad.

Despite the horrendous build quality, ChangAn knows people are also looking for mechanical quality and endurance, so they’ve recently organised this ChanaTrax event where a group of ChangAn vehicles including this CV6/BenBen drove from China to South Africa. That’s a total distance of 24,000 kms and there were some pretty high altitudes and rough terrain involved.

So I suppose it would be okay running around town here, it’s just that the only appealing thing going for this car at the moment seems to be its initial price tag.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Chana Era CM8: Malaysia’s cheapest MPV

Paul Tan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:42:44 +0000

2009 is the year of the MPV. The big two are the Proton MPV and the Perodua MPV that’s set to launch at different times this year, but before any of them manage to get in the showrooms comes the cheapest MPV in the market, the Chana Era CM8.

Now let’s backtrack a little – those of you who have been following this blog for a few years now may remember this vehicle being spotted a few years ago, in June 2007 to be exact. The CM8 was spotted in Subang Jaya with trade plates. Even before that in end-2005, we heard news of a company signing an agreement with the CM8’s maker ChangAn Auto to assemble the CM8 locally in Malaysia. It turns out that company was a unit of the Berjaya Group, Changan Berjaya Auto Sdn Bhd.

The result of all that discussion and planning since 2005 are two cars, and here we take a look at one of them – the Chana Era CM8, assembled locally in Oriental Assemblers in Johor. Chana Era is the brand that Changan Berjaya is using to market the ChangAn products here in Malaysia. The car is said to have over 40% local content. Take one look at you’ll realise this is probably something based on a Suzuki as it looks like the Suzuki ER-V, plus Suzuki is one of ChangAn’s partners in China.

Something similiar in size and shape to this vehicle was introduced in Malaysia sometime ago. I’m sure some of you remember the Suzuki APV, which retailed for over RM70k. It didn’t do very well, probably because of its van-like looks. But the 3.8 meter long Chana Era CM8 has one advantage under its sleeves – it’s insanely low price tag of RM38,888 OTR with insurance for the cheapest model. This goes up to just under RM45k for the most expensive models.

Chana Era CM8 Standard Solid	RM 38,888.00
Chana Era CM8 Standard Metallic	RM 39,368.00
Chana Era CM8 Premium Solid	RM 43,888.00
Chana Era CM8 Premium Metallic	RM 44,368.00

The Chana Era CM8 is built on a monocoque chassis which is superior in terms of ride comfort and handling compared to the body-on-frame that other cheap MPVs use. It’s essentially a van, with a van-like engine position. It has sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle for access to the rear. The 2nd and 3rd row have their own air cond blower located at the ceiling. The key differences between the Standard and Premium models are ABS brakes, a stereo radio with a single CD player, speakers, an electric power steering and 14 inch alloy wheels which are all features only available on the Premium version. Power windows are only available on the front two doors for both models.

Both variants are powered by a Suzuki-derived 1,310cc inline-4 16 valve aluminium alloy engine producing 80 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 102Nm of torque between 4,500 to 5,000rpm. This is mated to a 5-speed manual, with no automatic version in sight even in the near future. Top speed is 135km/h. Brakes are discs for the front and drums at the rear. Tyre size is 175/65R14 for both the Premium’s alloys and the Standard’s steel wheels. It measures 3,856mm long, 1,568mm wide and 1,898mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,430mm.

At first impressions the interior plastic quality and the touch and feel of the CM8 is quite rough, especially where different plastic bits meet together. Mechanically it remains to be seen but as it is a basic 16 valve inline-4 without any funky features like variable valve timing it should be easy to maintain. If you want to compare to another China-sourced car, the Naza Forza (Naza Sutera) definitely has better interior quality.

It’s quite obvious the proposition that the CM8 is offering to you is cheap to buy. There are many people who do not place importance on interior quality and just want something that works and isn’t expensive. This is the car for them. It remains to be seen whether it is cheap to maintain and cheap to run. I will try to get a test drive session and report to you how it drives as well as the fuel consumption I can get.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Hyundai Sonata NFC “Ling Xiang”: redesigned Sonata NF for the Chinese market

Paul Tan — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:49:58 +0000

Hyundai, or rather BeiJing Hyundai has created this new look for the Sonata based on Chinese tastes and preferences, which seems right now to be in tune to a wackier version of the Toyota Aurion/Camry. Since the Sonata NF was designed to look a certain way, the Sonata NFC (NF China?) ends up looking like a mish-mash of the front and rear ends of another car slapped onto the mid-section of the Kia Optima.

