Sichuan Yema Auto

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Article from Gasgoo:

As a time-honored car brand of Chengdu city in southwest China, "Wild Horse" will be making a comeback in the auto market soon this year. The first SUV model based on the British Rover brand will roll off the production in Sichuan Auto at the end of this month. The Chengdu-made "Wild Horse" vehicle will be restored to its former glory after 10 years of silence.



The re-designed SUV, an old Chengdu car brand now built with new technologies and equipment from the British Rover, is black and soft-lined and has changed much in its interior and exterior features. The car measures 4,800mm long, 1,840mm wide, and 1,835 high, and can reach a top speed of 140km/h. It will roll out at the end of this month and will be mass-produced starting July. The selling price of this re-molded "Wild Horse" will be set at 100,000 yuan ($14,320).

Qingdao Etsong Group has spent 800 million yuan buying the tooling, production line equipment and complete technologies of four car models from British carmaker Rover Company. Sichuan Auto's joint venture with Etsong Group has used all these Rover equipment and technologies in its design and production of the new SUVs and other new vehicles.

In addition to the "Wild Horse" SUV, Sichuan Auto is also set to launch at the end of this year the "Chengdu-made CUV," which is smaller than Chery Tiggo and will go on sale for 70,000 yuan-100,000 yuan next year.

[dragin]

If Sichuan Auto is about to release a new Rover-based SUV at the end of this month, then why is it this gasgoo article displaying a photo of Yema's hackneyed Isuzu-based SUV, instead of the new model?

I'm looking forward to seeing photos of both the new models mentioned.

[erik (laofan), cmvdc]

No, helas, this article is confusing many things.
Sichuan Auto (YEMA) restarted suv production in December 2004, announcing new models at the Chengdu Show. This is the car from the photo. Probably they use Austin machinery The line was bought from Etsong (Yizhong). The only Etsong car they made with this machinery was the Austin Maestro Van. I suppose a very limited production in 2004 or 2005. See the Yema SQJ6450 at http://www.chinacar.com.cn/pic/56258.html

[Rally Red Lancer GTS]

Nothing like a cold, hard smack back to reality. I appreciate your comments, erik!

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Here are other vehicles produced by Chuanqi Yema.

SQJ6470A:




SQJ6485:

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New for 2008 is this copy of old Subaru Forester (SQJ6451):




Incarnation of Maestro van:

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Modified Maestro is called SQJ6450N:



Company is also producing several busses:

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Article about Sichuan Auto from Austin Rover Online.
https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/aust...o/yemasqj6450/

The Chengdu-based Sichuan Auto Industry Group Company Ltd. has revived the old Maestro Van. The company purchased the tooling and production line equipment etc from FAW Group following the latter’s acquisition of the Etsong Automobile plant at Qingdao in Shandong Province where the Lubao QE6400), had been built.

Sichuan Auto, which produces buses and coaches under the Yema, brand, has now launched the Yema SQJ6450, a Maestro-based van with a 1.3-litre engine and a Montego front end which is similar to the later version of the Lubao, built by FAW Group before the Etsong Automobile plant was sold on to SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Company Limited. The first vans are appearing on the streets of Chengdu now but the company is, reportedly, developing a full range of cars based on the Maestro/Montego platform.

Yema have recently exhibited a five-door estate but AROnline cannot determine whether this uses a five-door Maestro or a Montego estate bodyshell from the picture available. Wheel arch extensions and a new front end attempt to achieve a smoother, more modern look, but the trademark side scallops remain unaltered.




Yema has also presented two SUV like cars which, despite looking very much like an old Subaru Forester, are said to be based on the old Austin platform. The shape of the windows on both cars suggests that larger parts of the original body frame have been carried over but a re-skin of the doors and new front panels mark a major departure form the original design. The smaller SQJ6451 features a 1.5-litre engine with 91bhp. This model’s wheelbase and door shapes indicate that it is based on the Maestro's structure. The larger SQJ6485 offers a DOHC 2.0-litre engine with 123bhp and a longer wheelbase.

Yema say that this model is also based on the British platform. The shots showing the side of this model suggest that a Montego saloon bodyshell has been used as the starting point.


The smaller SUV, SQJ6451


However, these Maestro/Montego based cars are not the only models which Yema has recently revealed - the small car (shown below) has some visual links with the Smart Four-Two, but also features partially enclosed wheels and may be aimed at the purely recreational off-road market. As discussed elsewhere, we'd say it's simply a case of the Chinese dusting off an old Matra prototype, and showing it off as their own...

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A modified prototype of the SQJ6450 van:


Estate car:


Montego meets Allroad:


The larger SUV, SQJ6485:

[SadRabbit]

Their cars looks horribly outdated and even if they look slightly up to date, they are mere copies. I am so hoping this company does not make it.