The BEIJING X55, introduced by BAIC South Africa in November 2022, has been selected as a finalist for the 2023 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition. It is the only Chinese competitor in the Compact Family category of the COTY competition and is one of three Chinese-manufactured vehicles in this year’s 21-finalist lineup.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this year’s finalist group. It is a testament to the exceptional design, performance and safety features of our new X55,” says Basil Costa, Senior Manager at BAIC South Africa. “It is an honour to appear on this prestigious list competing for the top stakes in the local automotive industry.”
The BEIJING X55 boasts a sleek and sporty design, complete with an elegant split rear wing. Its award-winning engine offers outstanding performance and fuel efficiency. It also earned a C-NCAP Five-star Safety rating and is equipped with a wide range of active and passive safety features for added peace of mind motoring. Inside, the X55 offers a luxurious, comfortable interior that ensures a relaxing driving experience.
BAIC, Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, is one of China’s leading automobile manufacturers. The BEIJING X55 is the company’s innovation-driven compact SUV, featuring electrification, intelligence, connectivity, and advanced technology. It is built on the BAIC Group’s latest generation BMFA (Beijing Modular Functional Architecture) platform, underpinning future vehicle development, including plug-in hybrid and EV derivatives.
“BAIC made substantial investments in developing smart cars under its new BEIJING brand through cooperation with partners in the “intelligent-connected” vehicle technologies field. The company’s longstanding joint venture with Beijing Benz Automotive has included top-class innovations, supported by Daimler’s technology, in the BEIJING product range” said Mr Hugo Hu, Vice President of BAIC SA based here in Johannesburg.
Founded in 1958, BAIC is ranked 162nd on the Fortune 500 list and is one of China’s largest state-owned automobile groups. The company’s functions include R&D, vehicle, parts and components manufacturing, the automobile service trade, comprehensive travel services, finance and investment. It is the market leader in new-energy vehicles and has more than 360 sales and service outlets in over 30 countries worldwide.
BAIC South Africa was established in 2016 as a joint venture with the Industrial Development Corporation. The company operates an assembly plant in Gqeberha and is committed to developing and expanding the African market. It has a network of 27 dealerships throughout the country and has an additional dealer network of 23 pre-aproved dealers covering all provinces .
Costa added, “The excitement generated by the media launch in November last year created massive awareness for the new X55. Customer demand exceeded our expectations, making us extremely confident about the future of BAIC in the South African market.”
To find out more about the exciting new BEIJING X55, visit www.beijingcars.co.za and www.baic.co.za.
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