Chinese Car Brands That Time Forgot: Shanghai Wanfeng Auto

Today in Chinese Car Brands That Time Forgot (CCBTTF™): Shanghai Wanfeng Auto. This company existed from 2000 to 2006. It made several series of pick-up trucks and SUVs.

To write these articles a bit faster, I have decided to go for a new format. First, I will tell a short history of the brand. Secondly, I will show the cars.

A Short history of the Shanghai Wangfeng Auto brand

The Shanghai Wangfeng Auto (上海万丰汽车) brand was owned by the Shanghai Wanfeng Coach Manufacturing Company  (上海万丰客车制造有限公司), which was owned by the Wanfeng Auto Holding Group (万丰奥特控股集团).

The Shanghai Wanfeng Coach Manufacturing Company was established in 2000. The model code was SHK. That same year, the first pickup trucks rolled off the production line.  The text on the license plate is: 万丰轿卡 (Wànfēng Jiàokǎ).

Jiaoka (轿卡) is a portmanteau of 轿车 (passenger car) and 皮卡 (pickup truck), referring to a passenger-oriented pickup rather than a purely utilitarian work vehicle.

In 2002, Wanfeng started production of its first pickup trucks. The photo shows the “WF-001” rolling off the line, surrounded by festive balloons.

After 2002, the brand’s lineup expanded to 3 SUVs and 3 pickup trucks. They all shared the same basic platform and powertrains. The main differences were in luxuries and goodies.

The factory

In 2004, the company released a flock of photos showing its factory. The place looks brand new, spotless, and ultra-clean.

Wanfeng was a typical ‘car maker’ of its time. It didn’t really “build” cars; it merely assembled them. Wanfeng bought complete bodies, dashboards, drive trains, and engines from specialized manufacturers. All Wanfeng had to do was put them together, hence the lack of heavy machinery in the factory.

Wanfeng did do some design, mainly at the front of the vehicles, and it created the various trim levels and accessories. Wanfeng also did the branding, marketing, and distribution. In the 2000s, dozens of small Chinese car makers operated in this manner. Wanfeng got most of its bodies from Foday Auto. Wanfeng produced its own “WF” engine series, but it also bought engines from other manufacturers.

It is somewhat comparable to the current EV craze, where new companies pop up every day, sourcing entire platforms, batteries, and motors from other businesses.

Sales

Wanfeng’s factory had an annual production capacity of 10.000 units, which wasn’t very much, even by 2003 standards. Wanfeng claimed it had a marketing & servicing network covering 25 provinces. Sadly, sales were poor, mainly due to a lack of brand recognition.

2004: 6000 units.
2005: 4000 units.
2006: (Jan-May): 824 units

The First End

In June 2006, Shanghai Wanfeng Auto stopped all production. It listed two reasons for the lackluster sales: rising oil prices and an adjustment of a consumption tax that hurt the sales of affordable SUVs.

The 2010 revival

As we know, car brands never completely die in China. They always come back somehow. In 2010, 4 years after production ended, the Wangfeng brand was relaunched, now as the Zhejiang Wanfeng Automobile Manufacturing Corporation (浙江万丰汽车制造有限公司). It also got a new model code: ZWQ. The owner was still the Wanfeng Auto Holding Group.

The Second End

Zhejiang Wanfeng Automobile Manufacturing Corporation continued until 2017, making small numbers of SUVs and pickup trucks. In 2017, the company was restructured into Hunan Leopaard (Liebao) Automobile Corporation (湖南猎豹汽车股份有限公司), a subsidiary of the Changfeng Group.

The restructuring included the transfer of the production licence and the ZWQ model code. Hunan Leopard then produced a series of SUVs based on the Mitsubishi Pajero series. Sadly, the company subsequently went bankrupt in 2021.

Wanfeng today

Amazingly, the Wanfeng Auto Holding Group still exists today, using the same logo. The company’s main business units are:

• Wanfeng Industry, involved in aluminium wheel manufacturing,  magnesium alloy manufacturing, coating processing, light-aircraft manufacturing, and general aviation.
• Jinyuan Capital, investment and financing.
• Wanfeng Properties, a property development company, mainly focuses on high-end residential projects.

It is a private company, but it appears to have close ties to the Chinese state, with lots of grandiose patriotic statements and imagery. The photo shows the top management. In the middle is Chen Ailian, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Wanfeng Auto Group.

The car project is mentioned on the company’s “Development History” page (see: 2003 and 1998-2001).

The cars of the Shanghai Wanfeng Auto brand

Wanfeng Flyer. SHK1022FF.

