Emissions standards on vehicles will be raised nationwide by July 1st to the Chinese 3 standard, which is the same as Euro 3 specification. However, some cities, such as Xi’An are delaying plans to enforce the emissions standards to give local truck makers the chance to play catch up in emissions standards. Xi’An city government has given truck, bus and car makers until Sept 08 to bring their engines upto date. Nationwide, the central government has given Chinese engine makers until July 1st to upgrade their engines to Chinese 3 emissions, and Xi’an has given until Sept 08. Other cities such as, Chengdu, have implemented Chinese 3 emission laws since May this year, Guangzhou city plans to implement Chinese 3 by June 08, Beijing is currently leading the way with implementing Chinese 5 (Euro 5) specifications earlier this year, which lead to many models being taken off the Beijing market place.
Chinese 3 emissions standard to be enforced nationwide
Published by May 12th, 2008 in Chinese Car News. 1 CommentThe second hand car market is exactly what it sounds like. Its a big empty car lot, people that want to sell their cars drive them to the market, and leave their motor their with a card in the window saying how many KM’s it has on the clock, the general state of the car, and possibly how much they want for the car, they also leave a contact phone number. If you like the car, then you give them a call, and they will arrange a time for a test drive. Pretty easy way to sell your car, providing you have a second car to drive in, whilst your other car sits in the lot. China Car Times likes to visit the 2nd hand car mart every now and again, just to see what automotive tat can be purchased. This time, our trip to the market was a bit of a waste of time!
Continue reading ‘A visit to the local second hand car market’
FAW gives SUV an American make over!
Published by May 12th, 2008 in First Automobile Works. 9 Comments
From the grainy pictures below, you may be able to make out a new front end on the FAW CA6480P6E SUV. We’re not sure why FAW likes to use a serial number instead of a name, after all, who can remember CA6480P6E?
The new SUV is surely inspired by the Chevrolet Colorado front end style of recent years, which Dandong ShuGuang have also borrowed for their most excellent looking pick up truck.
The two SUV’s are available in long wheel base, and short wheel base form with both diesel and gasoline engines available. The gasoline engine is a Euro 2/3 spec 2.0l engine (73.5kw/5000rpm) from Xinhua, and the diesel engine is 2.7l model (68kw at an unknown RPM)
From Reuters:
BEIJING (AP) — China has established a homegrown company to make passenger jumbo jets, state media reported Sunday - a step forward in the country’s quest to become less dependent on Boeing and Airbus.
China Commercial Aircraft Co. was established in Shanghai with registered capital of 19 billion yuan $2.7 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
It said the central government and the Shanghai government are among the major shareholders, as are China’s two main aircraft manufacturing and servicing companies, China Aviation Industry Corp. I and China Aviation Industry Corp. II, which were split off from state-owned China Aviation Industry Corp. in 1999.
Europe’s Airbus has forecast that China’s domestic market will increase fivefold by 2026. Airbus and Chicago-based rival Boeing dominate the market for commercial airplanes carrying 100 or more people.
Xinhua said Commercial Aircraft Co. will be able to make planes with more than 150 seats.
General manager Jin Zhuanglong said in a Xinhua interview that it was too early to say when a Chinese-developed jumbo jet would be taking off, as it would take a long time to develop homegrown talent and do research.
“According to the development history of Airbus and Boeing, the development and success of civil planes cannot be realized by relying on one or two generations,” he said.
Could the foretold global recession be hitting Chinese consumers, or is it just a lull before the summer driving season?
VW Bora V’s VW Lavida - Just what the heck is different?
Published by May 9th, 2008 in Shanghai VW and Chinese Car News. 9 Comments
The Bora was a previous generation Jetta in Europe, but it continues to thrive in China via the FAW (First Auto Works) VW joint venture, the Livida on the other hand, is a completely new car from SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp) and VW. The two cars are roughly the same size, they are on a different generation of platform, they both wear VW badges and are aimed at a similar type of client, but what is different about them? China Car Times cant help but feel that VW has become the British Leyland of China with different products competing against each other in the same market segment!VW FAW unveiled the latest incarnation of the Bora out at the Beijing Auto Show, and VW SAIC unveiled the Livida, which gave a lot of people the chance to compare between the two cars!
Continue reading ‘VW Bora V’s VW Lavida - Just what the heck is different?’
Changfeng CP1A sports sedan - we have to wait until 09
Published by May 9th, 2008 in Changfeng Automobile. 1 Comment
The Changfeng CP1A sedan that was unveiled at the last Beijing Automotive show is expected to be launched next year, rather than in 2008. The CP1A comes with a 1.8l Mitsubishi engine as the power plant which is a bit of a dissapointment for such a good looking automobile.
Good news is not far behind, Changfeng are also working on their own engine lines, so it could be that Changfeng actually have their own engine to put in by the time they get them onto the market.
If you ask China Car Times, this sedan is a lot better than their MPV and clearly compliments their CS7 SUV
Rover never died - SAIC supplies 1.8T K-Series to Dongfeng
Published by May 9th, 2008 in Dongfeng Motor Company and Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Company. 7 Comments
SAIC and Dongfeng recently signed an agreement to supply Rover designed 1.8T K-Series engines to Dongfeng for use in their own brand automobiles. Dongfeng currently lacks any of its own engine designs for their own vehicles, and are relaying on third parties for engines. Dongfeng dropped a Cummins diesel engine in the Crazy Soldier, the sluggish Shengyang Mitsubishi unit in the Jing Yi, and possibly the same Mitsubishi unit in the Dongfeng Coupe.
The Jing Yi will be casting out that Mitsubishi unit over the next month, and installing the mighty fine 1.8Turbo Rover K-series via a deal with SAIC, the Turbo’d up Jing Yi is expected to sell from 120,380rmb and will rival the likes of the VW Touran in the mini turbo MPV market
MG UK to start ball rolling at last, Longbridge UK lives again!
Published by May 8th, 2008 in Nanjing MG. 3 CommentsAfter announcing a new chairman for the UK arm of MG, Nanjing MG are really getting the ball rolling with MG! Nanjing MG announced today that Longbridge will produce 5 new cars over the next few years, including a replacement MGTF, possibly (or probably not) the one from yesterdays AutoExpress post:
Continue reading ‘MG UK to start ball rolling at last, Longbridge UK lives again!’
NEW CHAIRMAN APPOINTED FOR NAC MG UKToday, 8th May, 2008, NAC MG UK Ltd has announced the appointment of a new chairman Mr He Xiao Qing. Mr He (pronounced (Hurr) takes over as head of the company from Mr Wang Hong Biao, who had led the board of the Longbridge based company since it was set up in 2005.
Mr He said, “I am delighted to have been appointed at such an exciting and busy time in this young company’s history. I thank Wang Hong Biao for his hard work in preparing MG for its re-launch and look forward to building on his hard work.”
At 44 He Xiao Qing already has experience in legal, International trade and management and in international finance with Nanjing Automobile (Group) Corporation. He has also held directorships and secretariats in a number of other companies.
Gary Hagen, Sales and Marketing Director for NAC MG UK, said; “Although the team at Longbridge are sorry to see Wang Hong Biao return home, we are all delighted with the appointment of He Xiao Qing. He knows the company extremely well, having been part of the original acquisition team and been on the board of NAC MG since it was set up in the UK.”
Among He’s first duties as Chairman will be the announcement of a date for the start of production at Longbridge. The eagerly anticipated MGTF LE500 will be the first car he presides over with full scale production of the MGTF and a family of new cars following on shortly.
SOURCE: NAC MG (UK)
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