The Sonata NFC will be called the Hyundai Ling Xiang in China, in order for it not to be confused with the Hyundai Sonata NF. It measures 4,815mm x 1,832mm x 1,475mm with a 2,730mm wheelbase. Price tags come in at 155,800 yuan for the baseline 2.0 liter model (cheaper than the cheapest Sonata NF at 165,800 yuan) and up to 228,800 yuan for the top of the range 2.4 liter model. There are a total of 6 variants.

Other than the different exterior looks, the interior also gets better rear seats to ensure a more comfortable ride for the rear passengers.

Coming up next: Beijing Hyundai is taking the previous generation Hyundai Sonata platform to develop another D-segment sedan that will slot in at a cheaper price than both the Sonata NF and the Sonata NFC. Production of the Sonata NF has now ceased as this Sonata NFC replaces it.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

BMW loses X5 rip-off copyright case against Shuanghuan CEO in Italy

Paul Tan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:43:10 +0000

It doesn’t take a genius to know that Shuanghuan Automobile ripped off the design of BMW’s X3 (tail lamps) and first generation X5 SUVs when it styled the Shuanghuan CEO. Even the name is similiar to the X5’s “the boss is back” tagline when it was launched in Malaysia.

But apparently a court in Milan, Italy couldn’t see that, and rejected BMW’s claim that the Chinese SUV infringed its copyright. BMW won a similiar case on its home grounds in Munich in July this year.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Volvo unveils long wheelbase Volvo S80L for China

Paul Tan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:49:38 +0000

The Volvo S80L joins a handful of vehicles that have been stretched to suit Chinese market tastes. The S80L is essentially a long wheelbase version of the Volvo S80. It is a full 140mm longer than a standard S80, with all the extra length dedicated to increasing rear legroom. The Volvo S80L will be built at the CFMA Chongqing plant in China. It’s peers will be the likes of the Audi A6L and the E60 BMW 5-Series long wheelbase.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Ford in talks with SAIC and Changan to sell Volvo?

Paul Tan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:58:27 +0000

Ford is looking to dump its premium brand Volvo, known for its safety, and is currently said to be in talks with two Chinese car manufacturers – Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and ChangAn Automobile Group.

The SAIC rumour came about last week, reported by publications which were quoting unnamed sources. According to reports, Ford is hoping the Volvo sale can fetch £4 billion, which is less than the £4.4 billion sum it paid for Volvo in 1999. SAIC could do perform some front wheel drive platform sharing magic between MG and Ford.

Ford refused to comment on the talks when contacted by members of the media. “We will not comment on speculation or rumors, nor will we comment on regular business discussions that we have with our partners,” Ford said in a statement. Changan is Ford’s partner in China, and makes some Fords and Mazdas in China under one of its subsidiaries. It also assembles the Volvo S40 in China.

Another Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group is also mildly interested in acquiring any assets the Detroit Three may dump for cheap. You may have noticed Dongfeng trucks in Malaysia. But Dongfeng is only monitoring the situation at best, and it’s too early to say if it would buy any assets.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

VIDEO: Chevrolet Captiva tows a tow truck

Paul Tan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:30:43 +0000

This video shows a Chinese woman (supposedly in Shanghai) arguing with a tow truck driver, who appears to want to tow her Chevrolet Captiva away for illegally parking or some kind of offense or another. She got fed up of arguing and just drove her Captiva away, still attached to the tow truck! Probably a testament to the torque a Captiva has, especially the turbodiesel version. This is probably a viral advertisement of some sort, but still quite a smart one. Watch the video after the jump.

Video: Chevrolet Captiva tows tow truck away

Source Via

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.

Lifan signs up for the 6-speed Antonov TX6

Paul Tan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:16:02 +0000

Antonov has secured its first customer for its new Antonov TX6 6-speed automatic transmission: Chinese automaker Lifan Motors. Antonov had earlier demonstrated a Volkswagen Golf 1.6 with the TX6 transmission installed to 7 potential customers and so far Lifan has bit. Geely is also showing strong interest in the transmission.

The TX6 can handle up to 260Nm of torque and is suitable for engine sizes from 1.5 liters up to 2.5 liters. It is produced in China exclusively for the Chinese automaker market but will be made available worldwide in the long term. It can shift from any gear to any gear, thus you can downshift 2 to 3 gears at once without delay. Also, a torque converter is not used but instead an indirect brake is used to launch, similiar to Japanese CVTs. The AMG Speedshift-MCT transmission is another planetary gearbox that does not use a torque converter to start up, instead it uses a start-up clutch.

Someone should tell Youngman that more gear ratios to keep the rev needle at an optimum rev band more often would do wonders for the odd torque curve of the Campro engines found in its Europestar RCR (rebadged GEN2) and Europestar Jingyue (rebadged Persona).

Look after the jump for some technical diagrams of the TX6.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 04:38:07 +0800.