Zhongxing news

[ash]

Date posted: 07-07-2006

HEBEI, China — According to French automotive portal Autoactu.com, Hebei Zhongxing, a Chinese manufacturer of SUVs and pickup trucks, is set to make its debut in Western Europe next year.

Zhongxing, which for years offered Toyota and more recently, Hyundai knockoff products, introduced its first self-developed SUV last year. Aptly called the Landmark, it is powered by a EUR3-compliant locally produced 2.4-liter Mitsubishi gasoline engine. It may not look revolutionary, but those who have seen it claim that build quality is not as low as one might expect.

A few weeks ago, Zhongxing announced that a North American distribution company has been set up in New Jersey. Called ZX Automobile Company of North America, it will distribute the Landmark in the United States beginning next year.

Europe is up next. Cardoen, a Belgian used car dealer that recently held a road show of Chinese vehicles in Belgium, is reportedly very close to signing a distribution deal, and there are talks about a French company as well.

It seems that the Benelux area is very receptive to Chinese vehicles. Last year, a Dutch company introduced the Landwind off-roader to Europe, which later failed miserably in crash tests. Another Chinese company, Shanghai Wanfeng, also set up its European subsidiary in The Netherlands.

[hazik]

What, so zhongxing landmark will be the first Chinese car in the US not Chery

[mrgq]

The unveiling of the much-anticipated ZXAuto Landmark vehicle attracted close to a hundred people yesterday at the GHK Showroom in Beribi, Gadong.
Present as guest of honour at the launch was Mdm Yang Yanyi, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam.

Pehin Dato Paduka Awg Goh King Chin, the Managing Director of GHK Motors Sdn Bhd in his speech said, "Earlier in 2006, we were approached by several automotive manufacturers from China."

"However, after serious study and consideration we decided to tie up with ZhongXing Automobile, who have produced the 7-seater SUV and also a double cab pick-up," he added. "This memorandum of understanding was signed in the middle of 2006."

Pehin Goh later declared the existence of ZhongXing Auto in Brunei with the introduction of its first car in the Sultanate - the Landmark.

This was followed by the official Brunei launch of ZXAuto and the unveiling of the Landmark by guest of honour Mdm Yang Yanyi.

Members of the general public that attended yesterday's launch were also given an explanation on the specifications of the vehicle by a GHK Motors representative.

The public can also view the ZXAuto Landmark showcase at The Mall Atrium today and Sunday.

[ash]

ZXAuto's Landmark beckons Bruneians


Arfa'eza A Aziz

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
20-Dec-06

CHINA-made cars have yet to make a name and reputation on par with those bearing American, European, Japanese or even late-comer Korean brands. While there are already plenty of cars being assembled in China, it is still a hard sell to market Chinese branded cars.

This, however, did not deter one of Brunei Darussalam's major car distributors, GHK Motors Sdn Bhd, to take up the challenge by introducing a China-made car under the badge of ZXAuto.

The company launched last Friday the ZXAuto Landmark, a seven-seater sports utility vehicle (SUV) powered by a 2.4 litre petrol engine.

Apart from competing with the big guns that have been churning state-of-the-art SUVs in the past years, news reports questioning the quality of China-made cars have made it an uphill battle for them.

Despite this, judging from the good turn-out at Landmark' official launch at GHK's showroom in Beribi, Bruneians proved themselves to be an objective lot.

The Landmark aims to bring the driver and passengers a limousine-like comfortable feeling, and claim to have the design of Landmark that surpasses the present standards.

ZXAuto also claims that Landmark adopts the most advanced international vehicle design idea and is developed jointly by some famous international R&D institutions of Europe and Japan.

This can be seen from the design of the vehicle, chassis and inner trimmings to the supply of spare parts including nine CBU design patents.

If you are worried about its quality make, you can be assured by the fact that its key parts are from international famous brands such as Delphi, Valeo and Siemens.

In fact, 70 per cent of its CBU parts are from the supply system of Volkswagen and General Motors.

This makes the Landmark on the same level with international brand SUVs in quality and performance.

Under the hood, the inline, four-cylinder 2,351cc 4G64 engine is provided by none other than Mitsubishi.

This was exactly the reason why GHK accepted offers from Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Manufacturer Co Ltd to market Landmark here.

The engine produces 127 horsepower (hp) of power at 4,200 to 5,250 revolution per minute (rpm). There is also a diesel engine available although not marketed here as yet.

The petrol engine is claimed to have a fuel efficiency of 11 litres per 100 kilometres or it can go nine kilometres per litre of fuel.

As for the diesel engine, its fuel efficiency is 7.5 litres for 100 kilometres.

