Spy shots of a new, heavily camouflaged SUV under SAIC-GM Wuling’s budget nameplate, Baojun, have surfaced on the web. According to Car News China, the entry level brand has three new models currently under development, the Baojun 610 hatchback, the Baojun MPV and this SUV.
Photos of the interior show a barren, incomplete dashboard with space for a large infotainment screen. It is unclear what the drivetrain for the new SUV will be, but the upcoming MPV is anticipated to have a 112 horsepower 1.5 liter or a 148 horsepower 1.8 liter motor mated to either a 4 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission. Seeing as the two vehicles are similar in size, it seems possible the SUV could end up with the same powertrain options.
The SUV will join Baojun’s current offerings, the Delta II-based 630 sedan and Gamma II-based Lechi hatchback, when it goes on sale in the Chinese market later this year.
Comments
Baojun is certainly GM’s budged brand in China, but for the SGMW joint-venture (SAIC-GM-Wuling) it is its passenger car brand…
The Lechi looks like the first generation Daewoo Matiz, so even if it has improved over time, it can’t be based on Gamma II.
On the Baojun 630, the “Chinacartimes” web wrote when the car was presented in August 2011: “The 630 is based on what GM likes to refer to as Mature Technology, which is generally PR speak for older well used tech that is not quite past its sell by date and still highly useable, the platform in question is rumored to be the older Buick Excelle platform that was first designed in GM Korea. “, which means also not Delta II, if the words of the CCT writer are correct, but Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira.
I like it. Sort of reminds me of a Pontiac Vibe. Am hoping we eventually get the brand here. The Epsilon2 based sedan looks nicer than some models currently for sale.