2008 Beijing Auto Show Preview: FAW Benteng B50

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BEIJING — China's two largest automakers, FAW and Shanghai Auto, are squaring off in the midsize family sedan market, where they will compete with new self-branded models. FAW's weapon, the Benteng B50, will make its public debut next week at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show.

Unofficial images of Shanghai's Roewe 550 sedan — the second model in the Roewe series — have been circulating on Chinese Web sites for weeks. Last week, FAW responded by pulling the wraps off its latest Benteng model, dubbed B50, ahead of next week's auto show debut.

Styled by Italdesign Giugiaro and developed under the code name B131, the newly rechristened B50 will go on sale later this year, priced from less than $15,000.

Power comes from a 100-horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with a hybrid gas-electric variant also available sometime after introduction. Chassis components are said to be shared with the Mazda 6.

FAW wants to build 80,000 B50 sedans a year at its Changchun plant.

The automaker also reportedly is rebadging the larger, Mazda-based Benteng sedan that it unveiled last year. The updated model will be dubbed B70. It, too, will be offered as a hybrid. Eventually, the company will expand the range at the low and high ends, with the B30 and B90.

What this means to you: With the help of contract design and engineering houses, China's domestic manufacturers are beginning to come of age. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent