A cool Acura RL sedan, seen in China in 2018. The RL looked great in black with darkened windows, black wheels, black mirrors, and black bumpers. Only the grille and some trim were spared from the blackness.
Author: Harry Helmsman
Volkswagen Golf GTI Is A Rare 3-Door Hot Hatch In China
A Volkswagen Golf GTI, seen in Beijing in 2017. The good GTI was painted in white with a black grille, black wheels, darkened windows, darkened headlights, and matte gray mirrors.
The 3-door version of the Mk5 Volkswagen Golf GTI is very rare in China. It was officially sold here in period but the vast majority of buyers went for the 5-door version. Power came from a 2.0 liter turbocharged four with 200 hp and 280 Nm. The only gearbox option in China was the 6-speed DCT. The top speed was 233 km/h and 0-100 was gone in 6.9 seconds.
The Mk5 Golf GTI was imported into China. The price of the 3-door version was 399.000 yuan, and the 5-door was 410.000 yuan (2006). Local production of the Golf GTI in China started in 2010 at FAW-Volkswagen, but only in 5-door form. Interestingly, the 3-door version, while not popular in the period, has now reached somewhat of a cult status, with collectors snapping up the few cars that were sold.
Changan CS95 Is A Large Chinese SUV With Lots Bling – And Dust
A Changan CS95 SUV, seen parked outside a Changan dealer in Beijing in April 2017. The CS95 came with an impressive front, loaded with bling on the grille, around the headlights, and with some more on the fake air vents in the hood.
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The Landwind X9 JX6424C Was A Cool 3-Door SUV That Deserved A Better Badge
A Landwind X9 SUV, seen in the Fangzhuang area in Fengtai District in southern Beijing in February 2015. The good Landwind looked great in black with shiny gray alloys and a red interior. The bull bar was a factory option.
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Hafei Lobo 1.1 16V Looks Pretty In Blue in China
A Hafei Lobo 1.1 16V, seen in February 2015 in central Beijing. The good Lobo was in a great shape, painted in a pretty shade of blue that almost matches with the license plates. The car seemed totally original, down to the sporty alloy wheels.
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Porsche Panamera Executive Is A Long-wheelbase Porsche In China
This is a rare Porsche Panamera Executive, seen in Beijing in 2015. The car seemed very new and looked great in white with multispoke gray wheels and a brown-red interior.
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Citroen Elysee With White ZZX-001 License Plates In China
A black Citroen Elysee sedan, seen in 2015 on the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. The Citroen had a very cool and very rare white license plate. That alone is worth a story, but this one was even more special because of its ZZX-001 sequence.
The Citroen Elysee was made by the Dongfeng-PSA joint venture. It was an updated and restyled variant of the Dongfeng-PSA Citroen ZX Fukang, which in turn was based on the France-made Citroen ZX. Production of the Elysee started in 2002 and ended in 2008.
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Beijing Weiwang 306 Is A Cool Police Van In China
This is a Beijing Weiwang 306 police van, seen in the Sanlitun embassy area in Beijing in December 2011. The van was brand new and looked very nice in police livery. It had a police light-siren unit on the roof but I didn’t see any additional lights on the bumpers.
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Great Wall Hover Is Not A Toyota In China
A Great Wall Hover SUV, seen on a car accessories market in Beijing in 2011. The good Hover was pretending to be a Toyota, with Toyota logo’s on the grille and on the back. We are not that easily fooled!
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Ferrari F430 Spider Is A Spice Spirit In Beijing
A spicy-red Ferrari F430 Spider seen at a parking lot of a mall in the Dongzhimen area in Beijing in 2011. Customers of the nearby Spice Spirit restaurant could win a ride in the Ferrari if they won a lottery. The owner of the restaurant owned the car as well.
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