About China's Coolest Cars
And that day in 2010 I went to a new-energy show in Beijing. Local hero Beijing Auto Industry Corporation (BAIC) had a big booth on the show with all sorts of Beijing-branded concept cars including two EVs.
BAIC was on a roll those days. They had just purchased the rights to the Saab 9-5 and Saab 9-3 from General Motors, including the 2.0 and 2.3 turbo engines. The Beijing C71 was a concept car based on the Saab 9-5. It got a modernized new front, a new rear, new badges, and new wheels.
A wondrous white Beijing Auto Senova D320 sedan, seen on the streets in Beijing in 2013. The Shenbao D-Series was based on the first-generation Saab 9-5. Beijing Auto bought the rights to the first generation Saab 9-3 and 9-5 in 2009 from General Motors, then the owner of Saab. The deal included the Saab-developed 2.0 turbo and 2.3 turbo engines.
Continue reading “Beijing Auto Senova D320 Is A Sort Of Saab In China”
This is an ultra are Beijing Commercial Vehicle BJ2020M, a hard-top 4×4 off-road vehicle. The one we saw was fully loaded with dealer accessories. Including: a three-phase bull bar, flag poles, side bars, ultra shiny wheel covers, roof-mounted mirrors, and for spotlights on that same roof. A dream as much a car a dream can be.
Continue reading “A Wondrous White Beijing Commercial Vehicle BJ2020M”
This beauty is a very rare BAM BJ2020SA, a two-door 4×4 off-road vehicle. I saw it in Beijing all the way back in 2003, just across the street from the Workers’ Stadium. The building on the left has long been razed to the ground and replaced by something new, and recently the stadium went down as well! Note the purple trousers and the old δΊ¬C license plate. Continue reading “A Rare BAM BJ2020SA in Yellow Brown In Beijing”
Here we have a Foton View Surf, seen in Beijing on a sunny day. The Foton View was a series of SUVs based on a pickup truck chassis. The Surf was the top-end variant of the View.
Continue reading “This Is The Foton View Surf SUV From China”
This is the new Beijing Auto New Energy EU5 R500, a compact electric sedan from China. It looks great and even a bit futuristic, especially at the front.
Continue reading “The Beijing Auto New Energy EU5 R500 Does 416 Kilometers On One Charge”
This little red racer is the Arcfox Lite, a cool looking two-seat electric city car. It was launched on the Chinese car market last year, but they are a very rare sight on the road.
Continue reading “The Arcfox Lite Is A Cool But Expensive Electric City Car For China”
This is the Beijing Auto BJ40 Plus, seen at a dealer in Tai’an. The BJ40 Plus is a high end variant of the Beijing Auto BJ40 L. Design is heavily inspired by the Jeep Wrangler, but it looks kind of cool.
Continue reading “This Big Red Chinese Jeep-lookalike Has A Saab Engine”