Chery A3 goes on sale today at $11,990

Shanghai, September 26 (Gasgoo.com) Chery Automobile Co Ltd officially launched its much anticipated A3 car at Shanghai International Automobile City this afternoon. The automaker revealed that the B00 segment A3 will be priced at 81,800 yuan ($11,990) to 89,800 yuan.

The model on sale today is powered by Chery's own 1.6L 16-valve ACTECO engine putting out about 87.5 kW. Maximum speed can reach 186km/h.

Designed by Pininfarina, the car has a stylish and cohesive exterior made up of soft contours and neat detailing with a total of five body colors is available for option. Inside, the cabin has a predominantly gray color scheme. The dashboard is neatly styled and is highlighted with silver accents.

"We have repeatedly postponed the launch date to test the car's performance and improve its quality, and thus to give it a better starting point," said Chery President Yin Tongyao.

Yin indicated that Chery A3 is the first car in China to undertake a 100,000km continuous test publicly before launch, the first brand to offer a 4-year or 120,000-kilometer warranty and the only B00-segment car equipped with an ESP.

In June this year Chery gave A3 a 100,000km continuous test, and its safety features have been greatly upgraded -- in the crash test Chery A3 has reached the five-star auto safety standard.

Production-ready A3 was first shown at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show  in April

More new Chery A3 photos at http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/Gallery.html