"The model sold here uses a five-speed manual transmission and two-wheel drive or 4x2 configuration," GHK's technical trainer Robert C Mosqueda told The Brunei Times.

"Brunei's road network is generally good so we don't really need a four-wheel drive system," he said. "But of course we can provide if there is demand here."

Mosqueda also said that while most people loved to drive cars with automatic transmission, driving a manual gave the driver more control and feel.

"If there is enough demand, we will also provide the automatic models."

Each Landmark is equipped with electronic dual air bags for the driver and front seat passenger. Its ABS brake system keeps effective steering performance and shortens the braking distance by controlling all four wheels.

It also uses the original Delphi module which passes the US safety demarcation.

Moreover, the usual complaints of back passengers not feeling the air conditioning would not arise in the Landmark as it has independent air-cond vents for front and rear.

Its car stereo system is equipped with Siemen's VDO that promises great power and elegancy as well as perfect tone.

Now that we have given all the promotional bits, what does the Landmark really have to offer?

Few would disagree that its $28,800 price tag would cause a beeline of interested motorists to buy the SUV.

Looking at the model from the outside, one would never guess that such a handsome SUV able to accommodate seven passengers would be cheaper that the five-seater Daihatsu Terios which costs just under $30,000.

[CCF mod]

Zhongxing Opens New Plant

January 02, 2008 - Zhongxing Automobile Co. will complete the construction of its second assembly plant in Changchun in 2008 and assemble a new crossover there.

The crossover, the company's first, will be launched in late 2008 or early 2009, says Su Juliang, vice president of Zhongxing's sales company.

Su says Zhongxing will probably also transfer the production of its Landmark SUV from its home plant in Hebei province to the new plant.

The new plant, adjacent to Zhongxing's first plant in Changchun, will have a production capacity of 200,000 units per year. Su says it will expand Zhongxing's total capacity to 380,000 units.

According to Automotive Resources Asia, a division of J.D. Power and Associates, Zhongxing only produced 37,998 units in the first eleven months of this year.

"Our capacity utilization rate is not high," Su say, "The expanding capacity is for the follow-up products planned."

"We need more orders," he says.

Changling Group, Zhongxing's partner in Changchun, says the total area of the new plant is 945,697 square meters. Also planned at the site is an engine and transmission plant with an annual capacity of 500,000 units.

Zhongxing will show the Grand Tiger pickup and Landmark SUV at the North American International Auto Show in January. It also plans to sell these two models in the United States through distributor Chamco, of Parsippany, N.J., starting in late 2008

Source: Automotive News

[CCF mod]

BuyRight unveils ZX Auto.

BuyRight (a known name in on-line personal eletronics and computer products marketing) has ventured into auto business where it is marketing a new Chinse brand called ZX Auto.
Two of the brand’s product lines – pick-up and sport utility vehicle (SUV) – were displayed recently at the city mall, Onikan, Lagos, during which the BuyRight team led by the managing director, Mr Biodun Marquis, introduced ZX Auto as a joint venture between two Chinese companies.

Though ZX has other products, BuyRight said during the briefing it is bringing in only Grand Tiger pick-up and Landmark SUV. On the pick-up which was introduced with a lot of passion, Maquis said “ we have the best priced product in the market today and we offer you more value”.

Grand Tiger
ZX Auto Grand Tiger is a crossover vehicle with the basic characteristics of a sedan, an SUV and a pick-up. A double cabin offering, the pick-up is available in Economic, Standard and Luxury models, with a discounted entry price of N2.2m. Buyers have 2WD/4WD, manual/automatic transmission, and petrol/diesel engine to choose from. Also featuring in the vehicle are power steering, power windows, central lock, central air-conditioning and keyless entry.

Marquis who said his company branched into auto business three years ago, spoke of the Grand Tiger’s unique selling points: “ Grand Tiger is a go anywhere, do more things vehicle”. Its ground clearance ensures it can cover any terrain, hence the phrase ‘go anywhere’. Its ability to transform into a ‘car’, ‘SUV and pick-up, gives it the second unique selling point of ‘do more things’ .

“Also GrandTiger has a very good salvage value - this becomes useful if you decide to sell it and get a new vehicle. GrandTiger, compared to other vehicles, has a faster selling time and higher salvage value (especially when campared to cars). So GrandTiger is a good investment always”.

Landmark
ZX Auto Landmark attracted quite a number of admirers during the display at City Mall. Almost all agreed that the vehicle is an SUV with modern and design concept. It is available in 2WD and 4 WD, as well as manual and automatic transmission and petrol/diesel engine versions. Power steering, power windows, central lock, central conditioning and keyless, entry are some of the features.
The BuyRight boss told his guests that his company had put in place “service centres in major cities in Nigeria”, while warranty is three years “ or predetermined mileage”

He disclosed that very considerable discounts await orders from the Police, Army or other organizations or individuals for large number of units of the vehicles.

source: sunnewsonline.com

[CCF mod]

New plant of Zhongxing officialy opened.

