Guangzhou Auto likely to launch first self-made SUV this year

Shanghai January 10 (Gasgoo.com) Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (GAC), a Chinese partner of Honda, Toyota and Fiat, is likely to launch its first self-developed sport utility vehicle (SUV) in the domestic market this year, auto.163.com reported Monday, citing an insider.

The new SUV, codenamed AD, is a volume edition of GAC's X-power Concept car, and will compete head on with the Nissan Qashqai and other compact SUVs on the market. Judging from the spy shots, the new SUV's waistline looks plumper and has obviously been lifted up a lot to shake the "cross-element" of the X-Power Concept.

According to the insider, the new SUV will be built on the platform of the Changfeng Liebao which belongs to GAC Changfeng Motor Co. Ltd. (600991.SH), a subsidiary of GAC. And the platform of the Liebao CS7 will most probably be adopted, sources said.

The new SUV currently in a trial run will likely be powered by a 2.0L DVVT engine, codenamed P3, or a 1.8T engine, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed automatic transmission, respectively.

The Liebao CS7 has gone on sale in China with a price tag of between 99,800 yuan and 123,980 yuan ($15, 000-$18,600), following which GAC has launched its first own-brand sedan Chuanqi at the 2010 Guangzhou Auto Show. The new SUV is expected to be available in the second half of this year, carrying a price tag of between 120,000 yuan and 180,000 yuan.