FAW Tianjin

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Xiali TJ7101/7131 hatchback

FAW Tianjin, founded in 1965, is an automobile manufacturer in China. Tianjin was the third automobile manufacturer in China, after SAIC and FAW and was considered one of the "three smalls", together with Guangzhou Honda and Beijing.[1] Tianjin moved into third place in the Chinese market in 1997.[2] By 2000 they were in second place, in spite of the low quality of their products.[3] FAW Tianjin has since lost market share to several new Chinese automobile manufacturers.

There are two different entities under Tianjin Xiali: One is a fully subsidiary division of First Automobile Works known as Tianjin FAW Xiali Automobile Co. Ltd, while the other is a joint venture between Toyota and First Automobile Works in 2000 known as Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co Ltd.

History

Tianjin's first product, debuting in 1965, was a copy of the famous Beijing Jeep called the Tianjin TJ210. Between 1973 and 1979 the Toyota look-alike Tianjin TJ740 was also built, although only 63 were finished. In 1980, Tianjin's directors decided to look abroad for a joint venture to enable them to build modern small cars. In 1983, Daihatsu had been chosen as a partner, and in November 1984 the first vehicle rolled out from the works. At first, local parts content was a mere 8%, but this had jumped to 85% by the end of 1987. The first product was a locally built Daihatsu Hijet, followed by the Charade which began local assembly in 1986.[1]

Production began at a modest level, with 2873 automobiles (Charade) and 9329 minivans (Hijet) assembled in 1988, for a total of 12,202 vehicles. This increased rapidly, to an annual total of nearly 88,000 cars by 1996.[4]

Before the Toyota joint venture, Tianjin produced the Tianjin Xiali TJ730 (based on the 1983 Daihatsu Charade) and then the TJ7100-TJ7131 hatchback and TJ7100U-TJ7131U sedan. Xiali (夏利) is Chinese for "Charade". The TJ7100-series cars, based on the 1987 Charade, are still very popular in China as taxicabs although they are gradually being replaced by larger Volkswagen and Hyundai cars. Nonetheless, production of the Daihatsu-based Xiali N3 and A+ series continue today. Production at the Tianjin Xiali plant has now shifted to more modern Toyota vehicles, for example the Xiali 2000 is based on the Toyota Platz/Vitz. Toyota also builds and sells vehicles in China under its own brand.

Since 1984, another subsidiary of First Automobile Works (Tianjin Huali Motor Company) had manufactured Hijet-based Daihatsu mini trucks in China rebranded as Huali Dafa.[5] Currently Huali offers the first generation Daihatsu Terios and first generation Daihatsu Move.

FAW Tianjin also produces the Miles ZX40, an electric version of the Daihatsu Move which became the first Chinese-built vehicle sold in the United States when it was offered in mid-2006 by Miles Automotive Group.

Models

Current

[needs update]

  • 2001–current: Xiali A Junya (Junior) (TJ 7101 A-TJ 7141 A), a slightly facelifted versions of the existing hatchback range, new bumpers and some new engine options. 1,425 cc version since June 2005. Facelifted again in 2006, this and the Shenya are now known as the "A+"
  • 2000– ?: Xiali TJ 7101L, a TJ 7101 hatchback lengthened by 8 cm (also as 7100AL, 7101UL, 7100AUL, 'U' for sedan versions, 'A' for facelift versions)
  • 2000– ?: Xiali TJ 7131L, a 1.3-litre version of the TJ 7101 L, also as 7130AL, 7131UL, 7130AUL, 'U' for sedan versions, 'A' for Junya/Shenya versions.
  • 2001–current: Xiali A Shenya (Senior) (TJ 7101 AU-TJ 7141 AU), the sedan version of the above
  • 2004.06-current: Xiali N3 (B series) TJ 7101 B-TJ 7131 BU, hatchbacks and sedans based on facelifted Xiali A series, with its origins in the Daihatsu Charade 3rd Gen
  • 2006.07-current: Weizhi C1 (CA 7130 / 7140), an independent development also marketed as the FAW Vita
  • 2009–present: Xiali N5, a sedan based on the Xiali N3
  • 2013–present: Xiali N7, a Mini SUV

Past

Gallery

  • Xiali TJ 7100
    夏利TJ7100
    1988–2000

  • Xiali TJ 7100U
    夏利TJ7100U
    1991–2000

  • Xiali TJ 7100A/7101/7131
    夏利TJ7100A/7101/7131
    1997–2007

  • Xiali TJ 7100A/7101/7131
    rear view

  • Xiali TJ7100AL-7131UL
    夏利TJ7130UAL
    2000– ?

  • Xiali A Junya
    夏利骏雅TJ7101A-TJ7141A
    since 2001

  • Xiali A Shenya
    夏利绅雅TJ7101AU-TJ7141AU
    since 2001

  • Xiali N3 TJ 7101B
    夏利N3
    since 2004

  • Xiali 2000 TJ 7136U
    夏利2000 TJ7136U
    2000–2004

  • Xiali Vizi
    夏利威姿
    2002-2012

  • Xiali Vela
    夏利威乐
    2004-2012

  • Xiali Weizhi
    夏利威志
    since 2007

  • Xiali N7 Mini SUV
    launched in 2013

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lee et al, p. 96
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=FAW_Tianjin&oldid=2262129"