The SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture has
launched a new vehicle in China under the Hong Guang brand, which sells over
4.5 million cars annually in the local market cheekily dubbed the V 1.2L. It
may not have the most appealing name or looks to be frank, but it will
lure buyers with its very attractive
starting price of only RMB 42,900, equal to US$ 6,135 at the current exchange
rates, which goes up to RMB 46,900 (US$ 6,707) for the range-topping variant.
Available in three versions, including a
commercial model, it is powered a tiny 1.2-liter naturally aspirated engine,
mated to a five-speed manual transmission. According to the Chinese car maker,
the lump is “powerful” but we wouldn’t take their word for it since it only
produces a modest 75 HP and 110 Nm of torque.
It rides on a 2,850 mm long
wheelbase, which matches that of the latest BMW 3-Series sedan. The carmaker promises it can offer up to 4,300
liters of cargo space, which can be easily accessed from the side too, with
the sliding door that has a width of over 700 mm. Furthermore, Wuling
said that the back floor is around 20 percent lower than the competition, which
makes the loading and unloading of large/heavy cargo easier.
Wuling Hong Guang also made a point to
note that it prototype models covered 40,000 km of
“comprehensive road tests” in extreme cold and heat.
