This is about three mystery-Volkswagen’s. The FAW-Volkswagen Olympia Taxi, a FAW-Volkswagen Vento (Jetta A3) and a Shanghai-Volkswagen Santana (Passat B2).
Three mystery Volkswagens.
Author: Erik Van Ingen Schenau
Prototypes made in Changchun.
Recently I bought from a Changchun bookseller a bunch of 47 photos of prototypes made in the 1990’s by the First Auto Works Automobile Research Institute (FARI). The majority of the photos show trucks.
The Changchun Automobile Reseach Institute was established in 1950. Originally it worked mostly for FAW (First Auto Works in Changchun), but also designed for other companies, factories in Beijing, Tianjin or Guangzhou etc.
Since 1978 CARI worked only for FAW and in 1980 it became the FAW Automobile Research Institute (FARI).
Made for China: Dodge T234 (1944-1946).
An interesting subject is the vehicles which are not made in China, but are made specifically FOR China.
Before, I wrote about the trucks made by the French company Berliet for China, the Berliet GCH 6×6 26 ton trucks.
There was a predecessor. The Chrysler Company developed the Dodge T234 in 1944, especially for the Nationalist Army to fight against the Japanese. The car had the nickname ‘Dodge Burma truck’ as it was meant for use at the Burma and Ledo highway.
Small electric cars of the 1950s.
It is amazing how many experiments took place to develop an electric car, decades before they became popular in China.
The never produced Tianjin Xiali Station Wagon.
During the 1990’s the Tianjin Automotive Research Co. Ltd. made several proposals for a Xiali Station Wagon. In the end none was taken into production.
Continue reading “The never produced Tianjin Xiali Station Wagon.”
The beautiful paintings of Jörg-Peter Rabe (2).
Nearly one and a half year ago I showed you the beautiful drawings and paintings of Jörg-Peter Rabe, which he made for us.
Jörg-Peter continued his great production. Here we go on….
Continue reading “The beautiful paintings of Jörg-Peter Rabe (2).”
Mr. Zhong Boguang’s Shanghai SH7180.
This is a painting made by my good friend Jörg-Peter Rabe, to show you how the Shanghai SH7180 (or SAIC96) would have looked like when it was really produced.
There was a small production of the North Korean Sungri Paektusan.
Four different license plates, at least three different colors, cars with left rear-view mirrors in black, or in silver (chrome), or without, cars with black steering wheels and cars with white, cars with hubcaps or cars without….
More and more proof that that we can talk of a small series of the Paektusan, the proof is piling up.
Continue reading “There was a small production of the North Korean Sungri Paektusan.”
Forward control vehicles based on the BJ212.
With the development of the Beijing BJ212, the possibility to produce a forward control 4×4 minibus arose. The Russian had the UAZ452, so why not.
Beijing BJ421 1974. Registration ‘Beijing 01-64515’.
Continue reading “Forward control vehicles based on the BJ212.”
The postal Tianjin 4×4, 1983.
A short story about the BJ212 based Tianjin postal vehicle.
