Cars from China, that you’ve never seen before!
Most people in the motoring world will be familiar with at least some of the bigger Chinese brand name automobiles, perhaps SAIC, Roewe, Chery, Geely are among the most popular, but these brands are relative new comers, what did their first cars look like? What did any of the first Chinese cars look like?
China Car Times would like to share with you some of the less popular cars that came from China, and some other very obscure models. If any readers have anymore information on these cars, please feel free to add your comments!
Chunlan MPV
The Chunlan MPV is a new one to China Car Times. The Chunlan looks a lot like the old Diahatsu Move, which was also made in China by Tianjin Xiali, and sold onto Miles Automotive for use as an electric car.
China Car Times has never, ever seen a Chunlan MPV, so we could not tell you any more about it!
Shanghai VW MPV
Shanghai VW saw the oppertunity to make a people mover to move the PRC’s people, and thus this MPV was born. A China only model it seems, made in the early 90s, and never again. We asked Erik of Chinese Cars what he knew about the Shanghai VW he said:
TheShanghai (not VW) SH 7181 was a prototype made by SAIC AutomotiveResearch Institute in 1989, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the PRC. Itwas a one-off, but the Santana platform was too light to be used for an MPV.It was interesting, as VW's own MPV (Sharan) appeared 6 years later.Initially SAIC named the car SVW 7181, but VW protested as it was no VW,though it even had the VW badge on the front. (Photos and more info in myShanghai book...)
So the VW MPV, is not even a true VW! Interesting!
The Geely Merc
Back in the day, Geely could copy anything. Sadly, these Merc-esque Geelys are rarely seen these days. If we see one for sale, we will buy one without thinking!
Lifan SUV-Crossover Thing
Lifan only sell this model in South East Asia. It looks like an SUV from the rear, the side profile looks like a giant Suzuki WagonR, the best bit is – Its actually a motorbike under that shell, a Quad/ATV bike if you will.
Dongfeng Xiao Wang Zi – The Little Prince
The Dongfeng Xiao Wang Zi is based off the old Kia Rio, Dongfeng have a joint venture with Kia, so it is more than likely that the blueprints to the car were surrendered to Dongfeng as part of a deal. Dongfeng turned the Rio into their own little motor, in both sedan and hatchback form.
The Xiao Wang Zi was reasonbly popular in Shandong province where it was made (Rongcheng city) although outside of Shandong you rarely see it. There was also a station wagon version of the Xiao Wang Zi – China Car Times has only ever seen two of them, and they were pretty bad!
Zhonghua Station Wagon
The Zhonghua Station Wagon was made by a small Beijing based company, it uses the chassis from the Tianjin Xia Li range of vehicles. This car has nothing to do with Brilliance, who’s Chinese name is also Zhonghua. We will give you more information on the Zhonghua tomorrow!
Red Flag Pick Up Truck
Once FAW got their hands on the Audi 80 and 100 blueprints, they were going to take over the world! FAW made limos, funeral cars, station wagons and even a pick up truck:
According to this site, the Hong Qi pick ups had 2.2l Chrysler engines.
Shanghai GM designed mini van
You can hardly see this Shanghai GM designed mini van around China, produced only for 2 years. Special points would include a design that is actually pretty decent, and a glass roof. Much better than everything that came after it.
Geely Big Crown
The Geely Big Crown, looks rather like a Toyota Corrolla. It never sold in large numbers, and is rarely seen.
Shanghai Pick Up
Made by the Big Shanghai Company, and looks like something the Ghostbusters would ride in.
Geely Van
The Geely van was also an under advertised and undersold van from Geely. They also had a pick up version.
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS Feed
I remember seeing a lot of 3 wheel cars
in anhui, de zhou and i think some rural parts of shandong
a lot of these cars are modeled after foreign cars- like civic, merc, bmw….they are aveo sized
2 wheels in the front, one rear…im pretty sure they all have the same drivetrain and inner framework
I specifically remembered a 3 wheeled car that looks exactly like a prius of this generation and noticed how it looks almost like a real prius from the front and 3/4 view….but a project car from the back hah
i heard from a taxi driver that they where cheap – around 20k to 30krmb.
actually…its more like two wheels in the back, 1 in the front. haha bad memory
A few of these more obscure models would be good if there was ever a car museum here. Most of them have probably been sent to the scrap heap though……
There is a car museum in Shanghai, and another in Zibo (a converted gas station at the side of the highway!)
I have never visited either though
Will have to hunt that out next time I go to Shanghai unless Nick volunteers to do a review for you
.
I keep threatening to go but…….like when I lived in NY I never went up the Empire State building either.
Geely Big Crown is just the Geely Vision, about 18.000 are made in 2007.
I made the Shanghai pickup photo in 1990 (funny to find it back at the internet), it is the SH 1020SP, originally produced by the Shanghai Auto Works. Production was later taken over by the Shanghai Shenlian Special Auto Works,as SVW was going to use the production halls for the Santana production. One interesting detail: the design of the SH 1020SP was not Chinese but English (!), the car was designed by Locomotors of Andover.
Erik,
There is more chance of seeing a Panda crossing the road than seeing the Big Crown (and branded as such) around here. Perhaps they are localized, very much like the Xiao Wang Zi and Maestros are primarily seen in the Shandong area. I found the Shanghai Pick up on a Chinese car forum, funny how things go around !
Guess Wuling of Liuzhou should get some credit for the “Shanghai GM designed mini van” above. It looks remarkably like the Wuling Sunshine minivan, snub nose and all.
That Chunlan Move is not bad looking compared to the Happy Messenger. The Happy Messenger was made by the now defunct Tianjin Huali, and converted by EV-maker Tianjin Qingyuan, before being sold to Miles. I think the gas model may still be in production in FAW’s Hongta plant in Kunming.
I’m surprise that Geely hasn’t more actively marketed the Vision after showing it so widely at exhibitions. Wasn’t it updated recently, with new front end etc.?
That Shanghai pickup is DA BOMB!! Maybe we can persuade some manufacturer here to start a car/pickup hybrid craze a la Chevy El Camino!!!
Then all the locals can start lowering them, add hydraulic bouncers and mega speakers playing “Low Rider”!!
some of these cars are amazing. Some are jut hideous but that copy of the Merc is strange. How did they get away with that?
those cars are hideous…
but this is a great post! =)
.
keep the good work
Hmmm, IMHO, the Shanghai VW MPV looks like a slightly stretched 1st generation Renault Espace with a Santana grille.
Thanks for the “history lesson”; nice to see this.
Cheers, Michael