Apr 14, 2007, 8:12 PM

Chinese budget car S21 to hit Iran market early ’08

TEHRAN, April 14 (MNA) –- Iran will start manufacturing the Chinese budget car, S21, early next year provided that the Chinese side Chery agrees with exports of 20 percent of the production.

If the current negotiations over the manufacture and exports of the Chinese compact car are finalized, production of the passenger car will begin in Iran by early next year, Nasser Marzban, an official with the country’s major automaker Iran Khodro Co. (IKCO) said, adding that 200,000 S21s will be produced within three years.

The Chery S21 is a small 4-door super-mini and is offered at two engine options, a 1.1 liter and a 1.3 liter. Its fuel efficiency is rated at consuming six liters of gas per 100 kilometers.

Production of A15, another Chinese automobile, has already begun in Iran and it is going to hit the markets by late summer this year, Marzban said adding that after- sales service and spare parts are now the main challenges facing the sales of the product, the Persian service of ISNA said here on Saturday.

S21 is expected to be priced at Rls.60 million (roughly around 6,500 dollars) in the Iranian market.

At present, the only passenger automobile product of China in Iran is MVM 110.

RA/KK

END

MNA