About China's Coolest Cars
A Guangzhou Auto Trumpchi GA5, seen in Beijing in early 2011, on a cold winter’s day. At the time, the Trumpchi GA5 was brand new and yet ultra rare, much rarer indeed than the two Nissan Bluebird sedans in the background. The GA5 was the first car of the Trumpchi line under the Guangzhou Auto brand. Later on, Trumpchi became a standalone brand.
Continue reading “Guangzhou Auto Trumpchi GA5 Was Once A Very Special Sedan In China”
A pretty Ferrari California, seen in China’s capital Beijing in 2011. The good Ferrari was painted in red, and that is the only proper color for a sporty car in Red China. The California was further sexed up with darkened windows, gray alloys wheels, and red brake calipers.
Continue reading “Ferrari California Is A Pretty Italian Sports Car In China”
An arty farty Volvo C30, seen in front of Volvo shop in Sanlitun embassy district in 2011. The good, or perhaps poor, Volvo was wrapped in a very bright and colorful wrap, looking like a real art car. The bonnet is very busy with a sea and a sun and a sky.
Continue reading “Volvo C30 Art Car With A Matching License Plate In China”
A Beijing Auto Beijing BJ20 Off-Road Edition, seen in Beijing in 2018. The vehicle looked brand new and was perfectly clean inside and out. The Beijing Auto BJ20 was conceived in a night of madness and debuted in standard form in 2016, featuring a polarizing design that didn’t look like anything else in the Beijing Auto lineup.
A tank thing, seen in Hebei Province to the east of Beijing in the winter of 2019. Contraptions like these are sometimes used by restaurants to ‘fire’ fireworks during wedding ceremonies and other miserable celebrations.
Continue reading “This Tank Thing Is actually A Jeep Cherokee XJ Underneath”
An almost too pretty Porsche 991 911 Carrera Cabriolet, seen in 2015 in the Lido area in Beijing. This area is, for reasons not entirely clear, loaded with Porsches. On that very same day I also met a 997 911 Targa and a 997 Carrera 4. The Cabriolet was painted in blue with a dark blue convertible top and light gray allow wheels. The entire interior was beige.
Continue reading “Porsche 991 911 Carrera Cabriolet Is A Speedy Blue Convertible In China”
An Ariel Atom 3 racy road car, seen in the Tuning Tribe tuning street in Beijing in 2015. It is a very special China-assembled Ariel Atom.
In 2007, Ariel Motor UK signed a deal with Chinese company Qingdao Ariel Auto Parts for the production of the Atom in China. At the time, the Chinese side claimed to have 200 orders for the Atom. The company was based in Jimo District in the city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.
Continue reading “The Ultra Rare China-Assembled Ariel Atom”
Here we have a relatively rare Hainan Mazda 323 sedan, seen in Beijing in 2019. The good Mazda was a bit dusty and in need of some maintenance, but otherwise in an okay overall shape.
Continue reading “Hainan Mazda 323 HMC7180 Is A Special Chinese-Japanese Sedan”
A Toyota Corolla sedan, seen near a car market in Beijing in 2019. The Corolla was a little dirty and dusty, with some dents and rust, but overall it didn’t look that bad for its old age.
Continue reading “Seventh Generation North American Market Toyota Corolla Sedan In China”
A brilliant first generation E12 BMW 520i, seen on a car market in Beijing in the winter of 2019. It is only the second E12 I ever saw in China, after a red 528. The good Bimmer was in a fine shape for its years, largely original and with the original black paint still feeling smooth. The alloys are from a much newer BMW 5-Series but they looked pretty nice under the 520i.
Continue reading “E12 BMW 520i Looks Very Cool In Black In Beijing”
