The FAW B30 Can Be A Good Addition In 1600cc Segment In Pakistan
The B30 is the entry-level sedan in FAW’s lineup. Placed under the ‘Besturn’ sub-brand umbrella, it first appeared at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show as “Besturn A-Class”; the name was later changed to B30 prior to its launch in November 2015. In the year 2012, FAW launched the Oley sedan in the entry-level sedan segment in China. However, the Oley was never able to become a success. FAW then launched the B30 in the Chinese market in November 2015, and the results were outstanding.
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In a couple of months, the B30 became one of FAW’s best-selling cars in China. In January, its sales surpassed the likes of Honda Civic, Nissan Sunny, and Honda City, which too within just two months of its launch. B30 is derived from Volkswagen’s PQ32 platform and considered as a derivative of the VW Bora. Keep in mind that FAW is a joint venture partner of Volkswagen in China.
The B30 is powered by Volkswagen-developed 1.6 liter (1598cc) four-cylinder petrol engine with 109hp and 155nm torque. The engine which is Euro V compliant is mated to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. FAW was successfully able to acquire the rights from VW to develop this engine. Salient features include Electric Power Steering (EPS), Sunroof, Cruise Control, Multi-function Steering Wheel, Power Windows, Radio/USB/AUX/MP3, Blue-tooth Connectivity, Central Color LCD Screen, Driver, Passenger and Curtain Airbags, ABS+EBD, Parking Sensors, Reverse Camera, Central Locking and Engine Immobilizer, etc.
Al-Haj FAW had displayed the B30 sedan during the Lahore Expo in March 2016, which does give us a hint that FAW is working to bring this car to Pakistani market. In China, the base version B30 starts from RMB 69,800 (PKR 11.15 lac) while the top of the line version goes up to RMB 92,800 (PKR 14.83 lac). We will have to wait and see when exactly the vehicle does get launched and what will be its price.
FAW has already launched the B30 sedan in Russia and is planning to introduce the car in various markets across the globe. The Auto Policy 2016-21 will surely encourage new players, and Pakistani auto buyers will get more options to choose from. B30 can be one of those, and should be a good contender to Altis 1.6 and Aspire 1.5. If FAW is able to price it competitively, it’s surely going to be a good buying option. Looking at its rapid success in China, we can safely say B30 surely has something to prove.
