Youngman-Lotus RCR to be China made in year end

Shanghai, June 5 (Gasgoo.com) China's Youngman Automobile Group, formerly a commercial vehicle OEM only, will delay its local production of the Proton Gen.2-based Europestar Lotus RCR hatchback from August to December this year. The delay caused by some policy requirements has also put the race car’s current China sales at a disadvantage.

Chinese automaker Youngman Auto and UK automaker Lotus jointly launched the first race car RCR in China in January this year. The model, which is based on the platform of Gen.2 produced by Lotus, is priced at 129,800 yuan ($18,700) to 139,800 (20,537). The Chinese automaker said it had spent over 2 billion yuan developing this model. The vehicle is also referred to by the company as the 'Youngman-Lotus RCR', which has been well received in the Chinese market.

The car was originally scheduled for local production in China in August. But now the car has not been permitted yet by China's environmental protection authorities, and the VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers) of all cars imported to China have to be modified. As a result, buyers cannot get a license for the Youngman-Lotus RCR (like other new imported cars) until later this month. This has also affected the sales of the race car and delayed its local production to December. However, Youngman Auto said the car will be assembled in China in July.

The race car is powered by a 1.6 Liter Campro engine. Its maximum output is 112 hp/6000 rpm and its maximum torque is 149 Nm/4000. The car can accelerate to 100km/h in 10.5 second and its maximum speed can reach 190km/h. Europestar first offered the 1.6 model in China with either an automatic or manual gearbox to choose from.
 
At the 2006 Beijing auto show, China's Youngman Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with British automaker Lotus.