SAIC comes out with new sport utility vehicle

The Shanghai Auto Show, which will be held from April 20-28, is to be the location for a new car introduction by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC). SAIC is expected to launch a new sports utility vehicle (SUV), the first for this auto manufacturer. Word is that the SUV will be a Roewe W5 model with a platform that SAIC acquired from South Korea’s SsangYong. Suppliers indicate that the car is already in production and that sales of the vehicle should begin in 2011. The new SUV will reportedly come with two gasoline engine options: a 1.9T and a 3.2 liter engine. The W5 model was to be introduced in 2008 but production was delayed due to legal issues. According to the Chinese Association of Automotive Manufacturers, the SUV segment of the automotive industry is going strong with sales of all classes increasing 50% per year. (February 25, 2011)