Why you cant write off Zotye just yet – Z300 Photoblog
Zotye have long been the subject to take over rumors, as soon as the yearly automotive mergers and acquisitions rumor mill starts going Zotye are placed somewhere at the top of the list, but the plucky company has so far avoided overtures from major state owned companies they are rumored to be close to be setting up a partnership with Mitsubishi owing to Zotye’s impressive R&D in to battery swapping technology for their EV range.
At the Shanghai Auto Show Zotye showed a series of concept cars rather than current or new production cars, the cocky company was clearly eager to show its future rather than its current range, one of the concepts on display was the Z300. The Z300 maybe based on the Palio platform that Zotye bought from Fiat – we’re not entirely sure what maybe underpinning the Z300 but we’re guessing the Palio for now. The full car measures in at (LxWxH) 4565mm x 1766 x 1493mm and has a wheelbase of 2700mm. Under the hood Zotye has taken engine power from Mitsubishi in the form of a 1.5L producing 117bhp and 141Nm of torque.
Chinese auto website Autohome.com.cn had an early test drive of the new Z300 prior to it hitting the market, overall comments are quite positive of what the car achieves for its estimated price of 70,000rmb to 100,000rmb with the only negative comments being about the Mitsubishi sourced engine which is not quite powerful enough, but more than enough for daily city driving. Whilst the interior is obviously not on par with other compact sedans, especially the fake wood (although it may have a sheet of protective plastic covering the central section) the Z300 is Zotye’s first attempt at going mainstream, their first car was based on the Daihatsu Tarios, their second was the Fiat Multipla, the SUV sold in massive numbers, the Multiplan not so. The Z300 is likely to be a hit for Zotye when it hits the market later this year.
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Zotye Z300 is based on the Lancia Lybra platform, which has been bought by Zotye, together with the Lybra production line.
Exactly what I thought Erik! Will they be making a Wagon as well? We know they got both platforms.
To me, The Chinese are quite stupid be it the government or the private and they have much to learn. The main reason is due to their stubborness. They know that they have excessive competition in auto industry and they are hardly profitable. The way to be practical and efficient is to merge and yet they refuse to do it because of pride. Yet they wilingly work with foreign auto makers to beat their own compatriot. To the foreigners, they have their own brand and can capitalise on their join venture with locals. Win win for them while they chinese have to beat each other and yet share their winnings with the foreign counterparts.
You are spot on Kwc, and no where is this more apparent than the city of Baoding of Hebei Province which is home to a number of small light truck makers like Great Wall, Zhongxing, Dadi, Tianma and Xinkai. Among them only Great Wall has escaped the fate of facing imminent extinction.
Cooperation could have made them a force to be reckoned with within their industry specialty.
Design is copycat JDM Toyota Allion… sigh
As a Chinese, I dont know why there are so many rubbish car manufacturers like Zotye, Zhongxin, Shuanghuan. They should and must disappear! But, I am still confident with Geely, Chery, Great Wall.