Brilliance planning to develop 1.0L mini sedans

Shanghai, March 23 (Gasgoo.com) Brilliance Auto will put on sale several new vehicle models this year, including the Junjie FRV Crossover model. And the company is planning to expand its economical sedan lineup by developing and making 1.0L (or so) mini sedans, xinhuanet.com said today.

In the coming months, Brilliance Auto will revamp and improve its existing production lines. Construction of its A-class car facility project will be kicking off soon and the new plant is scheduled for production in June 2010.

While the development of eco-friendly new-energy vehicles is a hot topic in the global auto industry, Brilliance Auto said it has completed the commercialization of its Zhonghua (weak) hybrid sedan model and the R&D project of its Zhonghua (strong) hybrid engine technologies.

Meanwhile, Brilliance's R&D project of its Zhonghua LNG single-fuel sedan has been listed among China's national technological "863 Program." The carmaker is also planning to develop its all-electrical mini sedan models.

BMW Brilliance, a joint venture between BMW and Brilliance Auto, is expanding its manufacturing base in Shenyang, northeast China. The new facility will more than double the company's production capacity from 40,000 to 85,000 units annually.