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| Product type | Automobiles |
|---|---|
| Owner | SAIC-GM-Wuling |
| Country | China |
| Introduced | 2010; 15 years ago (2010) |
| Markets | China |
| Website | sgmw.com.cn/baojun |
Baojun (simplified Chinese:宝骏;traditional Chinese:寶駿;pinyin:Bǎojùn;lit. 'Treasured Horse')[1] is a Chineseautomobilemarque owned by a joint venture ofGeneral Motors (GM) andSAIC Motor,SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile. The brand was created as a more affordable alternative to existing GM brands such asChevrolet andBuick for the Chinese market, while being more upmarket than theWuling brand.
Following the success ofWuling, the SAIC-GM-Wuling announced the creation of a second car brand, Baojun in November 2010 as a cheaper alternative to existing GM brandsChevrolet andBuick, which are also on sale in China.[2] The company's products compete with domestic Chinese manufacturers such asChery,Geely,Changan,Haval andTrumpchi.[3]
The first Baojun model introduced to the market was the four-door compact sedan 630, which debuted at a price point of approximately $7,000 USD in November 2010. The development of the Baojun 630 involved significant input from designers at General Motors.[4] Sales started in late 2011 through a dedicated dealer network.[5] The joint venture also offered a localized version of theDaewoo Matiz / Chevrolet Spark, known as the Baojun Lechi.[3] In 2014, a third model (theBaojun 610) was announced atAuto China.[6] AtAuto Shanghai in 2015, the company introduced theBaojun 560 SUV.[7] In July 2014, SAIC-GM-Wuling launched theBaojun 730, a seven-seater MPV.[8]
Baojun sold 688,390 vehicles in 2016.[9][10] In late 2016, Baojun introduced its most successful vehicle, theBaojun 510 small SUV, which went on sale the following year.[11] The model helped increase sales of Baojun to 996,629 in 2017.[12] It was the best-selling crossover in China in 2018, and also the best-selling car sold by Baojun.[13] As of June 2019[update], nearly 800,000 units of 510 had been sold.[14] It is also notable for being the highest-selling new car nameplate in world's history. It recorded 416,883 sales during its first 12 months in market, the highest of any other car in the world. It took the record from theBaojun 560 which was sold 319,536 units in a 12-month period.[15] However, this growth was not sustained, with annual sales declining by an average of 200,000 units in subsequent years.
In April 2016, Baojun began exporting vehicles, with the 630 compact sedan being sold in Egypt and Algeria under the Chevrolet brand as the second generation of the Optra model.[16] In 2018, Baojun further diversified its lineup with the introduction of its first electric vehicle, theBaojun E100 microcar, and theBaojun 530 SUV.[17][18] The electrically powered Baojun E100, which is only 2.49 meters long, was initially only available in Guangxi from August 2017. Since June 2018, it has been available throughout China with an increased range.[19][20] The 530 SUV was notably the first Baojun vehicle to be marketed globally under the Chevrolet brand. The model's production was also initiated outside of China, including in India under the MG brand as the MG Hector and in Indonesia as the Wuling Almaz. The Baojun 360 MPV went on sale in May 2018.[21] Since September 2018, theBaojun E200, an electric microcar, has been sold in China.[22]
In January 2019, Baojun introduced a new model strategy called "New Baojun," which aimed to provide vehicles with more avant-garde styling and expand its lineup with higher-end models featuring enhanced equipment. Alongside this strategy, the company updated its logo, replacing the previous shield with a horse image, with a minimalist diamond-shaped horse profile. Under this new approach, Baojun introduced a new naming convention for its models: passenger cars were given the prefix "RC," SUVs and crossovers "RS," and minivans "RM." TheBaojun RS-5, the brand's fourth SUV, was presented at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 2018.[23] In June 2019, theBaojun RC-6 based on the RS-5 was introduced.[24] In September 2019, theBaojun RM-5 MPV was introduced.[25] Baojun presented theBaojun RS-3 SUV at the end of October 2019.[26] In 2020, theBaojun E300[27] microcar, theBaojun RS-7[28] and theBaojun RC-5 sedan were introduced.[29]
Despite these efforts, the "New Baojun" strategy did not result in increased market interest. Instead, the brand experienced a significant decline in demand, leading to the discontinuation of several newly introduced models within just 2-3 years of their debut. This decline was exacerbated by growing concerns over the reliability of earlier models. As a result, the role of an affordable combustion vehicle brand within the SAIC-GM-Wuling portfolio was taken over by the sister brand Wuling.[30][31][32] In 2021, Baojun adjusted its naming strategy by adopting proper names, renaming the RC-5W model as Baojun Valli and the E300/E300 Plus electric hatchback as Baojun KiWi EV.[33][34]
In 2023, Baojun shifted its focus entirely to electrification, phasing out all models from the previous decade except for the city car KiWi EV. The brand renewed its lineup with electric models, starting with the introduction of the smallBaojun Yep SUV, followed by theBaojun Yunduo compact hatchback later in the year. In 2024, the lineup was further expanded with a larger, five-door alternative to the Yep, named Yep Plus, and a plug-in hybrid and electric SUV, theBaojun Yunhai.
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On December 31, 2024, more than 100 Baojun Yep owners suddenly encountered brake system failures, making it difficult for the vehicle to slow down. Some owners were dissatisfied with the manufacturer's solution and accused Baojun of evading the problem. Baojun Automobile officially responded that some vehicles had aSoftware bug that caused the brake assist to be downgraded and the brake pedal to become hard, and it would be properly handled.[35][36][37]
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