FAW! It's the Bentung A 501
Chinese car-maker prepares to launch a new mid-size sedanIn the tradition of Chery Automobile's Eastar and Cowin models, the emerging Chinese car industry is rapidly moving into top gear as a profusion of new vehicles emerge with names that don't necessarily roll easily off Western tongues.
Among these is the FAW (First Automotive Works) Bentung A 501 that was sculpted by ItalDesign and is described as a "sporty" model using either a Chinese 1.6-litre engine or a 2.0-litre four from Mazda.
These shots by spy photographers Carparazzi of a prototype being tested in Germany show a very clean-looking car of apparently similar size to Mazda's new 6 and bearing many of the style signatures favoured by modern designers, such as the free-form headlights and taillights, prominent grille and distinctly wedge-shape profile.
More official-looking images, which appear to show identical features to these Euro-sourced photos of the A 501, have appeared on some websites.
The new Bentung joins the FAW range above the Besturn, a Honda Civic-size sedan offering a choice between 2.0 and 2.3-litre engines, and below the V6 or V8-powered FAW Hongqi sedans.
The Bentung A 501 is expected to be launched at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show that opens on April 20.
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