Brilliance to launch Junjie wagon sedan in Jan

Shanghai, December 25 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese automaker Brilliance Auto, a Chinese partner of BMW, will launch to the market its self-developed Zhonghua Junjie wagon sedan model in January 2009, and will price the new model between 95,000 yuan ($13,900) and 159,000 yuan, said xinhuanet.com yesterday.

Insiders said the 2009 Junjie wagon has much in common with the 2008 Junjie model. The two medium-grade compact sedans share the Zhonghua Junjie platform and have the same power-train. Powering the current Zhonghua Junjie sedan is a choice of three four-cylinder engines below 2.0 liters, one of which is a diesel.

However, some configurations and functions have been upgraded for the revamped model. As a wagon version from the two-year-old Pininfarina-designed Zhonghua Junjie model, the Junjie wagon appears to be an Audi A4 Avant wagon body wrapped around a Hyundai Sonata interior. The grille is typical Chinese-busy but not hideous.

Wagon sedans are hot sellers in the European and Japanese markets. The wagon sales have reached 40% market share of medium- to high-grade sedans in Europe and have become a mainstream vehicle model. Currently in the Chinese market there are Buick Excelle and Mazda's wagon sedans.

Brilliance Auto, BMW's Chinese partner, has developed its own-brand Zhonghua Junjie as a classic family sedan model. The car's design by Italian firm Pininfarina has featured some BMW elements, highlighted by a seamless fusion of European car-making philosophy and classic Chinese aesthetics.

The 2008 Junjie model was released to the market in July this year, and only six months later, the 2009 Junjie wagon will go on sale in the coming January 2009. The Junjie sedans will be exported to Germany and then other parts of the European market next year.

In addition, Brilliance Auto has also got everything ready to launch a Junjie Cross model to the Chinese market in early 2009.