Photo: Dongfeng
The Chinese automotive industry is bigger than ever and the population is richer than ever. China’s appetite for cars is growing with each and every passing year. The Chinese are madly in love with cars that offer ample legroom for the rear occupants.
For those customers who don’t like or can’t afford the long wheelbase Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, state-owned Dongfeng Motor Corporation has come up with an alternative.
Its name is the Dongfeng Fengshen A9 and it looks somewhat nice, doesn’t it? A little Volkswagen here, some Audi there, yet it doesn’t look like a mixed bag of styling cues. The interior isn’t too bad either considering that there’s auto climate control, leather seats, touchscreen infotainment, and many more. The Dongfeng Fengshen A9 (also known as the Dongfeng Aeolus A9) is underpinned by a PSA Peugeot Citroen platform that debuted with the Peugeot 308.
I’m referring to the PSA EM2 platform, the vehicle architecture that replaces the 15-year-old PSA PF2. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, one of the Big Three mainstream automakers in China uses a platform that’s relatively new even in Europe. In other words, mainstream Chinese automakers are starting to get better at making cars. The thing is, there’s a problem with this thing. It's not a big one, though. Literally.
Care to guess what’s hiding under the hood? Nope, it’s not a V6. Nope, it’s not a hybrid setup. It’s a locally produced 1.8 THP turbocharged mill with 200 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque, connected to a six-speed automatic. If you look closely at the rear, you may see two exhaust tips integrated into the rear bumper. However, there’s only one exhaust pipe. That’s not too cool in my book for a sedan with premium credentials that measures 5.06 meters (199.4 inches) in length.
Slated to arrive on the Chinese market in April, the Dongfeng Fengshen A9 will start at 179,700 yuan and will stop at 229,700 yuan. That’s about $27,590 to $35,265 at current exchange rates, which isn’t too bad considering how much standard equipment this thing has to offer. The Fengshen A9 will be followed by an all-new, China exclusive Citroen C6 later in 2016 and the DS9 sometime in 2017. And yes, both upcoming models will be underpinned by the PSA EMP2 platform in front-wheel-drive flavor.
Its name is the Dongfeng Fengshen A9 and it looks somewhat nice, doesn’t it? A little Volkswagen here, some Audi there, yet it doesn’t look like a mixed bag of styling cues. The interior isn’t too bad either considering that there’s auto climate control, leather seats, touchscreen infotainment, and many more. The Dongfeng Fengshen A9 (also known as the Dongfeng Aeolus A9) is underpinned by a PSA Peugeot Citroen platform that debuted with the Peugeot 308.
I’m referring to the PSA EM2 platform, the vehicle architecture that replaces the 15-year-old PSA PF2. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, one of the Big Three mainstream automakers in China uses a platform that’s relatively new even in Europe. In other words, mainstream Chinese automakers are starting to get better at making cars. The thing is, there’s a problem with this thing. It's not a big one, though. Literally.
Care to guess what’s hiding under the hood? Nope, it’s not a V6. Nope, it’s not a hybrid setup. It’s a locally produced 1.8 THP turbocharged mill with 200 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque, connected to a six-speed automatic. If you look closely at the rear, you may see two exhaust tips integrated into the rear bumper. However, there’s only one exhaust pipe. That’s not too cool in my book for a sedan with premium credentials that measures 5.06 meters (199.4 inches) in length.
Slated to arrive on the Chinese market in April, the Dongfeng Fengshen A9 will start at 179,700 yuan and will stop at 229,700 yuan. That’s about $27,590 to $35,265 at current exchange rates, which isn’t too bad considering how much standard equipment this thing has to offer. The Fengshen A9 will be followed by an all-new, China exclusive Citroen C6 later in 2016 and the DS9 sometime in 2017. And yes, both upcoming models will be underpinned by the PSA EMP2 platform in front-wheel-drive flavor.
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