Besturn

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Besturn
Type Division
Industry Automotive
Founded 2006
Headquarters Changchun, China
Products Automobiles
Parent FAW Car Company
Website faw-benteng.com/ (Chinese)

Besturn (Chinese: 一汽奔腾; pinyin: Yīqì Bēnténg) is an automotive marque owned by the Chinese automaker FAW Group.[1]

With products based on older Mazda sedans, Besturn successfully caters to upper middle-class Chinese consumers.[2] At least one new model derives from the second generation Volkswagen Jetta.[3] FAW, Besturn's owner, also manufactures the Chinese market version of the car many Besturn products are based on, the Mazda 6,[4] and Besturn models were initially produced in FAW's Mazda factories.[5]

Models

The Besturn B70, initially called the C301, made its debut in 2006.[6] It is based on an older Mazda 6[4] and uses the Ford CD3 platform.[7] The Besturn B50 was released in 2009;[7] also derived from a Mazda 6, other components come from Volkswagen products.[4] As of 2011, future models will include the Jetta-based B30[3] and the Mazda 6-derived B90.[4]

A Besturn B50 
A Besturn B70 

Sales

The 134,500 units sold in 2010 constituted a substantial increase over the 70,000 of the prior year.[8]

Relationship with Hongqi

The products of another FAW brand, Hongqi, may be easily confused with Besturn cars. Until 2011 the two brands shared badging,[9] and in 2008, due to flagging sales, Hongqi showrooms were merged those of Besturn.[10] It was thought that giving the Hongqi brand more sales outlets would increase sales.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Besturn B90 Sedan spotted out testing chinacartimes.com, October 27, 2010
  2. ↑ Besturn Does China's FAW Car Co. A Good Turn forbes.com. 07.11.08, 5:29 AM ET
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 This is a 30 year old car – Besturn B30 at the Shanghai Auto Show chinacartimes.com, April 27, 2011
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Besturn B90 to launch this year to be Mazda6 based chinacartimes.com, March 24, 2011
  5. ↑ Mazda and Besturn to stop sharing production line By Helen Zhang. gasgoo.com, June 22, 2010
  6. ↑ FAW Launches Besturn C301 Performance Luxury Sedan Xiao Li and Wei Xin. FAW Official Site, Sep 13, 2006
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 About Besturn FAW Car Company Official Site
  8. ↑ "CHINA'S FIRST AUTOMOBILE WORKS POSTS 31.6% RISE IN 2010 SALES". Asia Pulse (Rhodes). Jan 19, 2011. 
  9. ↑ For shared badging, see FAW to give B50 a new grill and logo for 2011? chinacartimes.com, December 28, 2010
  10. ↑ AW Car to merge Hongqi, Besturn sales networks gasgoo.com, July 30, 2008
  11. ↑ FAW mulls merging Besturn, Xiali sales networks By George Gao. gasgoo.com, October 27, 2008

External links

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