Great Wall Wingle 3 test drive since 2005 pickup

Brick of one wall

Great Wall, invited a group of Russian journalists to get acquainted with new cars.
The great wall is one of the most impressive sights of China. It began to be built back in 221 BC. By order of Shihuandi, the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, to protect the northern borders from foreign invaders. This is not only a business card and a symbol of the Middle Kingdom, but also the greatest engineering structure. But there is another great wall in China, which, on the contrary, was created to conquer other countries. This is Great Wall, who invited a group of Russian journalists to get acquainted with new cars.
Foundation and superstructure
A couple of years ago, the first pickups and all-terrain vehicles of Great Wall appeared in our market. Despite the mediocre quality and numerous constructive miscalculations of the first cars, sales quickly increased. They were stimulated by new models and a noticeable improvement in the quality of the previously emerging machines.
Our stay in China coincided with the opening of the Beijing car dealership (detailed material about new products in this issue). At the stand of Great Wall, several fresh models were introduced to the public. Not concepts, but pre -production samples that already this year should appear among dealers, including Russian; in
wingle debuts the traditional segment of pickups. By the way, it is possible that his release will be commissioned at the factory, which Great Wall is going to build in Elabuga.
Acquaintance in Chinese
Strange still a country! High modern buildings are adjacent to dilapidated shacks, at the glass facades of European, American and Japanese dealerships, street-old-master bicycles are scattered, in the parking lot, a new expensive car near a rusty three-wheel truck. The present China strives for the civilized life of developed countries, but at one moment to part with the remnants of the past, even this hardworking nation is not possible. However, the automobile world evolves quickly, and Wingle is confirmed this.

The design is controversial. If you approach the new pickupa objectively, then it is worth noting that it is very different from those angular and simple -looking cars that were produced a few years ago. Fashionable lighting technology, licked bumpers, well -fitted and solidly colored body details. The color, again, is the original brick.

Local specifics are not allowed behind the wheel. They promise to take the off -road route where it will be possible to try Wingle yourself: there is logic here, car culture has not yet reached China. At unregulated intersections, the rules do not act here do not miss, but slowly seep through others at the same time and continuously alarm.

I am sitting in the back seat freely almost like in cars a higher class. Cold: in a few pickups the second row is so hospitable. By the way, sitting and leaving it is also conveniently openly rectangular, wide enough. For complete happiness, nothing is enough, dealers will surely eliminate this drawback. Only two rear passengers are provided with headrests and three -point belts. And here it will easily fit and another one will have to fasten it with a waist strap. Of the additional safety tools, as the options offer driver and passenger pillows and ABS.
On the Wingle highway, surprisingly comfortable noise insulation muffles the sounds coming outside, does not intervene in the conversation of diesel, do not bother plastic details. It does not shake much on imperfect Chinese asphalt, given that a rigid spring suspension is behind. It even managed to doze off along the way to the promised highway.
Give me a helm in my hands
The factory driver in a gesture invites. You do not need a long trip to understand: the seat is far from the ideal, the pillow is short, lateral support is barely noticeable. True, you are sitting high, without resting on the ceiling, and not only the Chinese can configure the chair for yourself in length. But with the adjustment of the column, a mistake came out, I would still raise the steering wheel, but he refused, although in the lowest position it was tight (and painfully!) Pressed his hips to the pillow. In general, there is something to work on.

The 2.8-liter turbodiesel is not different, and it is stupid to demand from a 95-horsepower engine that takes an almost 2-ton cart, passenger dynamics. For a truck, in addition to all -wheel drive, traction opportunities are more important. With three riders in the cabin of Wingle, he calmly touches in the third gear. Apparently, there is enough traction, even if you throw another half a ton of cargo into the body. The engine is confidently lucky from low speeds, on light off -road you can not connect a low row.

I will give Winglu the task is more difficult to call in one wheel on a sandy slope. At the same time, we will check how long your suspension is. The smell of burnt linings of clutch forced me to retreat to stick the lowered. Come on sort out these LEDs next to the buttons, which now it would be better to bring an additional icon to the instrument shield. It seems to be ready! And only I released the clutch, as I received a sharp kick from somewhere in the bowels of the transmission now ready, it was only possible. Wingle takes a height quite easily. The suspension blossomed, but the wheel remained on the ground. The car did not get nervous the Chinese accompanying person more.
Ahead the site is now turning around. So I thought: it would not work in one entry. But to take back enough thanks to large mirrors. True, the picture in them trembles I hope that this drawback will go on serial machines.

GREAT Wall Wingle is closer than his predecessors, to competitors released in developed countries. Of course, it is not notable for, but progress is available less than the shortcomings of the assembly and constructive disadvantages, modern and original design, acceptable technical indicators. It is a pity, they don’t call prices yet, but most likely they will be Chinese.
Wingle is another brick of the Great Wall. Russia is already visible from it, and it is possible that it will soon be possible to see Europe. They say that promising models fulfill the ecological norms of Euro IV, and at least four European stars will receive safety tests. What are simple promises or the last Chinese warning?

Great Wall Wingle does not reach the world level already very little. Perhaps the disadvantages can be softened with pleasant prices.
Wall in Russia
This year, Great Wall plans to build a plant in Yelabuga (Tatarstan), where first pickups will be assembled, and then, possibly, other models (for example, promising Floride in the photo). At the first stage, an enterprise with a full production cycle should produce 50 thousand cars annually. The Chinese calculated that with the current demand, the Russian-Chinese plant will pay off in three to four years. Therefore, by 2010, Great Wall plans to invest $ 3050 million in the construction of another enterprise, where they will make spare parts and components. Three years later, the company intends to increase the total production of cars from the current 90 to 500 thousand per year, and the number of models is up to 20.
 
 

Maxim Sachkov
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"