Chongqing City Government, (HUGE muncipilaty, 82,3000 square km of city)where Lifan motors is based) has awarded Lifan with a prize fund 100,000rmb, recognizing Lifan’s human talent.

Lifan workers have been busy working on raising, and keeping quality levels high. City Mayor, Mayor Zhou, praised Lifan staff for their hardworking efforts.

The Lifan 620 has been unveiled at last.

The Lifan 620 is expected to go on the market by April, and will be priced between 70 and 90,000rmb.  Length wise, the 620 measures in at (LxWxH)  4450mm x 1705mm x 1490mm, with a wheelbase of 2600mm.

Lifans new range of cars, the Lifan 320. We’re unsure where the car was shown for the first time, or what is under the hood. Perhaps the 1.6 Tritec engine that Lifan have in their engine portfolio.

 
 
We’re unsure as to if the Lifan 320 will actually be put into production. Its certainly a breakaway from Lifans usually clean cut designs.

The hatchback market in China is certainly hotting up, previously saloons were all the rage, but since good looking, and roomy hatchbacks have started to appear on the market, Chinese consumers are beginning to warm to them. One article on Sohu.com’s auto channel compared the BYD F3r, Chevrolet Aveo and the Lifan 520i against each other, and below is the results (Translation by China Car Times)

Changchun car show was held in December 07 in the North Eastern city of Changchun, China. As is usual with car shows, the organizers give out awards to certain cars, (at the Shanghai car show the MG7 won most influential car) the best car in the ‘economy cars’ section was apperently the Lifan 520.

Also, JAC won the award for best customer service in Jilin province.

Jubilant at passing the Russian crash test, and obtaining European E-mark accreditation, Lifan are planning to export their vehicles to the USA in 2010, with the goal of starting sales of Lifan cars in 2011. In a media conference earlier today, Lifan Chairman, Mr. Yin Ming Shang expressed that Lifan cars will hit US shores in 2010.
Lifan are apparently already in talks with a US company that has rather large plans for Lifan USA, with them planning to alter the Lifan 520’s emissions and safety equipment to be on par …

Lifan have been in the auto making game for a mere two years, and already they are starting to threaten their larger rivals. To boost sales, Lifan previously offered all car buyers in 2008 free maintenance for a period of 2 years, or 35,000km, which ever comes first. In addition to that rather generous offer, Lifan has offered 2008 buyers a five year guarantee on its products, upto 100,000km.
The market in which Lifan is situated (40,000 to 90,000rmb market) is a cut throat area, there are a plethora of cars …

The Lifan i520 is going on the market this month on the 20th. The hatchback i520 combines the usual Lifan offerings of a solid interior, a good engine, full safety kit (airbags, ABS, distributed braking etc) all for a bargainous (its not a word) 40,900rmb to 60,900rmb depending on what spec you buy, the i520 is powered by a 1.6 Tritec motor.
The interior, whilst not being as exciting as Tokyo Drift, it is very well laid out and looks reasonbly solid.

To raise sales at an all important time of year for Chinese car sales, (Sales around Chinese new year appear to be hot, yet cold) Lifan are offering free servicing on their Lifan range of cars upto 35,000km, or 2 years (depending which comes first), in contrast, Nissan only offered China Car Times two free services that were to be done before 8000km.
If any one buys a Lifan motor after Jan 1st 2008, then they are automatically offered the free servicing.

The Lifan 520i is coming off the line this week according to our sources at Lifan.
The 520i is the hatchback version of the popular Lifan 520 sedan. Although Lifan has only been in the auto manufacturing business for 2 years, they have shocked the Chinese market with their good quality cars, that come at a low price – Lifan have made great strides with their auto production!
This year we can expect the Lifan 320 (a smaller hatchback) and the larger Lifan 620, by the middle of 2009, Lifan will also …

Chinese car manufactures are great at doing one thing (other than making cars on a budget) and thats tooting their own horn. Many a news story on China Car Times are based around sales goals for a certain year, perhaps many of these sales goals are inflated, actually, we shouldn’t say perhaps, we should say definatly.

It comes as a shock to us, that Lifan are aiming for a rather modest 80,000 car sales in 2008. Their current line up is limited to the Lifan 520 saloon, and the 520i, a …

The Lifan 620 spyshots were leaked onto the internet a few weeks ago, the Chinese motoring press has been busy speculating as to its cost. The 620 has looks that seem above its price class, but the Chinese press seem to believe it will be in the 70,000rmb to 80,000rmb price range. (click pic for bigger view)

The Chinese press say this 620 has a 1.6 Tritec engine or a 1.6l Lifan self developed motor (LF481Q3). According to sources, the Lifan 620, will be around the same size, and price as …

According to the Ruifu list (The Chinese top 500 companies) Lifan was ranked at 26th place, the first time Lifan was ranked.
The Ruifu list has a short history, but annually details Chinese companies according to their performance.

