New Beijing-brand sedan may use Benz engine

Shanghai, February 11 (Gasgoo.com) Beijing Auto's two newly designed Beijing-brand sedan models displayed at the 2008 Beijing auto show are expected to enter the auto market in 2010, and one of them will be equipped with the Mercedes-Benz engine and power assembly, xinhuanet.com reported today.

The two new sedan models carrying the re-designed Beijing-brand logo were independently developed by Beijing Automotive Design Institute and will be produced on the production line of Beijing Benz Automotive Co., formerly called Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co. (BBDC). Chrysler quit the Beijing-based joint venture in late 2008.

One of the all-new Beijing-brand sedan models will target the medium- and high-end market segments of business and commercial sedans. Several power assembly schemes have been drawn up, with one of the sedan models to be equipped with the Mercedes-Benz engine and power assembly.

Mercedes-Benz China Ltd said that sales of Mercedes-Benz brand cars in China soared almost 45% in 2008 to 38,700 units though the market was hurt by the economic crisis. The lengthened version of Mercedes-Benz E-class will be produced in Beijing by 2010.

Beijing's auto industry saw a strong growth in January, with 60,000 vehicles sold, up 17% from a year earlier. Beijing Auto, which has joint ventures with Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz, aims to achieve 100 billion yuan ($14.7 billion) in sales revenue this year, up 34% from 2008.