BEIJING — Lifan's new 320 hatchback, introduced at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, won't do much to dispel the widely held notion in Europe and North America that Chinese automakers blithely steal designs from established overseas companies. Even the Chinese media have taken to referring to the 320 as a "Mini look-alike."
The so-called "3 Series" is the second model to be launched by Lifan, a small independent brand based in Chongqing that got its start making inexpensive motorcycles. The 320 five-door is slated to go on sale in China in August, priced from around $7,000.
At the Beijing show, the front-wheel-drive 320 features an 87-horsepower 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual gearbox, with a 1.1-liter variant said to be in the pipeline. Top speed is estimated at 96 mph.
What this means to you: Best guess is you won't see this one in England any time soon. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
The so-called "3 Series" is the second model to be launched by Lifan, a small independent brand based in Chongqing that got its start making inexpensive motorcycles. The 320 five-door is slated to go on sale in China in August, priced from around $7,000.
At the Beijing show, the front-wheel-drive 320 features an 87-horsepower 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual gearbox, with a 1.1-liter variant said to be in the pipeline. Top speed is estimated at 96 mph.
What this means to you: Best guess is you won't see this one in England any time soon. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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