Lifan is starting to spread around the world, with sales networks in China, Russia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and now Nepal.
Lifans entry into Nepal is an important step – Nepal is essentially a RHD country, and not many Chinese automakers are stepping into the RHD markets, seeing as many countries in the world do still use RHD cars, it seems like a logical money making venture to go after the RHD markets.
First Nepal, next India? Could Lifan be one of the first Chinese players to make a splash into the billion people …

Lifan have created what is being billed as the first domestically created VVT engine! The 1.8l VVT is the first of its kind from a Chinese company, and its getting the fanfare that it deserves.
The engine was apparently made in cooperation with Ricardo, who have been helping various Chinese car makers over the past few years (Roewe, Chery, etc) with their engines and redesigns. Lifan now has 1.3, 1.5 and 1.8 motors – all of which are self designed. Previously Lifan used BMW acquired engines that they got from …

Lifan held a promotional event recently, which involved taking the recently crowned Miss World, Zhang Zi Lin, out in a convey of Lifan 520s, clearly a carriage fit for a princess!
Internet Chatter about the outing quickly became hot stuff on Chinese Internet sites.
A convey of 15 Lifan 520s set off from a Lifan dealer in Shenzhen earlier this month, their goal was to promote Lifans  brand around the Shenzhen area, fellow contestants in the Miss World competition also tagged along in the event.
Click the below images for larger pictures:
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Previously on China Car Times we talked about the upcoming Lifan 520i hatchback, yet, information on the 520i was thin on the ground, Lifan has kindly told us about the safety aspect of their 520i; a rather large issue for overseas buyers of Chinese cars since various crash tests were carried out on Chinese vehicles.

Lifan says the A pillar, B pillar, and C pillars have all been strengthened to better protect the occupants in a crash situation, needless to say, Lifan have already passed the Russian crash test which is …

Lifan are building up their range of cars, first it was the 520, then 520i, and now the Lifan 620.

The Lifan 620 seems to much bigger than the Lifan 520, and has a much nicer design. Previously on China Car Times, we posted a mock up of the 620 (above picture), but nothing since then. It seems the Lifan 620 is soon going to became a reality. The Lifan 620 was seen out testing, possibly in the Lifan factory grounds:

The smaller pictures above show the lights …

Previously on China Car Times we talked about the 160 million dollar deal that Lifan recently struck with Russian group, AVTOMIR in Moscows presidential hotel. The deal between the two companies was deemed important enough for Chinese Prime Minister, Wu Yi, to be in attendance.
The deal was that AVTOMIR would purchase 30,000 CKD vehicles from Lifan over the next 3 years. Russia is currently holding a ‘Chinese Year’ in Russia (a cultural exchange where a country of choice is promoted in Russia for a year)

Lifan have created several partnerships …

Lifan showed the world what they’d been upto in their R&D dept at the Shanghai motor show, but since then news on the 520i has been rather limited. The Lifan 520 looked rather lonely in the Lifan one car line up, thus a hatchback, the Lifan 520i, has been added to the line up. This gives potential customers more of a choice, and to be honest, it looks pretty good! No official word on pricing yet, but we believe it will be between 50, and 70,000rmb with either a 1.3 …

Lifan and Ricardo 2010 have hooked up to create a range of larger engines to use in future models. Lifan is reportedly making a whole host of motors, ranging from MINI like hatchbacks to larger MPVs. Ricardo and Lifan are currently working on motors ranging from a miniscule 800cc (a future kei car?), to a larger 2.4l.
Lifan tell us they are working on a 1 to 1 ratio of engineers in this new cooperation, for every engineer Ricardo assigns, Lifan will assign one to work with them. Lifan is aiming …

Lifan are slowly building up their range of motors. The Lifan i520 is basically a hatchback version of the Lifan 520 that is selling well in foreign markets but seldom seen in China, although we have no reason why as its a well packed car at a well packed price.
Lifan grew big through their manufacturing of motorbikes, and spread like wildfire throughout China and South East Asia, owing to their Japanese like quality control and excellent supply chain has let them practically control the motorbike market in various countries, the …

 
In Europe, Lifan may just become a household name overnight. Lifan has obtained E-mark creditation from the Netherlands authorities which will allow them to begin sales in 18 European countries. Every aspect of the car, from tyres to seatbelts to glass in the windows received the E-mark, which is based off ECE regulations. The ECE regulations decieded by the Economic Commission for Europe. It is the proof of compliance with the laws and rules required by the EU. The Council of European communities in Brussels issues these directives and all …

Russian automaker, Automir, and Chongqing based Lifan autos have signed a deal worth 160million USD to deliver the Lifan 520 sedan to the Russian population. The deal is one of the largest deals for a Chinese maker in the Russian market. Over the next three years, Lifan will be busy sending 30,000 Lifan 520’s over the border in CKD (complete knock down) format for the Russians to reassemble.
Lifan is aiming for sales of 8000 units in the first year of operations in the Russian market, and a further 40,000 units …

Chongqing Lifan, the worlds biggest manufacturer of motorcycles (both three wheeled, and two wheeled varients) must be celebrating this week after their Lifan 520 sedan passed Russian crash testing. The sedan is assembled in Russia for the Russian market after Lifan sealed a $160 million USD deal with Russian automaker, Automirv, to sell the 520 in the country. Automirv will be buying 30,000 CKD Lifan 520 models over the next three years.

Click the above picture for a bigger version.
The test was carried out by the Russian authority for crash testing, …