About China's Coolest Cars
This is an Audi A3L Limousine 35 TFSI S-line, as seen in the Chinese capital Beijing. The A3L Limousine is a China-only long-wheelbase variant of the Audi A3 sedan. The car that I saw is the updated 2024 model, painted in Gotland Green and fitted with darkened windows and sporty alloys.
Continue reading “Audi A3L Limousine Is A China-only Long-wheelbase Sedan”
Here we have an Audi A6 sedan, seen on the road in the Chinese capital Beijing. The good Audi was incredibly dusty but otherwise in good shape. It was still being used, and the paint looked good. It had the original alloy wheels but the bub caps were missing.
Continue reading “A Silver FAW-Volkswagen Audi A6 Is A Long-wheelbase German-Chinese Sedan”
Here we have an Audi A6L 4.2 Quattro, as seen on the road in the Chinese capital Beijing. The big German sedan was in perfect shape for its years, painted in the typical dark black, and fitted with pretty 15-spoke matte gray alloy wheels.
Continue reading “FAW-Volkswagen Audi A6L 4.2 Quattro Is A Rare V8-powered China-made Sedan”
Here we have a pretty Volkswagen Citi Golf, seen in south-central Beijing on new years eve January 22, 2012. The car was in a reasonable shape for its years and painted in a dark red shade that matched nicely with the red stars in the fence on the left.
Continue reading “Volkswagen Citi Golf Was A China-only Re-badged Seat Cordoba”
Here we have a Volkswagen Sagitar sedan, seen in the far east of Beijing in 2018. The Sagaitar is normally not a significant sedan but this one is thanks to its 京M·68888 license plate.
Continue reading “Volkswagen Sagitar Has A License In China”
Look at this! A very speedy Volkswagen Jetta, seen somewhere in Hebei Province in 2011. The good Jetta was sexed up to the max with a VW windshield sticker, lowered suspension, an all-around body kit, modified bumpers & grille & headlights, with a partially black hood and darkened windows and extra wide tires with shiny sporty wheels.
Continue reading “A Slightly Modified Volkswagen Jetta MK2 In China”
A Volkswagen Sagitar sedan, seen on a car market in Beijing in 2013. The Sagitar was wrapped in an interesting matte black wrap with glitter bits inside.
Continue reading “Volkswagen Sagitar Is Wrapped in Glitter Matte Black In China”
A super rare super early FAW-Volkswagen Audi 100 sedan, seen in 2015 in the Wangjing District in the the Chinese capital Beijing. The good Audi was in a reasonable shape for its age; paint was a bit tired and there was some damage under the left light headlight.
Continue reading “A Very Early FAW-Volkswagen Audi 100 In China”
A Volkswagen Jetta taxi, seen in the Sanlitun embassy area in Beijing back in 2013. It was a hot summer day in July so the Beijing taxi driver took a well deserved rest. He was having a sleep with the driver seat down and his yellow shirt hanging down from the ceiling of the vehicle.
These yellow shirts are a thing. They became obligatory by law in 2007 in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Beijing taxi drivers, a notoriously grumpy bunch, didn’t like the shirts at all, but the Beijing government made clear that no shirt was no ride, so in the end early all taxi drivers complied.
Seeing a taxi driver having a nap like this was perfectly normal in times then. On any hot summer’s day you could find exhausted Beijing taxi drivers, riding for 12+ hours a day, taking a rest on any shaded street.
The FAW-Volkswagen Jetta used to be one of the most popular taxi’s in Beijing in the 2000’s and early 2010’s. Nowadays, most have been replaced by taxi’s made by the local Beijing-Hyundai joint venture.
A black Audi A6 sedan with white license plates, seen in Beijing in 2015. The big Audi was in a fine shape with darkened windows and the original allow wheels, which looked nice and shiny for their age.
White license plates for passenger cars were only issued in 2002 and 2003 in Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen. It was an experiment were citizens were allowed to come up with their own alphabetical/numerical combinations.
The experiment was cancelled after citizens came up with far too much creativity, choosing for various combinations with ‘sex’, ‘CIA’, ‘FBI’, and the infamous USA-911 which appeared on a Beijing car not long after the September 11 attacks. After the ensuing uproar the experiment was killed off but owners were allowed to keep the non-offensive plates.
The second generation Audi A6 (C5/Type 4B) was made in China by FAW-Volkswagen in Changchun. Production started in 2004. Wheelbase was extended by 9 centimeters to 2850 for more space in the back. It was available with three engines: a 150 hp 1.8 turbo, a 170 hp 2.4 V6, and a 190 hp 2.8 V6. Prices started at 348.500 yuan. White plates are priceless.
