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Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall
Meet Ms. Wang Fenying, Master of Industrial Economics and China’s only female leader in the automotive industry of this magnitude, winner of the highest and most prestigious Chinese competitions, including “Best General Director of the Chinese Automotive Industry 2006”, “Business Magnolia 2013”.
Van Fenin came to the enterprise immediately after the institute in 1991, was engaged in marketing and so established herself that ten years later she already took the chair of the general director and, in 2003, the post of president of Great Wall. The steady growth in the production of this brand car, the expansion of the model range and access to international markets is largely due to Wang Fenin, with whom I had a chance to talk in Shanghai.
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Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall
Russian motorists are familiar with Great Wall products, which stand out among Chinese brands for their level and build quality, and for the presence of a dealer network. But this year promises to be crucial in the history of the brand in Russia. In 2013, a plant for the production of Chinese cars was launched in the Lipetsk region.
As Van Fenin explains, new production facilities in Russia are designed for 200 thousand cars annually, that is, they are ready to serve not only today's needs, but also with a future perspective. This year, IRITO - the Russian importer of Great Wall - will launch the first phase of the plant, designed for 100 thousand cars. Great Wall has a lot of new products, smiling Van Fengin, which you see here at the booth. So it may turn out that very soon these capacities will not be enough.
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Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall Van Fenin, president of Great Wall
- When will the factory open?
- In July, and the first shipments of cars can be expected in August-September. In October, mass production will begin according to plan. With the launch of the plant near Lipetsk, the sales of Great Wall cars in Russia will double.
What models are planned to be released?
- First of all, the H6 crossover, both in the usual version, and in the Sport version, presented for the first time here in Shanghai. They will be followed by models H2 and H8.
- What engines will the Russian Great Walls be equipped with?
- The main engine will be a 2-liter gasoline, as well as a turbodiesel.
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The Hover H7 is a versatile crossover that can be used in and around the city. In the appearance of the H7 model, a new Great Wall design philosophy has been laid, it will set the style for the entire off-road brand line. At the heart of the H7 is a modern hybrid platform, thanks to which a large SUV is not inferior in economy to compact class cars. In addition, the novelty will be equipped with an all-wheel drive transmission and an automatic transmission with manual shift. The total power of power units - 272 hp The Hover H7 is a versatile crossover that can be used in and around the city. In the appearance of the H7 model, a new Great Wall design philosophy has been laid, it will set the style for the entire off-road brand line. At the heart of the H7 is a modern hybrid platform, thanks to which a large SUV is not inferior in economy to compact class cars. In addition, the novelty will be equipped with an all-wheel drive transmission and an automatic transmission with manual shift. The total power of power units - 272 hp The Hover H7 is a versatile crossover that can be used in and around the city. In the appearance of the H7 model, a new Great Wall design philosophy has been laid, it will set the style for the entire off-road brand line. At the heart of the H7 is a modern hybrid platform, thanks to which a large SUV is not inferior in economy to compact class cars. In addition, the novelty will be in the “base” equipped with an all-wheel drive transmission and an automatic transmission with manual shift capability. The total power of power units - 272 hp
We walk along the booth from one model to another. Here we come to the very H6, the assembly of which is deployed in Lipetsk. Van Fenin explains that due to plans for Russian production, the models refused to import finished cars. As a result, the arrival of Hover H6 in Russia was delayed. Meanwhile, according to the results of tests conducted by journalists, the car showed itself on the good side and, taking into account the local assembly, from which the buyer will only gain in price, can be a very interesting offer on the market in the crossover segment.
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Hover H6 Sport Hover H6 Sport The H6 Sport crossover is distinguished by a changed appearance (in the first place, the front bumper has been updated) and the nuances of decoration. For the H6, the Sport version has adopted an intelligent all-wheel drive system that optimally distributes torque between the wheels. The level of equipment sets a new bar for the compact crossover segment: the H6 Sport has a collision avoidance system, a new generation entertainment system and much more.
