Sazgar Engineering Works is in process of introducing a range of passenger vehicles in Pakistan. Having acquired Greenfield status under the Auto Policy 2016-21, the company joined hands with BAIC (Beijing Auto Industry Co.), which happens to be the joint venture partner of Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz) in China.
BJ40 SUV, X25 crossover and D20 hatchback are some of the cars the company has been working on to introduce in Pakistan. These were also put on display at 2020 PAPS Show in Lahore. The company later indicated to launch the sedan derivative of D20 as the cheapest new sedan in the market.
BAIC vehicles at PAPS 2020
Launch of these vehicles hit multiple delays primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic & lockdowns. However now it seems as if consumers will finally be able to get their hands on BAIC vehicles.
Related: Sazgar in Ties with Another Chinese Automaker
The company in its newly revamped website has given a prebooking option which gathers necessary information from the users to primarily gauge their level of interest in BAIC vehicles. (Edit: The website was taken offline just a day after publishing this article).
As previously reported, one of the first vehicles likely to go on sale will be the BAIC X25 crossover, which is powered by a 1.5L engine & comes paired to either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearbox options. Ali Hameed, the Director Marketing at Sazgar-BAIC while talking to a local media outlet in September 2020 had revealed that BAIC vehicles being superior in quality will negate the general perception of Chinese products and will be priced lower than the competition to gain consumer attention.
With ongoing craze of crossover SUVs in the market, Sazgar-BAIC intends to tap this segment with the introduction of X25 crossover. The company says X25 will be an answer to needs of users who like to enjoy a crossover SUV at an affordable price. Although official prices are yet to be announced but as hinted earlier, it will be priced between PKR 2.5 and 3.0 million mark, making it the most affordable vehicle in the segment.
Related: Will You Ditch Your Sedan in Favor of a Crossover?
In addition to X25, the company will also introduce the BJ40L SUV which will come equipped with a 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine good for 218 hp and will come paired to either 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. It’s a front engine vehicle with part-time 4WD and sits on front double wishbone and a multilink rear suspension. Features include airbags, ABS+EBD, rear anti-spin differential, 7” touchscreen multimedia system with DVD/ MP3/ AUX/ USB, rear parking sensors & engine immobilizer etc.
BAIC BJ40L
Sazgar which is proud to export its three-wheelers to 20 countries including Japan is very optimistic about its success in the four-wheeler business. From the looks of it, the BAIC vehicles appear to be promising & with the quoted price they do have the potential to create a stir in the market.
Additionally, the company has also joined hands with Great Wall Motors and has introduced Haval H6 and Jolion SUVs (as CBU) marketed as premium products priced at PKR 6.2 million and PKR 5.5 million respectively.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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