Haima cars (Happin, Family, Freema)

new Haima Family

Hainan-Mazda (Haima) has introduced an updated version of the old Mazda 323 Familia.







http://cn.autoblog.com/images/2006/08/che1.jpg
http://cn.autoblog.com/images/2006/08/che12.jpg
http://cn.autoblog.com/images/2006/08/che4.jpg
http://cn.autoblog.com/images/2006/08/che8.jpg

Haima also decided to sell Mazda's vehicles 323 and Premacy under its own name and logo:




http://img.autohome.com.cn/2007/3/12/12-17-23-5-308495517.jpg


http://img.autohome.com.cn/upload/spec/2853/w_2853725674354.jpg


http://img.autohome.com.cn/upload/spec/2853/t_2853528384982.jpg

But I don't know if originals will continue to be sold parallely.

Admin said:

FAW Haima Motors .....For FAW, China's biggest car manufacturer, Haima is yet another independent brand, following on the heels of Hongqi, Jiefang, Xiali and others.......

Click to expand...

Rather than "independent brand"(s) I think of these more as divisions in the mode of GM's Chevy, Pontiac, Saturn, GM General, etc.. But yes Admin I also think that in time, some will become full blown independent domestic brands.

It's awesome to ponder the size of this behemoth called FAW.
Divisions (without mention of JVs) include:

Hongta
Baolong
Haima
Fengyue
FAW Car
Xiali (Tianjin)
Yizhong
FAWER (FAW's Delphi)
Jinbei (sold)
Yangzi (sold?)

Others may want to add to this list.

And Chinesecars it's my guess that the distinguished FAW wouldn't risk its reputation by producing these models with any less than a fully legitimate license from Mazda. But I'd also admit that at any time in the future FAW could kiss Mazda goodbye and go exclusively into self-developed models. But by that time maybe the law will allow Mazda to build a wholly owned plant in China.

This situation, regrettably, still occurs all the time in China’s car industry. One might wonder why FAW would risk canceling the joint venture and blatantly continuing production, stealing the production capability without even paying a license fee for each future 323 (excuse me -Haima Familiy II) car produced, considering that FAW and Mazda have their other joint venture building the Mazda6. It’s a mixture of politics and business in China. Mazda knew they couldn’t change the outcome, and still has a chance to profit in China at the Mazda6 joint venture, and with Changan. .

There are over 10 companies in China producing light trucks that appears to be Isuzu NPRs. Did they all pay license fees? No. Only one did. The others are all copies, so-called reverse-engineering. Great Wall’s Safe SUV looks like an early 90’s Toyota 4-Runner (not to mention their pickups), but the company never had any cooperation with Toyota. Only in China can companies get away with this. The cental and provincial governments protect the companies, because the companies create profit and necessary jobs. Compared to US and European car makers, the Japanese are less likely to complain, because as they are focused on the business aspect, they see the vast potential of the Chinese market, and are well aware of the anti-Japanese sentiment still strong among China’s people owing to World War II atrocities, such as the Nanjing massacre and germ warfare Unit 731.

Yes， you're right, Haima are planning to release their own version of the Mazda3, to be called H1.

The article says that while it's based on the Mazda3, it does have its own characteristics (lights, rearview mirrors, etc). According to reports, it has been styled by a famous Italian designer, and Lotus have done some work on the chassis and suspension. The car has something like 28 patented technologies, meaning that it has surpassed any product Haima has previously made.

It goes on to say that the new H1 will compete in the 2000cc section of the 2007 Chinese Touring Car Championship, while the Family 2 will compete in the 1600cc section.

There has been no mention of the release date, but it's predicted that the H1 will be in showrooms soon, perhaps coinciding with the Shanghai Motor Show.

The H1 is not as it appears. The chassis is a copy of the Mazda 3. It was designed by a Chinese Shanghai-based engineering firm. (Like the BYD F3 is a Toyota Corolla copy). The article mentions that the body was designed in Italy, and the suspension tuned by Lotus. But things are not as they appear. The involvement of Studio Ideal and Lotus was VERY limited. One must understand that Chinese people would never buy a car that was declared to have been totally designed in China. The Chinese people, however discrete, are totally aware that Chinese design is horrible, which is why they only want to buy foreign brands in China. So FAW needs to market the car as Italian designed with Lotus engineering, even though these two companies has minimal involvement (because Chinese companies still can’t afford to go all the way). Otherwise, few people would take it seriously and buy it.