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Great Wall to Bring Coolbear in Europe

Chinese carmaker Great Wall will reportedly start selling its Coolbear MPV in Europe in 2010 after the company received the European Whole of Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) from the British Vehicle Certification Agency. According to China Car Times, Great Wall is looking at ways to expand its business in eastern and central Europe in 2010 and the launch of this particular model will help it achieve this goal.

Resembling the Scion xD, the Coolbear comes equipped with a 1.5-liter engine mated to a manual transmission. An automatic gearbox might be launched as well in the upcoming months. The engine complies with Euro 5 regulation, which could be a major step in case the company really intends to sell it in Europe.

In terms of performance, the Coolbear's powerplant generates 103 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. It sprints from 0 to 60 km/h in 4.7 seconds and to 90 km/h in 6.0 seconds.

Pricing information is obviously unavailable but some sources are claiming the European market is likely to get it at around $12,000.

Great Wall is planning to start production in Bulgaria, with Coolbear to be one of the models to be assembled locally. The production facility has an estimated capacity of 50,000 units per year and will manufacture a total of four models, if we are to trust sources familiar with the matter.

The four models to be produced in Bulgaria are the Florid and Coolbear sedans, the Hover 5 SUV and the Wingle pickup, which will be assembled at the Lovech production facility. They are expected to be rolled off the assembly lines in the first half of 2011.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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