On the day of the earthquake Chang'an Auto, located in the city of Chongqing, suspended production for a short time. Production lines at Volkswagen and FAW Toyota, both located in Chengdu, were down even longer. But I believe these are now all returning to normal production.

However the Brilliance Auto Group has it's Mianyang Xinchen engine works subsidiary located in Mianyang, just 40 to 50 km from the epicenter. In the same city Brilliance also opened a new vehicle plant last June under a subsidiary known as Mianyang Huarui Automotive, Co, Ltd.. I've mentioned it before in an earlier post. This plant turns out the all-familiar "Isuzu-based SUVs and pickups", along with the HiAce vans and some minitrucks. With an annual capacity of some 60,000 units, the plant serves as Brilliance's "south" production base.

I have not been able to find out the damage that the plant sustained in the quake, but recent news reports said that in the city of Mianyang 7 schools had toppled and that more than two thirds of the city's population had been affected.

Perhaps someone can shed some light on the status of these Brilliance operations. Doesn't the Brilliance passenger car plant source some of its engines from this location?

The below photo shows an unusual Isuzu-based single cab pickup turned out by Huarui. It's bed has got fold down sides. Something I had not seen before on these pickups.

Here's what Gasgoo.com had to say today, 08-11-3, about the extent of damage to Brilliance' Mianyang operation back in May:

The May 12 earthquake in Sichuan devastated the automaker’s Mianyang plant and affected the production, but the production base soon resumed its manufacturing as Brilliance Auto quickly offered both material and workforce support.

Good to see that like the others, they too are back up and running.

Dragin here is what I found about Mianyang Huarui Automotive.

Mianyang Huarui Automotive Co.,Ltd. as a Jinbei branch company (Mianyang Jinbei), was established in December of 2003 invested by Brilliance Auto Group and Wuliang Ye Group. Current vehicles produced in Mianyang Jinbei are SUV (SY6480, SY6490), PICKUP (SY1023,SY1025, SY1026), Mini Bus (SY6483) and light truck, diesel/ petrol, 2WD/ 4WD, RHD /LHD.
Based on experience predominance of engine, vehicle production and the marketing net, Mianyang Jinbei pushes forward the concept of “Superior Quality & Reasonable Price” to meet the demands of domestic and foreign markets.
Mianyang Jinbei wins the consumer by best product quality, devoted user service, competitive product price, and good brand image, to achieve best satisfaction of the user. Supported by Liaoning, Shenyang and all circles of society, the management team and staff and workers of Brilliance auto will make unremitting efforts to obtain and create new developing space in future Chinese market and even international automobile market.
"Successful beginning, clear target, right strategy, solid confidence, and good prospect", is the new description of Brilliance auto. We are trying to improve our powerful competition in international market through global cooperation.

With annual output of 150,000 of Jinbei Auto, the South Base of Brilliance Auto，Mianyang Huarui Automotive Co., Ltd. insists on independent intellectual property rights and grows together with Chinese automotive industry.

Homepage:
http://www.my-jinbei.com/main.aspx


Products line.

SY6480 SUV:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075075.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075369.jpghttp://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075363.jpg


SY6490:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075084.jpg

SY6490:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075375.jpghttp://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075372.jpg


SY1023 pickup:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075081.jpg


SY1025:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075338.jpg

SY1026:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075078.jpg


LIGHT TRUCK SY1027 - this one is probably developed in cooperation with Dongfeng. Or are both companies buying body shells from same supplier?
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075347.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075341.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075069.jpg

The future, new Haise minivan:
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075072.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-5-foto_4219952_13082292_14075354.jpg

I really wonder if this van will ever be born.

That van looks really cool.

Thank you for the info and the nice photos/renderings Martin. I wonder if they do share the same source with Yu'an Dongfeng for that minitruck body shell. It looks identical to the one that Dongfeng is selling to the DYMAC Vehicle Group in California. DYMAC is fitting it with an electric powertrain.

With annual output of 150,000 of Jinbei Auto, the South Base of Brilliance Auto，Mianyang Huarui Automotive Co., Ltd. insists on independent intellectual property rights and grows together with Chinese automotive industry.

Automotive News China reported that vehicle output last year was more like hundreds of units, although capacity obviously is much more now.
As for the insistance on IPR, I think that the vehicle photos showing Isuzu, Toyota, and BMW designs betray that claim.

The van was perfectly made great. Nice Front view.

Bmw front .... copy cat:(

lolz...Yes it is but it's nice and much cheaper than BMW. :)

Newest vehicles in thier lineup - SY6481 SUV and SY1028 Pickup

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838255.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838258.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838267.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838261.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838264.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838270.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838273.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16838276.jpg


http://auto.tfol.com/10091/10409/2009/8/19/10795784.shtml
http://auto.tfol.com/10091/10410/2009/8/19/10795778.shtml
http://auto.tfol.com/10091/10410/2009/8/19/10795771.shtml

we proudly present to you......re-designed toyota land crusier and isuzu d-max :)

Another Isuzu D-Max and Land Cruiser Prado 120 copycat..:lol:

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920358.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920352.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920349.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920355.jpg


Live pictures at:
http://www.360che.com/b_160.html
http://www.360che.com/m10/2714_index.html

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920346.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920343.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920340.jpg

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16920337.jpg

With the Prado nose and tail fused onto the Isuzu-based body, its been turned into something of an automotive Frankenstein Monster. But its the roof pillars that give away its real identity.