Chongqing city is celebrating its status as a municipality city of China for ten full years this week, and the people of Chongqing have voted the top brands of the massive city as being
1) Chang’an Motors
2) Chongqing Bai Huo
3) Jin Fu Ren
4) Lifan
5) Long Hu Real Estate
Chongqing appears to be an automotive powerhouse, especially with two of the largest automobile/motorcycle manufacturers in China present in their fair city!

American Insurance Group recently bought a rather large chunk of Lifan, 25% to be precise. The chairman of Lifan, then stated that Lifan will IPO later this year, raising a hell of a lot of money for investment in Lifan. Lifans chairman has outlined the international sales goals for Lifan over the next few years, which is basically, export, export, export, build many new factories!
On a serious note, Lifan plans by 2010 to produce 200,000 cars per year, 200,000 engines per year, and make cars that range from 30,000rmb to …

Lifan has supplied us with some pretty cool photos of their car making robots.

Lifan have upgraded to robotic labor to help raise the quality level of their products, and to improve efficiency. Lifan say that by using robots, they can raise the efficiency level by 34%. Lifan tell us that the robot manufactured car bodies are a lot stronger than the hand made body panels.

In recent years there has been a trend of Chinese companies buying up ailing western companies, there was Nanjing MG and Rover, Chinese banks buying stakes in Barclays bank, and then the Indians were at it too; The British company, Corus Steel was taken over by an Indian billionaire – its a reverse colonization of sorts, instead of moving people in, you move your money in, it becomes an economic empire.
Recently the American insurer, AIG, bought a 25% stake in Lifan reversing the above trend. Lifan plans to IPO on …

Lifan are saying their latest model, the Lifan 620 will cost between 80, and 100,000rmb when it goes on the market later this year.

Lifan showed off their 620 prototype a while back (above), and finally have made the real thing. Lifan are saying the 620 will come with either a 1.6 or a 1.8 VVT motor that was self developed in house.

The sub 100k rmb car market in China is a fierce arena, with both domestic and foreign car marques clashing over prices. Lifan has routed the …

Lifan worked with British company, Ricardo, to create their latest 1.8 VVT engine that is going to be used in their 620 sedan, and a range of other vehicles, including MPV and SUV.
Lifans internal code name for the engine is B4L18, as already mentioned, the B4L18 utilises VVT technology, its 4 stroke, water cooled, DOHC giving out a max of 100kw and max torque of 172 N.m/r.
From what we hear, Lifan are pouring a lot of energy into research and developing engines ranging from tiny 800cc to a much larger …

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 …