I wonder what will happen to imported Great Wall cars when an automatic transmission appears on them that would expand the interest in M2 and M4 cars from those who do not like a manual gearbox. It turns out that the company does not intend to reduce sales of finished machines to Russia and will expand the range of options available to customers. So, Van Fenin promises by the end of the year to begin supplying “automatic machines” to M4 and, possibly, to M2. All-wheel drive versions may appear. As such, the M2 and M4 models with all-wheel drive exist and are sold in China (however, there are not so many of them due to the increased cost), the other thing is that they are not certified in Russia.
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Hover H2, one of the Great Wall’s new products, is an economical urban H2 crossover equipped with a 1.5-liter turbo engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The car can be four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The list of standard equipment for this crossover includes ESP, cruise control, a button engine start system and much more. At the same time, the universal design and ease of management of the novelty guarantee that H2 will be of interest to representatives of both male and female audiences. Hover H2, one of the Great Wall’s new products, is an economical urban H2 crossover equipped with a 1.5-liter turbo engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The car can be four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The list of standard equipment for this crossover includes ESP, cruise control, a button engine start system and much more. At the same time, the universal design and ease of management of the novelty guarantee that H2 will be of interest to representatives of both male and female audiences. Hover H2, one of the Great Wall’s new products, is an economical urban H2 crossover equipped with a 1.5-liter turbo engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The car can be four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The list of standard equipment for this crossover includes ESP, cruise control, a button engine start system and much more. At the same time, the universal design and ease of management of the novelty guarantee that H2 will be of interest to representatives of both male and female audiences.
But everything flows, everything changes. The attitude of Russians towards Chinese cars is changing, and requests are changing. Russia at Great Wall is in priority, which means that everything that was shown in Shanghai may appear in the salons of Russian dealers and, possibly, pretty soon.
Great Wall cars are exported to more than 100 countries. In Russia, the brand has been officially introduced since 2005 through an exclusive distributor - IRITO company. The sales volume of Great Wall cars in Russia in 2012 amounted to 22, 700 units (+ 47% compared to 2011). The basis of sales (90%) is Hover SUVs. Currently, the Great Wall lineup is represented by all-terrain vehicles Hover H3, Hover H5 and Wingle pickup truck. In 2013, the Hover H6, Hover M2, Hover M4 enter the Russian market. The Great Wall dealer network in Russia has more than 90 auto centers in 60 cities, and by the end of the year 20 more dealerships will be added to them.
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Wingle 6 Wingle 6 The new generation of Great Wall pickups, the Wingle 6, combines a well-known and time-tested design with a modern exterior. The interior is also updated, the pickup truck received several previously inaccessible options, such as a button engine start system, an on-board computer, a multifunction steering wheel, etc. The level of passive and active safety has been increased: the exhibition copy is equipped with six airbags, an ESP system, assistance when starting on a rise and an emergency braking system. Under the hood of the novelty is a 2.0-liter turbodiesel (150 hp, 310 Nm) that meets Euro-4 standards, from which torque is transmitted to the wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox.
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Hover H8 - a premium all-terrain vehicle built on a completely new platform, and its production uses the most advanced technologies, including laser welding of body parts. The engine - with direct injection and turbocharging, a 6-speed automatic transmission ZF - with the possibility of manual shifting. Four-wheel drive and cruise control facilitate the process of driving on any road. There is also a complete set of security systems: front and side airbags, window blinds, directional stability system, assistance device during the descent, etc. Hover H8 - a premium all-terrain vehicle built on a completely new platform, and its production uses the most advanced technologies, including laser welding of body parts. The engine - with direct injection and turbocharging, a 6-speed automatic transmission ZF - with the possibility of manual shifting. Four-wheel drive and cruise control facilitate the process of driving on any road. There is also a complete set of security systems: front and side airbags, window blinds, directional stability system, assistance device during the descent, etc. Hover H8 is a premium all-terrain vehicle built on a completely new platform, and the most modern technologies are used for its production, including laser welding of body parts. The engine - with direct injection and turbocharging, a 6-speed automatic transmission ZF - with the possibility of manual shifting. Four-wheel drive and cruise control facilitate the process of driving on any road. There is also a complete set of security systems: front and side airbags, window blinds, directional stability system, assistance device during the descent, etc.
