New Chery Ruizhen 7 to hit Chinese markets later this year

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai June 18) - Chery will begin manufacturing its new Ruizhen 7 sedan, which made its debut in concept car form as the α7, later this year, auto.qq.com reported today. The mass-produced Ruizhen 7, which is codenamed A4, will make its market debut by the end of the year with an approximate starting price of 80,000 yuan ($13,001).

The α7 (pictured), which was unveiled before this April's Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, is built on Chery's iAuto core technology platform and uses hydrodynamic surfacing. It sports a smooth design look and several new design elements visible in its fascia and profile. Theα7 measures 4.65 m long, 1.82 m wide and 1.48 m tall and has a 2.7 m long wheelbase. It is supported by a front Mcpherson suspension and rear multi-link suspension.

Theα7's interior design's follows two philosophies: 'H.E.', which aims to create the comfort of a home environment in the car, and 'U.only', which allows the user to select the color of various LED lights and customize other options. Additional features include independent automatic constant air conditioning, remote keyless entry and start-up with mobile phones, 3G network and CAN bus support, as well as tire pressure and suspension system monitoring via mobile phones.

Under the hood is Chery's independently developed SQRE4G16 engine, producing up to 93 kW and 160 Nm of torque. It can be mated to either a five-speed manual or continuously variable transmission.