Coachmaker Jinlong’s sedan and van spotted out testing
Kinglong (JinLong) are a major bus maker in the Chinese market but are planning to diversify into sedan production with their partner Wuling. The sedan is rumored to be based on the previous generation Buick Excelle platform that Wuling may have acquired from its GM-SAIC-Wuling partnership.
Kinglong is reportedly eager to get into car making due to the shrinking of the bus and coach market due to the explosive growth of the automobile which has made intercity coach trips less popular as people are buying cars instead of taking inter-city bus trips.
As well as passenger cars, Kinlong is also planning to get into the MPV game with a Toyota Hi-Ace clone which will further diversify their product line up away from coaches. Kinglong have set their sights on Chery and Lifan as major competitors for their car line up, and JAC as a competitor for the MPV line up.
The MPV line up will be using the Higer branding, which is from Kinglong’s coach line up. By partnering with Wuling, Jinlong get access to a wide dealership network that targets nearly every tier two and three city and township within China, and Wuling get access to
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This HiAce-based van is not the first for KingLong. There was previously one without this fancy raised roof. The company was actually among fifteen or so other HiAce type van producers in China. But this one’s attractive and looks like it might be able to take on Chery’s Rely H5 van for a bit of competition.
Let’s see if Chang’an is serious about absorbing the whole shabang, little hatchbacks and all.
wow nice copy of jdm toyota hiace