Autoblog

Last month China's Sichuan province was devastated by a massive earthquake that killed as many as 70,000 people. If you've wanted to donate to help the survivors but were waiting for just the right opportunity, this could be it.

Our friends over at China Car Times are holding several auctions with the proceeds going to the British Red Cross. Three of the auctions require a little travel for us Americans, but just might be worth a special trip. One is a private tour of the London Taxi factory with a chance to drive one of the iconic cars and some special merchandise from the factory. The second is for the chance to be one of the first people to tour MG's Longbridge factory in Birmingham, England, since taken over by Shanghai Automotive. Not only that, but the top bidder will get to drive the new MG TF LE500. The third auction is your chance to try out the latest vehicles from Lotus right there on its test track in Hethel Norwich, England.

Can't leave the country? Line up behind a couple of Autoblog staffers to bid on the 1:18 scale models of the Lifan 520. These are usually only given to VIP visitors to the Lifan factory and are produced in exacting detail. They're gonna look good in my collection.

The final auction should appeal to anyone with an international business hoping to break into the Chinese market. China Car Times will give to the winning bidder one month of advertising on its Web site, which is a great opportunity to see what your business could do over there.

[Source: China Car Times]

Click above for photo gallery of the Lifan 320

The production version of Lifan's egregious MINI clone is set to debut this weekend at the Beijing Motor Show. The Lifan 320 as it's called has an 87-horsepower 1.3L underhood that drives the front wheels alone. We're sure that Lifan will point to the car's standard 5-door hatchback layout as evidence that its not a true MINI copy, but let's all be serious here. Droopy headlights, fat D-pillars and traditional placement of the extra doors don't temper the blatant rip-offedness of this Grade D doppelganger. Even the wheels are copies. On a more amusing note, who knew MINI's humorous old "counterfeit" ad campaign would wind up being so prescient? BMW lawyers are likely standing by, as is the Counter Counterfeit Commission.


[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

One of the main concerns that Autoblog readers have about Chinese cars is their safety. We've seen some fairly horrific crash tests of Chinese-made cars recently, but some improvements, as well. You just gotta know American insurance companies are not looking forward to these things being on U.S. roads.

That's why we find it quite ironic that U.S. insurance company AIG has bought a sizable stake in Chinese car and motorcycle-maker Lifan. We haven't seen any Lifan crash tests, so their cars could beat even Volvo at the safety game for all we know. But so far, Chinese cars in general aren't exactly known for their safety.

While one report says AIG's piece of Lifan could be as big as 25%, Lifan's Chairman Yin Mingshan said last year his company would not sell more than 20% to any one investment company. The deal awaits approval from the Chinese government, which is expected to come later this month or in early March.

AIG apparently sees lots of potential in China having also announced in July that it had received permission to begin selling insurance in China.

[Source: Reuters and Market Watch via China Car Times]

Clubman: potentially described as cute. Lifan 3 Series: Not cute. Not even ugly to the point of being endearing. Enough of the MINI's cues make it through in the Lifan that you can just picture them laying a huge sheet of onion skin over the Clubman and coming up with this. It's close in a lot of ways, but misshapen in others. A weird front overbite is the result of small wheels and a longer overhang than the MINI, and the C/D pillars appear thick – just a big blind spot where the Clubman has visibility. Underhood might be an actual legitimate link to the MINI. Lifan has invested in the Tritec four cylinder that powered the R50 first generation of revived MINIs. Ingress and egress in the Lifan is aided by four conventionally hinged doors, versus the Mini's clamshell treatment, but it ends up being reminiscent of a LeCar, but not as cool. Lifan could always outsource design to the rest of the world if this is the best they can do. We're sure they've got the engineering bit down, but the world doesn't need a MINI that reminds us of those cheap, anonymous knock off matchbox cars with no bottom.

[Source: Carscoop, Photos: China Car Times]

China's automakers aren't fooling around when it comes to aggressive growth. While you don't hear much enthusiasm from European or North American automakers about the market on the African continent, There's already at least two Chinese carmakers who've set up shop there as a way to expand beyond the borders of their home country. Holland Car is the first car assembly plant in Ethiopia, and it's kicking out a renamed Lifan 520. The 520 goes by the handle Abay in Ethiopia. Abay is the name of Ethiopia's largest river, and the hope is that the name will spur buyers to check the vehicle out. Equipment levels are luxury-level for its market, $16,000 price buys you safety gear like ABS, airbags and brake distribution, and quality is good enough that Lifan thinks it will change Ethiopian's opinions about a domestically produced car. Power is provided by a 1.3 liter four cylinder twisting a 5-speed transmission. The cars are assembled from knock-downs (CKD), and appear to have been solidly engineered. Lifan produces the 520 in several different locations – Russia, and Vietnam, for example. Hit the jump for a Lifan 520 commercial.

[Source: Inside Line]