FAW to build upscale mid-sized sedan in 2012
China FAW Group Corp. says it plans to build a new mid-sized sedan under its Besturn brand in late 2012, part of a bid to move upscale in China's car market.
FAW displayed the concept of the new model, the B9, at the Shanghai auto show. The car is 4,875 mm long, 1,826 mm wide and 1,469 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,780 mm.
The car will be priced above 200,000 yuan (about $30,800). It will compete with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, said Cui Dayong, vice general manager of FAW Car Co. during a press event at the auto show. FAW Car produces cars for parent company FAW.
No more details about the car were released.
FAW builds two models under the Besturn brand, the B70 mid-sized car and the B50 compact sedan. The B70 has a starting price of 129,800 yuan (about $19,970), while the B50 has a starting price of 92,800 yuan (about $14,280).
Last year, sales of the B70 and the B50 totaled 132,212 units, up 50 percent from 2009, according to J.D. Power.
The state-owned automaker, headquartered in the northeast China city of Changchun, builds the Jiefang truck. It also has joint ventures with Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp. to produce passenger vehicles, plus a joint venture with General
Motors Co. to build commercial trucks.
