Chinese carmakers taste success in Iran

When Mohammad Kolahi wanted to replace his French Peugeot sedan this year, the Teheran business consultant looked East instead of West.

A friend was already driving a JAC J5, an Italian-designed four-door vehicle assembled in Iran for Chinese carmaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. Kolahi paid 570 million rials ($20,300) for an automatic-transmission version about a month ago - or about 30 percent less than other comparable new cars he considered.

"It is a beautiful design, and relative to its price and what else is on the market, it is very good," Kolahi said.