Lifan
Encyclopedia
Lifan Group, or Lifan Industry (Group) Company is a privately owned
Chinese motorcycle
and automobile
manufacturer. Automobile manufacture only began in 2005, with license built microvans and a small sedan developed by Lifan themselves.
Based in Chongqing
, compact sedans and hatchbacks are among its offerings. The company was ranked the 88th largest in China in 2009. Abroad, Lifan may be best known for the small passenger cars it sells in developing
overseas markets but it also makes small dirt bike engines; entry-level motorcycle
s; mini-vehicles, microvans, and small and large commercial trucks. Other interests include manufacture of sports shoes and winemaking.
Lifan's 2009 automobile sales were a modest 43,000, but they still managed to be China's third biggest exporter of cars. 2010 production capacity was estimated to be near 300,000, twice what it had been in 2006.
in 1992, originally as a motorcycle repair shop with a staff of nine. Mingshan spent twenty years in political disfavor after having been accused of "rightist" leanings, but currently enjoys a good relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. The company was originally called "Chongqing Hongda Auto Fittings Research Centre". Lifan had already become a major motorcycle manufacturer when they expanded into building buses in 2003.
Becoming the fifth-largest Chinese motorcycle maker in only seventeen years, the company was renamed Lifan Industry Group in 1997. In 2003, Lifan acquired Chongqing Special Purpose Use Vehicle Manufacturing Co Ltd.
2005 saw commencement of automobile production, beginning with the LF6361/1010 minivan and pickup based on the 1999 Daihatsu Atrai. Their first independent development was the 520
sedan, equipped with the Brazilian Tritec engine
, which entered production soon thereafter, in December 2005. Yunan Dali Junma Automotive Company, a commercial-truck maker, was another acquisition target. Lifan's current automobile lineup (as of autumn 2011) consists of the subcompact 320
, the compact sedan and hatchback 520
, the slightly larger 620
sedan, and the X60
compact SUV.
Lifan made an IPO
on the Shanghai Stock Exchange
in late 2010. Lifan has also been petitioning the Chinese State
to allow the creation of more private banks, in order to allow better investment opportunities fo privately run businesses.
allowed the company in 1998, means that this maker of automobiles and motorcycles does what many Chinese automakers desire: it sells in developed
overseas markets like the EU
and Japan
.
While finding more markets for its motorcycle-related products, Lifan has exported passenger cars to 51 countries. In 2010 its automotive exports were rivaled by only Chery
although prior it held 3rd place. The company has sold in many countries and in every continent
(except Antarctica).
Europe:
Allowed access in 2003, Lifan motorcycle products are, , sold in 18 European countries. The Italian importer Martin Motors rebadges and sells two small Lifan passenger car models under their own name. Assembly of Lifan automobiles has been carried out in Russia since August of 2007. As of 2009 a showroom existed in Saint Petersburg
.
Ethiopia:
From 2007 until 2010, the Lifan 520
was assembled in Ethiopia
from imported knock-down kits under the name of "Abay" (the Amharic
name for the Blue Nile
) by Holland Car Company. Lifan now assembles cars under their own name in Ethiopia. It also has an after sales service
center in the capital, Addis Ababa
.
Japan:
Beginning in 2001, the company sells motorcycles in Japan.
Laos:
As of 2009, select automobile models are sold in Laos
.
Middle East:
In early 2010 an automobile assembly factory was established in Azerbaijan
. At the time, Lifan already assembled cars in Iran
as well. In 2009 Lifan cars first appeared in the Syria
n market.
North America:
Lifan motorcycles and dirt bikes are available in Canada
.
South America:
Some small passenger car models are sold in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, and Uruguay. As of 2010 a 40,000 units/year production capacity assembly factory also exists in Uruguay
.
Vietnam:
Lifan first established a presence in Vietnam in 1999, originally only building motorcycles and parts. Beginning in March 2007, the 520 sedan commenced assembly in Vietnam. The 520 was then joined by the 320, 520i, and 620 in the summer of 2009.
costs.
and since 2005 is again sponsoring the team.
Overseas motorcycle production bases include sites in Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.
As of 2007, car-making factories in Egypt, Russia and Vietnam produce Lifan-branded autos for domestic consumption.
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
Chinese motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturer. Automobile manufacture only began in 2005, with license built microvans and a small sedan developed by Lifan themselves.