The Wanfeng Flyer (飞行者) debuted in 2001, as the first-ever Wanfeng car. The overall design was similar to dozens of other pickup trucks in that period, but Wanfeng made it a little nicer with two-tone paint and shiny mirrors. The photo shows the front page of a brochure.

My colleague Erik Van Ingen Schenau met the SHK1022FF when it was new.

With a single fog light and mud flaps.

This is an old MIIT pic, showing the base two-door model with simple wheel covers.

Wanfeng offered two engines: a Nissan-derived China-made 108 hp 3.1-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel and a China-made Isuzu 76 hp 2.7-liter 4-cylinder diesel.

In 2002, the Flyer received a small update, with a new bumper, new lights, and a new color scheme. The engines remained unchanged.

Wanfeng Suda. SHK 6470.

The Wanfeng Suda SHK 6470  was the company’s first SUV. Suda (速达) means “Speedy”. Erik saw the Suda in Shanghai when it was just launched. In the photo, the SUV is in the background, parked next to the SHK1022FF.

The Suda used the same engines as the Flyer.

Wanfeng Suda update. SHK 6471M.

Like with every Chinese car maker at the time, Wanfeng launched several updates and new variants each year. The SHK 6471M was an improved variant of the SHK 6470.

Wanfeng offered two engines:

1. a 2.2-liter gasoline unit sourced from Great Wall Motors (GWM).  It had 94 hp and 178 Nm. The top speed was 135 km/h.
2. Wanfeng’s own 2.3-liter “WF491Q-ME” engine, which was based on a licensed Toyota design. It had 102 hp, good for a 150 km/h top speed.

The transmission was a 5-speed manual in both versions.

At the time, GWM was already an established pickup truck and SUV maker, and thus a competitor of Wanfeng. But, as these things go in China, it also sold engines and entire platforms to other automakers.

Another variant with a slightly different lower-bumper section, new wheels, and cool stickers on the sides.

A well-equipped cabin, with light-colored faux leather seats, a shipload of faux-wood, and a large-size steering wheel. Not the wood panel in the door for the window switches – very classy!

Size: 4700/1700/1770, with a 2240 mm wheelbase. Like most of these vehicles in that period, it was rated as a seven-seat car, with a small bench for the third row.

Erik met a SHK 6471M in Shanghai, fitted with Shanghai license plates.

With muf flaps and a sporty little spoiler on the roof.

I saw this one in Beijing in 2015. Many more photos in the article on CoolCarsInChina.

Wanfeng Suwei. SHK6483M.

The Wanfeng Suwei was a luxury version of the Wanfeng Suda. The Suwei name (速威) is best translated as “Speed Power”. It featured a new grille design, new headlights, and a fancier paint job. The Siwei was a seven-seat car again in a 2/3/2 setup. With the third row folded down, luggage space was an impressive 1400 liters. The tire size was 235/75 R15.

The engine was the same GWM 2.2-liter as in the Suda SHK 6471M, but torque was up to 182 Nm. The engine complied with the then-valid Euro II emission standards. The fuel consumption was 7.8L/100 km.

Standard equipment included: “Power windows, central locking, ultra-lightweight seat adjustment, and lightweight alloy wheels. Luxury models offer optional features such as rear air conditioning vents, wood trim, a high-fidelity stereo VCD player, a power antenna, and leather seats.”

Even with all this stuff, the Wanfeng Suwei was still a cheap car, with a 72.800-90.800 yuan price range.

Wanfeng Fuyida. SHK 1024M.

The Wanfeng Fuyida (富易达) was a new pickup truck, with a similar design to the Wanfeng Suwei. The company offered two engines:

1.  a 2.8-liter China-made Isuzu diesel with 76 hp.
2. a 3.2-liter China-made Nissan turbodiesel with 108 hp. The manufacturer was Dongfeng-Nissan. This joint venture produced passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and commercial vehicle engines, both for its own vehicles and for other carmakers.

Size: 4980/1700/1630, with a 3025 mm wheelbase. The size of the cargo box was 1505/1530/450.

A police version of the Fuyida.

The 2004 lineup.

In 2004, Wanfeng went into boost mode and launched several new cars while continuing production of older models. This is common for Chinese automakers, then and today.

Wanfeng unveiled the new models at the 2004 Beijing Auto Show, which Erik and I both attended. The show was held in the old international exhibition center, just inside Third Ring Road. I always bicycled there! Wanfeng’s booth was outside the main hall.

New Wanfeng Suda, SHK5025.

