Changan Auto to roll out V101, hatchback Zhixiang

Shanghai, June 13 (Gasgoo.com) Changan Auto will roll out at this year’s end or at the beginning of 2009 the hatchback Zhixiang, which was displayed at the 2008 Beijing auto show. The V101 and Zhinxiang HEV (Hybrid-Electric Vehicles) will also be launched in the second half of this year, Xu Liuping, the company's president recently said to reporters.

According to Xu, Changan Auto plans to launch a lot of new car models in the future, including hatchback Zhixiang, V101, Jiexun HEV and Zhixiang HEV, a gift for the Olympics Games. Zhixiang HEV is already under the test and is expected to come out prior to Jiexun HEV. As for the costs of hybrids, Xu said, "hybrid vehicles will be 20-30% more expensive than common vehicle models before mass production. But the price will be reduced when hybrid vehicles start volume production." He also said that hybrid vehicles will win policy support from the country.

The V101 is expected to be equipped with China Landwind Fenghua's 1.5L engine, an all-aluminum four cylinder in-line engine developed jointly by Changan Auto and German FEV Company. The engine, which also uses Bosch's Electric Injection System, generates a torque peak at 137 NM from 3,500rpm to 4,500rpm.

V101

Referred to as Jiexun and Fengshang of Changan Auto, the V101 is likely to be priced between 60,000 yuan ($8,633) and 80,000 yuan with Chery Amulet and Geely HRV as the rivals.

The hatchback Zhixiang retains Zhixiang sedan’s body styling but tends to be more dynamic and vigorous in detail design.

hatchback Zhixiang

To be powered by a 1.6L engine or a 2.0L engine which generates an output of 112KW hp and 192 NM, the model is expected to be priced between 80,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan.