Zotye is a tiny automobile manufacturer in China's huge automobile market. however this small auto maker has the factory area of 500,000 square meters and more than 3000 employees with the capacity of annual production of 100,000 automobiles, more than 800 auto molds, 250,000 sets for automobile and meter instrument and stamping parts respectively.
Zotye survives among the severe competition with a lineup that is mostly based on out-gone models of Fiat, Suzuki etc.. the good thing is that its licensed.. they have recently acquired platforms for Fiat Palio and Fiat Sienna while they have bought the whole vehicle intellectual property rights of Suzuki Alto [local Mehran].. and have implemented a modern Euro IV Efi engine, a better interior and proper rear suspension setup in a car that cost only 2.33 lac PKR [when converted from Chinese yuan].. Their most popular product is called 5008 which is based on Daihatsu Terios.
Now Zotye are about to expand their lineup and introduced quite a few cars at Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year, among which the Z300 seems to be the first one getting into the production level, spy shots have already hit the internet.
Z300 is Zotye's first independently developed sedan and is expected to hit the Chinese market by early 2012. Measuring 4565x1766x1493mm, with a wheelbase of 2700mm, Z300 will carry Mitsubishi sourced 1.5 liter engine with 113hp and 147nm, mated to a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission. Price is expected to start from 75,000 yuan which converts into 9.8 lac PKR
While Z300 is said to be the first independently developed sedan by Zotye, the similarities with Toyota Allion are quite obvious and there is no news on any license or platform acquisition by Zotye this time..
EDIT:
The new Zotye Z300 sedan has been launched in the Chinese car market. The price starts at 58,999 yuan (8.44 lac PKR) and ends at 69,999 yuan (10.02 lac PKR).
