A BYD F6, seen in the outskirts of Beijing in 2019. The vehicle was in a fine shape; painted in silver and just a little dusty, without any big dents or rust. The license plate is interesting, both 6 and 8 are lucky numbers in Chinese culture. So is this a lucky BYD? Q stands for company-owned car.
I have always seen the BYD F6 as a decent but somewhat boring sedan. It was made from 2008 until 2012, and it was BYD’s top-end sedan model. When it debuted, some said it looked a tad too much like the 7th generation North American Honda Accord. And that is indeed so, even the alloy wheels look like the Honda’s! But back in those days BYD copied lots of cars, mainly from Toyota but also from other brands. They have come a long way since, their current lineup consists of beautiful and fully original cars.
The interior was a near-perfect copy of the Honda too, up until the air vents and the shape of the instrument binnacle. BYD added lots of faux wood and some shiny plastics. The seats are covered with seat covers to protect the original faux leather seats. However a copy it may be, the interior has survived the test of time very well.
The BYD F6 was a roomy car with loads of space in the rear compartment.
The BYD F6 was available with three engines: a 122 hp 1.8, a 140 hp 2.0, and a 160 hp 2.4. The first two engines were developed and built by BYD, the third was sourced from Shenyang-Mitsubishi. Size of the BYD F6: 4846/1822/1465, with a 2740 wheelbase.
In 2008 it was one of the most luxurious Chinese-brand cars on the market, competing head to head with joint venture cars like the Volkswagen Passat and the Citroen C-Triomphe. Price in 2008 started at 79.800 yuan for the 2.0 model, which was a very good deal for such a big car. The 2.4 was way more expensive, with a base price of 119.800 yuan. The 1.8 arrived in 2010, for 89.800 yuan. At that time, the base 2.0 models were cancelled.
The BYD (比亚迪) badge at the back. BYD stands for Build Your Dreams. The BYD F6 surely was a dream car for some, especially in 2008, bringing a semi-luxurious sedan within reach of more people than ever before.
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