About the History of Cars in China
A bit surprised, not knowing this vehicle, my dear friend Chang Bing took some photos, in front of the building of the FAW Automobile Research Institute in Changchun. The car had no front logo, but after sweeping a bit the snow away the factory name and the vehicle code became visible at the rear site.
A Hongqi CA770 limousine, refit into an ambulance or at least disguised as an ambulance. There are several versions.
When reading a Wikipedia page about the Shanghai Auto Shows, I was surprised to read that Wiki tells us that the first Shanghai Show was held in 1985. That is not true.
The first Show in Shanghai was held 64 years before, in November-December 1921.
There seems to have been some minor exhibitions in Shanghai, in 1906 and 1927. But the main big show was in 1921, I missed that one when I wrote about earlier Chinese auto shows.
With help of the magazine Oriental Motor, published in those years, I give you a review of the 1921 show.
Two three-wheelers, made in 1958, both by the Chongqing Municipality Public Transport Company.
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).
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).
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.
It is amazing how many experiments took place to develop an electric car, decades before they became popular in China.
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.”
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).”