Based in Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, compact sedans and hatchbacks are among its offerings. The company was ranked the 88th largest in China in 2009. Abroad, Lifan may be best known for the small passenger cars it sells in developing
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
overseas markets but it also makes small dirt bike engines; entry-level motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s; mini-vehicles, microvans, and small and large commercial trucks. Other interests include manufacture of sports shoes and winemaking.
Lifan's 2009 automobile sales were a modest 43,000, but they still managed to be China's third biggest exporter of cars. 2010 production capacity was estimated to be near 300,000, twice what it had been in 2006.
History
Lifan was founded by Yin MingshanYin Mingshan
Yin Mingshan is a Chinese businessman. He is the chairman of Lifan Industrial Corporation, vice chairman of the Chinese civil association and the Chamber of Commerce, president of the Chinese motorcycle manufacturers...
in 1992, originally as a motorcycle repair shop with a staff of nine. Mingshan spent twenty years in political disfavor after having been accused of "rightist" leanings, but currently enjoys a good relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. The company was originally called "Chongqing Hongda Auto Fittings Research Centre". Lifan had already become a major motorcycle manufacturer when they expanded into building buses in 2003.
Becoming the fifth-largest Chinese motorcycle maker in only seventeen years, the company was renamed Lifan Industry Group in 1997. In 2003, Lifan acquired Chongqing Special Purpose Use Vehicle Manufacturing Co Ltd.
2005 saw commencement of automobile production, beginning with the LF6361/1010 minivan and pickup based on the 1999 Daihatsu Atrai. Their first independent development was the 520
Lifan 520
The Lifan 520 is the first car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, laucnhed at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show. The exterior and interior are specific to the 520 but the car is based in the chassis of the 1991 Citroen ZX...
sedan, equipped with the Brazilian Tritec engine
Tritec engine
In 1997, Chrysler Corporation and Rover Group formed Tritec, a joint venture to design a new small straight-4 engine for small cars. They built a factory in Campo Largo of Curitiba, Brazil, to manufacture the engine. When BMW sold Rover Group, BMW retained the stake in Tritec.It is also called the...
, which entered production soon thereafter, in December 2005. Yunan Dali Junma Automotive Company, a commercial-truck maker, was another acquisition target. Lifan's current automobile lineup (as of autumn 2011) consists of the subcompact 320
Lifan 320
The Lifan 320 is a car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group. Known for being superficially similar to the Mini, it first debuted at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show....
, the compact sedan and hatchback 520
Lifan 520
The Lifan 520 is the first car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, laucnhed at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show. The exterior and interior are specific to the 520 but the car is based in the chassis of the 1991 Citroen ZX...
, the slightly larger 620
Lifan 620
The Lifan 620 is a four-door saloon car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, launched in 2009.It is powered by a 4-cylinder engines 1.6 L Tritec engine producing ....
sedan, and the X60
Lifan X60
The Lifan X60 is a Chinese five-door compact SUV produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group. It was initially unveiled at the 2010 Shanghai Auto Show as the Lifan SUV concept, and was formally launched at the 2011 show as the X60....
compact SUV.
Lifan made an IPO
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
on the Shanghai Stock Exchange
Shanghai Stock Exchange
The Shanghai Stock Exchange , abbreviated as 上证所/上證所 or 上交所, is a stock exchange that is based in the city of Shanghai, China. It is one of the two stock exchanges operating independently in the People's Republic of China, the other is the Shenzhen Stock Exchange...
in late 2010. Lifan has also been petitioning the Chinese State
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to allow the creation of more private banks, in order to allow better investment opportunities fo privately run businesses.
Going global
Access to profitable export markets, something the Chinese StatePeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
allowed the company in 1998, means that this maker of automobiles and motorcycles does what many Chinese automakers desire: it sells in developed
Developed country
A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue...
overseas markets like the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
While finding more markets for its motorcycle-related products, Lifan has exported passenger cars to 51 countries. In 2010 its automotive exports were rivaled by only Chery
Chéry
Chéry is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of farming and forestry, comprising the main village and a hamlet, situated in the valley of the river Arnon some south of Vierzon, at the junction of the D75, D165 and the D68 roads.-Population:-External...
although prior it held 3rd place. The company has sold in many countries and in every continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
(except Antarctica).
