Kawei
Auto K1 and W1
The
impressive the Kawei Auto K1 pickup truck debuted on the Beijing Auto Show.
Kawei Auto is a brand of a company called Jiangsu Kawei Automotive
Industry Group, based in the great city of Danyang in Jiangsu Province.
Kawei
is new here in the northeast, but already well-established further down south.
Last year the company produced 10.000 K1 trucks and is currently expanding the
factory to make 20.000 next year.
Interior
impressive with two-tone leather a large screen in the center console. Kawei’s
main reason to be in Beijing was to look for export opportunities. The company
exported a few hundred K1’s last in 2013, mainly to Africa and the Middle East.
Price for this red car was about 100.000 yuan or US$ 16.000.
Power
comes from a 3.2 liter six-cylinder diesel with 107 hp and a Mitsubishi-derived
2.4 liter four-cylinder gasoline with 143 hp. Transmission is a 5-speed manual.
Drive-train is RWD. Power a bit on the low side, and so is top speed. The
diesel goes max 120 km/h, the petrol is 130 km/h.
The
Kawei W1 SUV was present as well, sporting a giant chromed grille and even
bigger headlights. The W1 stands on a different platform than the K1.
Production started late last year and the vehicle is on sale in Jiangsu and
surrounding Provinces for around 120.000 yuan or US$ 19.000. Power comes from
the 143 hp 2.4 petrol or a 2.0 liter petrol with 127 hp.
Most
products of this kinda small Chinese automakers look like they can fall apart
when you look at them. These Kawei machines however looked rather solid,
indicating serious money and effort was invested in the business.
Source : Carnewschina
