Beijing Auto eyes rural China with new minivan brand
Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. launched its new Wei Wang minivan brand in Beijing as part of its efforts to penetrate the rural Chinese market.
The state-owned automaker also unveiled a prototype of a minivan that will be produced at Beijing Auto's plant in the north China province of Hebei.
The company says production will start at the end of 2012. Additional details about the minivan are not available.
Minivans are widely used in rural areas where farmers use the vehicles to transport family members as well as farm produce.
Last year, 2.5 million minivans were sold nationwide, up 28 percent year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co. and Changan Automobile Co. are China's two largest minivan makers. Over the past two years, other automakers such as Chery Automobile Co. and Dongfeng Motor Corp. also have introduced minivans.
Beijing Auto, which is located in Beijing, produces passenger vehicles in joint ventures with Daimler AG and Hyundai Motor Co.
