New arrivals

Huachen Zhonghua V6 SUV

The Huachen Zhonghua V6 SUV was launched on Friday in Beijing. The 5-seat SUV has two powertrain variants. With a 2.0-liter engine, it has a maximum output of 107 kilowatts and a top torque of 186 Newton meters. The model with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine has a maximum output of 110 kW and a top torque of 220 Nm. The SUV has a class-leading 2,725 millimeters wheelbase and 1,922 mm in width. It offers a 1,041 mm legroom in the first row and 949 mm in the second row. The SUV also has a number of intelligent features. Among others, it enables the driver and passengers to interact with the car in 20 language dialects and to remote control the car, with remote functions including turning on its air-conditioning.

Acura TLX-L

The second premium model in the Acura marque launched the Chinese market on Tuesday in Guangdong province. GAC Honda Acura will offer five variants of the all-new TLX-L at suggested prices ranging from 279,800-379,800 yuan ($43,320-$58,802) from Thursday. The new model - jointly developed by GAC-Honda, HMCT and HRA-O - is the automaker's first exclusive China product with Chinese customers' demands fully considered. The car body is as long as 4,981 millimeters, with the wheelbase stretched to 2.9 meters, to provide the rear passenger leg room that is competitive in the segment. All of the variants come with a panoramic "moon roof" for an expanded view, and are equipped with the ELS sound system for hearing enjoyment. The joint venture will also start local production of the Acura CDX Hybrid and another all-new model in 2018.

Volvo XC60

The Swedish premium auto maker launched its first mid-size sport utility vehicle model, developed on the Scalable Platform Architecture, on Wednesday in Chengdu. The 4,688 millimeter-long Volvo XC60 will be manufactured in the Chengdu plant. The latest model is expected to lead the segment with the company's top-notch technologies in the Pilot Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and IntelliSafe systems - that enables automated driving in some situations. The chassis is capable of adjusting its height while driving, to match various road surfaces and the driver's demands. That's thanks to the double wishbone suspension, applied for the first time in a mid-size car, besides the optional air suspensions. The new model's suggested price starts from 369,900 yuan ($57,270) for the T4 variant, to 609,900 yuan for the top configured T8 E-Drive hybrid variant, and the first 6,666 buyers will receive two years free insurance.

(China Daily 12/25/2017 page19)