Plans to Produce Changan Benni

SAIPA, Iran’s second largest auto manufacturer, is to produce a new Chinese mini-car in the country.Asbe Bokhar, a local automotive website, reported on September 29 that a Changan Benni has been displayed at the company’s premises.Changan’s Benni is developed jointly by Changan Auto and the Turin-based I.DE.A. Institute. It was the first hatchback to bear the Changan logo, rolling off the production line of the Chinese state-owned company on September 20, 2009, and hitting the international market on November 18 the same year. The mini car employs a four-cylinder, 1.4-liter engine paired to either a 5-speed manual or semi-automatic transmission.The main rival of the Benni in Iran’s auto market will be Chery QQ that is locally produced by Modiran Vehicle Manufacturing. It is rebranded as MVM110 and sold at $8,700 in Iran’s auto market.SAIPA also produces two other models of Changan: CS35 and IDO.