Baojun. Brand for young people
The Baojun brand belongs to the joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile (abbreviated as SGMW), which has become the top seller among Chinese automakers for 8 consecutive years. SGMW manufactures cars under the Wuling and Baojun brands. Baojun positions itself as a brand for young people producing modern models, which are simple and affordable. All of them have an eye-catching appearance and relatively rich equipment. General Motors and SAIC have totally nailed it with a joint Baojun brand: introduced in 2011, it is already among the top 10 leaders in the Chinese market.
The joint venture, with 44% of shares held by Americans, was established in 2002. SAIC-GM-Wuling has already sold 10 million vehicles. The company produces around 1 million vehicles annually, holding that mark for five consecutive years. It has two brands: Wuling, which produces quite popular minivans, and Baojun.
The brand’s first car was the Baojun 630 sedan, the production of which began in November 2010. One of the most popular models in China is the Baojun 510 compact SUV, the unusual appearance of which was so loved by buyers, that it is now reproduced for other SUVs of the brand. In 2017, the Baojun 530 mid-size SUV was released.
R family
Released in 2018, the new Baojun RS-5 SUV became the brand’s technological flagship and heralded the next stage of development. By the way, local designer Gao Chenyu is considered the author of the appearance of all new Baojun SUVs. He previously worked for Geely and General Motors, and now leads the styling team for the Baojun brand at the PATAC Technology Center in China, part of the SAIC-GM joint venture. And for the first time, the Baojun model with such a predatory two-stage front design was presented in the fall of 2016.
In 2019, the manufacturer introduced a large 5-door Baojun RC-6 liftback. The creators themselves compare this model to the BMW X4 coupe-like SUV. Among its characteristics, it is worth noting a decent ground clearance of 191 mm. At the same time, the RM-5 compact van was put into mass production. Later, a small RC-5 liftback appeared, similar in size to the Skoda Octavia, with quite rich equipment and modern electronics.
Together, they form the R family, which brings the Baojun brand, originally created by General Motors and SAIC for the mass production of inexpensive cars, into a more expensive market segment.
E family
Today, Baojun produces not only relatively simple and affordable cars in the usual format, but also miniature electric cars similar in size to Smart. This direction was discovered in 2017, the first born was the Baojun E100 with a length of only 2,488 mm. However, it failed to become successful in the Chinese market: sales did not exceed 26,000 cars per year.
In 2019, the manufacturer introduced the next Baojun E200, with a length of 2,497 mm, which differed mainly in design. This model was well received: from May to the end of December 2019, 48,000 cars were sold.
In 2020, new Baojun E300 and E300 Plus microcars appeared. If the E100 and E200 models are strictly 2-seater, then the E300 is already more versatile. The Baojun E300 with a length of 2,625 mm has a 3-seater interior: the only rear seat is located on the right, while the front passenger seat can be moved forward as far as possible. And there is a small trunk behind the driver.
The Baojun E300 Plus is a long-wheelbase 4-seater version. The distance between the axles has been increased from 1,750 to 2,020 mm, and the total length is 2,894 mm. The second row has two folding seats, which can accommodate medium-sized passengers. In this case, there is no trunk. The width of both versions is almost the same (1,647 and 1,655 mm respectively), the height is the same (1,588 and 1,595 mm).
… and other unusual city cars
But Baojun does not stop there and continues to produce quite interesting models. So, in 2022, the manufacturer released another compact electric car, which was especially loved by women, the KiWi EV. Its body is decorated with pink and purple laser stickers, and reflective plates are located on the sides. The roof is also complemented by decorative elements in the shape of a heart, which creates a romantic and dreamy atmosphere.