Europe:
Allowed access in 2003, Lifan motorcycle products are, , sold in 18 European countries. The Italian importer Martin Motors rebadges and sells two small Lifan passenger car models under their own name. Assembly of Lifan automobiles has been carried out in Russia since August of 2007. As of 2009 a showroom existed in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
.
Ethiopia:
From 2007 until 2010, the Lifan 520
Lifan 520
The Lifan 520 is the first car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, laucnhed at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show. The exterior and interior are specific to the 520 but the car is based in the chassis of the 1991 Citroen ZX...
was assembled in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
from imported knock-down kits under the name of "Abay" (the Amharic
Amharic language
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
name for the Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
) by Holland Car Company. Lifan now assembles cars under their own name in Ethiopia. It also has an after sales service
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
center in the capital, Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
.
Japan:
Beginning in 2001, the company sells motorcycles in Japan.
Laos:
As of 2009, select automobile models are sold in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
.
Middle East:
In early 2010 an automobile assembly factory was established in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. At the time, Lifan already assembled cars in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
as well. In 2009 Lifan cars first appeared in the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n market.
North America:
Lifan motorcycles and dirt bikes are available in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
South America:
Some small passenger car models are sold in Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, and Uruguay. As of 2010 a 40,000 units/year production capacity assembly factory also exists in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
.
Vietnam:
Lifan first established a presence in Vietnam in 1999, originally only building motorcycles and parts. Beginning in March 2007, the 520 sedan commenced assembly in Vietnam. The 520 was then joined by the 320, 520i, and 620 in the summer of 2009.
Knock-down sales
Some of the cars Lifan exports are in the form of knock-down kits . Such knock-down exports are an easy way to gain access to developing markets without added after-sales serviceCustomer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
costs.
Products
Automobiles- Lifan LF6361/1010 - this small minivan and pickup is based on the 1999 Daihatsu Atrai, but has since been replaced
- Lifan 520Lifan 520The Lifan 520 is the first car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, laucnhed at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show. The exterior and interior are specific to the 520 but the car is based in the chassis of the 1991 Citroen ZX...
- built since 2005, this small sedan was Lifan's first original development. - Lifan 520Lifan 520The Lifan 520 is the first car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, laucnhed at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show. The exterior and interior are specific to the 520 but the car is based in the chassis of the 1991 Citroen ZX...
i - the hatchback version of the 520, with it's own bodywork - Lifan 320Lifan 320The Lifan 320 is a car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group. Known for being superficially similar to the Mini, it first debuted at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show....
- a small hatchback, famous for being a fairly straight forward copy of the current MiniMini Hatch (2007-)Mini introduced an all-new, second generation of the Hardtop/Hatch model for the 2007 model year, on a re-engineered platform incorporating many stylistic and engineering changes...
. - Lifan 620Lifan 620The Lifan 620 is a four-door saloon car produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group, launched in 2009.It is powered by a 4-cylinder engines 1.6 L Tritec engine producing ....
- a somewhat larger sedan - Lifan X60Lifan X60The Lifan X60 is a Chinese five-door compact SUV produced by the Lifan Motors division of Lifan Group. It was initially unveiled at the 2010 Shanghai Auto Show as the Lifan SUV concept, and was formally launched at the 2011 show as the X60....
- Lifan's first SUV - Lifan Foison - introduced in 2011, this minivan range is based on the earlier LF6361 series.
- Lifan Mini Truck LF1022 - a truck version of the Foison
Sponsorships
Lifan repeatedly was the owner of the former Chinese super league football team Chongqing LifanChongqing Lifan
Chongqing Lifan, are a professional Chinese football club who currently plays in the Chinese League One division. They play their home games at the 58,680 seater Chongqing Olympic Sports Center in Chongqing and are owned by the Chongqing based Lifan Group, which manufactures motorcycles, cars and...
and since 2005 is again sponsoring the team.
Patents
At the end of 2006, Lifan held over 3,800 patents, a number which put it in first place amongst Chinese automobile companies. At least 346 of these patents are held by Lifan's automotive branch.Production bases and facilities
Lifan already has one passenger-car production base and the planned building of another will expand capacity by 150K when it opens in late 2011. Production capacity figures may consider engines and vehicles as discrete.Overseas motorcycle production bases include sites in Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.
As of 2007, car-making factories in Egypt, Russia and Vietnam produce Lifan-branded autos for domestic consumption.