More Pictures From The Chengdu Motor Show. Some NSFW, But Thou Shallt Not Work On Sunday

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

We continue our coverage of the 15th Chengdu Motor Show, brought to you courtesy of China coverer extraordinaire Tycho de Feyter of Carnewschina.

The BMW M6 Coupe, decked out in China’s national color, was launched today on the China auto market during the Chengdu Auto Show. There is only one, priced at a rather sick 2.33 million yuan, or 367.000 USD. Not cheap indeed and most of da money goes directly to the Chinese tax office. Big engined cars are taxed up to 40% of value in China. But no matter, the M6 Coupe is worth it, just for that brilliant 4.4 twin-turbo V8 with 550hp and 680nm.“

Of course, there are the female product specialists of the Chengdu Motor Show. They bring them out en masse on the second press day. Warning: If you are offended by insufficiently dressed Asian females with garters, DO NOT click the jump. We promise it won’t be a picture of big – ears.

This product specialist distracts pleasantly from the recently facelifted Citroen C4. Says a culturally adept Tycho: “She is very pretty and very hot. She seems to be from China’s Deep South or some kind of mix, maybe French-Chinese… Whatever her roots, she knows how to sell a car.” And that’s all that matters, no? Buy why dotted panties?

All right, here is another picture, just in case someone thought of arresting her for pubic indecency.

The face of this product specialist, employed by Kia to rep the Sorento, is a bit out of focus. Most likely because the photographer’s lens focused on what would be called a wardrobe malfuction in the West. In the Wild East, I’d call that intentional, albeit unusual. When too much flesh was showing at the Beijing Auto Show, the organizers received an official reprimand. Chengdu did not get the memo, it seems. Or the reprimand will come after the show, like in Beijing.

This is the FAW-VW Magotan Alltrack. The China version of the EU Passat Alltrack edition. Getting complicated. According to Tycho, its “price starts at 361,800 yuan and ends at 412,100 yuan.” That’s $57,000 to $65,000 to you. ”Only available engine is the 2.0 TSI. The Alltrack will be imported into China just like the Magotan Wagon it is based on. Even more complicated: The importing of cars from the panoply of Volkswagen brands usually is handled by VW’s China import arm, which has its own network of some 100 dealers. Now FAW imports VWs?

BMW has launched the new 520Li and 525Li on the China auto market during the Chengdu auto Show, both are powered by a 2.0 four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The 520Li comes with 184hp and 270nm, the 525Li with 218hp and 310nm. This is the first time the China-made BMW 5Li is available with four-cylinder engines, the 5Li is made in China by the Brilliance-BMW joint venture. Price for the 520Li starts at 428,600 yuan ($67,500), price for the 525Li at 459,600 yuan ($72,400).”

The Volkswagen Polo GTI debuted today at the Chengdu Auto Show, it will be launched on the China auto market on September 13. It is made in China by the Shanghai-GM joint venture. It looks the same as the European GTI, but is has a very different engine. The European Polo GTI comes with a decent 180hp 1.4 TSI, the Chinese Polo GTI will have to do with a 131hp 1.4 turbo.”

But where are the Chinese brands? Oh, here they are.

Says Tycho: “This is the Yema B60X SUV Concept, a preview of a new Yema vehicle that is one size bigger than all weird cars they make today. Yema’s entire current line-up is based on the ancient-ancient Austin Maestro platform and as far as we know they don’t have anything bigger yet. The B60X is therefore strictly a concept for now, design-wise again an interesting mix of many different cars. The head lights however seem original; good work!

A MPV debuted today at the Chengdu Auto Show in China, it is called the ‘A-MPV’ and it is made by the madmen of Sichuan Yema Automotive, who always manage to surprise in their home-base Chengdu. And yes, Yema wins this year’s prize for best named vehicle of the show! Congrats to Yema there. The A-MPV looks a lot like the Mazda 5 MPV but it is slightly smaller.”

Alright, more “Chinese” brands: “ The new Dongfeng-Nissan Venucia R50 debuted today at the Chengdu Auto Show in China. Venucia is a sub-brand of the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture, aimed at making cheap cars and cheap electric cars. The R50 is the second Venucia after the Venucia D50, which was launched in early May and is based on the old Nissan Tiida sedan, the R50 is based on the old Tiida hatchback.”

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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