About China's Coolest Cars
A brand new Lada Niva Urban 4×4, seen in east Beijing in 2018. The Russian sled looked great in white, with a black grille and large wheels with sporty alloys.
Back in the old days, when China and the Soviet Union barter-traded lots of goods, small numbers Lada Niva SUVs were imported into China. They were mainly sold to the government.
Continue reading “Lada Niva 4×4 Urban Tried It Again In China”
A very pretty Nanjing NJ6400 Encore, seen in a village high up in the mountains north of Beijing, capital of China. The Nanjing appeared to be in a great shape and very well maintained, complete with its original alloys, mud flaps, and badges.
Continue reading “Nanjing NJ6400 Encore In The Mountains In China”
A Shuanghuan SCEO SUV seen near Chaoyang Park in east Beijing in 2010. The car looked nice in Chengguan livery but it also looked a bit tired. Always hard at work, we bet.
Continue reading “Beijing Chengguan Rides A Shuanghuan SCEO”
Here we have a yellow Geely GLeagle Panda, a car just as mellow as the panda bear. GLeagle was one of Geely’s many brands in the 2000’s, it has since disappeared. The Panda was designed to look like a panda. The headlights are the eyes, the GLeagle logo is the nose, and the grille is the beast’s beak.
Continue reading “Geely GLeagle Panda GC313-RV Looks Like A Panda”
A Nanjing NJ1020 Unique van, seen in the great city of Shanghai in 2012. The good old van was in reasonable shape but in urgent need of a car wash and a new wheel cover.
The Unique was made by Nanjing Auto. It was based on a mix of elements of the Seat Ibiza and the Seat Inca van. Nanjing Auto bought the rights to the fist generation Seat Ibiza in 1997 and started making it in China in 1999 under the Nanjing NJ6400 Encore name. The NJ1020 van arrived in 2000 and was made until 2005.
Basic design of the cargo area is similar to the Seat Inca but the window layout arrangement is different, and Nanjing added a fancy roof spoiler for better airflow! The Nanjing NJ1020 was powered by a 1.5liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 85 hp, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Top speed was 175 km/h, which is not bad for this kind of car, and 0-100 was gone in 10 seconds. Price in 2004 started at 55.000 yuan.
In 2006, Nanjing launched an interesting new variant with an extra door on the right side. Production ended in 2008.
A horse-drawn carriage, seen in central Beijing in 2009. The horse appeared to be in great shape, with a fine hide and strong legs. The carriage has four wheels, small ones up front and larger ones at the rear. The front axle turns with the horse. The animal’s owner was selling super fresh and testy watermelons. This was near my house, and I always bought from this guy in summer. He came from a village to the east.
Continue reading “A Horse-drawn Carriage With Watermelons In Beijing”
Here we have a pretty Geely Merrie Uliou MR7130X1, seen in Beijing in 2012. The little sedan was in a fine general shape but was missing a part of its grille. The sporty alloys are original. The Geely Merrie Uliou was based on the Geely Merrie hatchback, which was based on the Tianjin Xiali, which in turn was based on the Daihatsu Charade.
Continue reading “Geely Merrie Uliou MR7130X1 Is A Small Sedan In China”
A stealthy Bentley Continental GT, seen in Beijing in 2012. The big ‘Ben was wrapped in a matte black wrap, and further dressed up with darkened windows and multi-spoke matte gray alloys.
Continue reading “Bentley Continental GT IS Matte Black In China With A Special License Plate”
A perfect Porsche Boxster, seen in Beijing in 2018. The Porsche was in a superb shape, looking nearly new. The first generation Porsche Boxster is a real rarity in China, as it wasn’t officially sold here.
Continue reading “First Generation Porsche Boxster S Is A Rarity In China”
An early Chery Tiggo SUV, seen in Beijing in 2014. The Tiggo was still in use but looked a little old and tired, with lots of dust and busts. It also has a very old license plate.
The Chery Tiggo was an extremely important car for Chery. It put the brand on the map and it was exported to dozens of countries around the world, under various names.
Continue reading “An Early Chery Tiggo Is Getting Old In China”