August 13, 2008 - Chinese carmaker Hebei Zhongxing Automobile has recently completed construction of its Changchun facility, which boasts an annual output of 200,000 vehicles and auto parts, reported Chongqing Economic Times yesterday.

The project is a joint venture by Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Company Ltd. and Changchun Zhongxing Changling Auto Parts Manufacturing Corp, with a total investment of 1.937 billion yuan ($283 million).

Zhongxing is planning to develop and produce pickups, SUVs, and CUVs (crossover utility vehicles) as well as components such as bodies of sedans and MPVs and some others, according to sources.

Without unveiling any detail of the production program, Zhongxing reportedly will enter the unitized vehicle body production sector for the first time, sources said.

Zhongxing Auto has built up its capabilities of developing unitized vehicle body products borrowing from several decades of pickup-making experience. Therefore, the company may shift parts of its operations to sedans in future by starting with MPV manufacturing, industry insiders predicted.

source: Gasgoo.com

[CCF mod]

On June 30th, one Landmark-Komodo, the first product of ZXAUTO’s Egypt KD Program, smoothly came off the production line in AAV plant at Cairo; ZXAUTO and AUTOMOTIVE GATE, partner in Egypt, held a ceremony and press release for coming off line of the first vehicle. Landmark—Komodo is the first Chinese SUV brand penetrating Egypt market.

AAV, whose full name is Arab American Vehicles, is AG’s local partner. As biggest assembly plant in Egypt, it was founded in 1977. With solid strength and advanced equipments, AVV has assembled as many as 15 models of cars, among which are well-known brands such as Jeep, Peugeot, Hyundai, etc. AVV is the local leader in Egypt.

For Egypt’s status as greatest economic power in North Africa, rapid development and developed transport facilities, it has much potential in automobile market. In respect that Egypt has much desert area, particularly it has huge demand for SUV. Therefore, ZXAUTO sets SUV as initial penetrating point. It will cover four models in 2 wheels driven and 4 wheels driven. They are popular in Egypt and orders placed are approaching 2,000 units. With research and planning of a professional marketing company, Landmark is named as Komodo. Komodo is a huge lizard in Egypt myths and legends with extraordinary braveness and mighty power. And at present in Egypt there are six distributors and four contracted service suppliers, all of whom are good ones with mighty strength and abundant experience.

ZXAUTO has accumulated much experience in exporting technology to overseas plants such as to Amur factory in Russia in 2006, so the operation of Egypt program is very smooth. From jigs manufacturing to production, it took only 10 months and later it enters into the final SOP phase, which symbolizes overseas technology export mode of ZX AUTO is gradually mature.

source: zxauto.com.cn

[CCF mod]

Zhongxing to make pickups for Changan

October 17, 2008 - China’s pickup and SUV maker Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co on Wednesday signed a cooperation contract with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co for Zhongxing to build pickups for the latter, the Nanfang Daily reported.

Under the contract, Zhongxing will use its existing facilities and oversea operations to build pickups for Changan, who will in turn help Zhongxing promote its brand awareness abroad, a Zhongxing executive said. Prices of the pickups will be positioned at 60,000 yuan to 70,000 yuan.

No further details of the contract were released. Last week an executive of Changan's global sales division, told Automotive News that the pickups will be mainly sold overseas. But the United States and Europe are not included in the target markets initially.

The report said Zhongxing expects its oversea sales will grow 80-100% this year to 20,000 units, at last year's level. Year to date sales in the domestic market have reached 31,000 units, it said.

source: Gasgoo.com

[mememe]

Zhongxing Auto to export 5,000 pickups to Libya

October 28, 2008
Shanghai, October 28 (Gasgoo.com) Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of pickup trucks and SUVs in northern China, clinched an deal with Libya on October 20 for exporting 5,000 pickups, according to an earlier SinoCast report.

The order of 5,000 pickups accounts for 40%-50% of the market demand in Libya for the full year, when sales of pickups for the South African country are estimated at 10,000 to 12,000 units.

Zhongxing Auto, which has three pick-up series including economy pickups, medium-end pickups and high-end pickups, expects to sell 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles this year, with a yearly increase of 15% to 20%.

The Chinese carmaker has recently completed construction of its Changchun facility. The facility, which is to produce C-platform sedans in 2009, will boost the company's production capacity to 200,000 cars.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1008...-to-Libya.html