A new Suda arrived! It came with a modernized front, featuring a grille in body color, large headlights, and fog lights in the bumper. The new Suda was the centerpiece of the booth, standing alone on a round platform.

Probably the most comprehensive Wanfeng design. It had running boards, roof rails, and sporty wheels.  Size: 4875/1790/2020, 2725.

The engine was the Wanfeng 2.3-liter unit. Wanfeng claimed a 145 km/h top speed.

The Wanfeng factory is in the background.

Wanfeng Suwei S2. SHK6520S1.

The Wanfeng Suwei S2 was the successor of the Suwei, with a modernized design. It had cool “SUV” stickers on the doors, large headlights, and sporty alloy wheels.

The engine was a 127 hp 2.4-liter “4G64S4M” Mitsubishi Sirius unit, manufactured in China by Shenyang-Mitsubishi. This joint venture supplied engines to dozens of smaller Chinese car makers. It still exists, but with the EV revolution, business has slowed down to a trickle.

The top speed was 135 km/h. Size: 5140/1735/1910, 3025. Buyers could choose between 5 and 7 seats. The photo shows a brand new Suda S2, without the stickers on the doors.

Wanfeng Suwei S2 Diesel. SHK6483F.

The photo shows the same car as the header pic. The text on the license plate is “万丰柴油SUV” (Wanfeng Diesel SUV). It has a different grille and bumper than the petrol-powered Suwei S2. 

Power came from a “4G22” 2.2-liter diesel engine, with an output of 104 kW and 205 Nm. The top speed was 140 km/h, and it had a steep 8.8L/100 km fuel consumption.  The engine manufacturer was Mianyang Xinchen Engine, using licensed design architecture from Mitsubishi.

Wanfeng Suwei S3.

The Suda S3 was a concept rally car, featuring a winch, a bull bar, a roof rack, a snorkel, and off-road tires.

At the back, it had a ladder and a cool bumper extension. All these parts were readily available on aftermarket car markets at that time. It was a typical autoshow model – there was no production.

That was an impressive showing in Beijing for such a young brand, but Wanfeng wasn’t done yet.

Wanfeng SHK1024 AF1

A new heavy-duty pickup truck, powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine, manufactured by Changchai Power. This company was quite famous in the 2000s and 2010s, supplying diesel engines to commercial-vehicle manufacturers. Changchai Power still exists – but it doesn’t make complete engines anymore. The output was 96 hp and 234 Nm, for a 120 km/h top speed.

Wanfeng SHK1023 AF5

A modernized pickup truck with a similar design to the Wanfeng Suda S2. The engine was the same Changchai 2.8-liter diesel unit, and the top speed was the same too. Size: 5130/1735/1675, 3025.

This was the last model produced by Wanfeng under the SHK model code.

Cars after the Revival

Wanfeng ZWQ 6490M

The Wanfeng ZWQ 6490M was a large SUV. It was basically a rebadged variant of the Foday Explorer 6. Wanfeng had used bodies from Foday before, but this went much further – Wanfeng really only changed the badges and nothing else. Power: the good old 2.4-liter “4G64S4M” Mitsubishi Sirius, now with 135 hp, for a 140 km/h top speed. The transmission was a 5-speed manual. Size: 4885/1785/1920, 3000.

Wanfeng ZWQ5001BEV

The Wanfeng ZWQ5001BEV was an electric version of the ZWQ 6490M. Wanfeng showed the EV version in late 2013, just as the EV-boom in China was beginning. It had a 100 hp electric motor built by Shenzhen Dadihe Electric Appliance Corporation. This company seems to be out of business.  The top speed was 98 km/h.

Wanfeng ZWQ1021AF

The Wanfeng ZWQ1021AF was a large pickup truck with a giant grille with a big Wanfeng logo in the middle. Power came from a 2.8-liter diesel engine manufactured by Changchun FAW Sihuan Engine Manufacturing Corporation, a subsidiary of the FAW Group. The output was 96 hp for a 120 km/h top speed. It was the largest vehicle ever made by Wanfeng: 5450/1760/1665, 3380.

The ZWQ1021AF was also the last vehicle ever made by Wanfeng.

How many cars Wanfeng produced after its revival is unclear. It appears that none of these 3 cars was actually mass produced. There are no mentions of sales numbers or production numbers for these models at all. In any case, the numbers would have been very small.

And that brings us to the end of this story. Wanfeng Auto was an interesting company from a wild time in China’s automotive history, when it was super easy to start a car company thanks to China’s endless supply chain of everything.

See you soon for the next one!