FAW’s ability to develop and design its own vehicles may have been drawn into consideration on several occasions on CCT, but the X80 is proving us all wrong one step at a time.

The X80 first aired as a concept vehicle at the Beijing Auto Show early last year in concept form and was quickly spotted out testing on Chinese roads, especially in the frigid colds of Northern China and the stupidly hot climes in Hainan island. Nobody is quite sure what platform is underpinning the X80, some have indicated the current generation of Mazda 6 (second gen) but others point to the older first generation model that sits under the current B70 and B50 models. With a new generation of Mazda 6 (third gen) readying for import and eventual Chinese production, it could be that the second generation has given up its secrets to FAW. Engine power comes from the option of 2.0L and 2.3L petrol engines with automatic and manual gearboxes.

An eventual launch date or price hasn’t been announced but it seems that FAW are quite far along with the Besturn X80 so we could likely see it in the first quarter of 2013 with prices in the 120,000RMB and rising area.