The Chery X1 is the crossover version of the Riich M1, a small city car that Chery built from 2009 to 2014 under its upmarket Riich marque. The M1 was also sold as the Chery M1 or Chery S18 in export markets, as the Chery IndiS in Russia and as the DR1 in Italy, where DR Motor assembled it.
Chery X1 at a glance
| Maker | Chery Automobile, Wuhu, China |
|---|---|
| Production | 2009–2014 |
| Marque | Riich, Chery’s upmarket brand |
| Codename | S18 |
| Bodies | five-door hatchback (M1), estate with crossover trim (X1), notchback (M5) |
| Length | 3.60 m for the M1 |
| Engines | 1.0 and 1.3-litre Acteco 16-valve, later a 1.1 |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual, five-speed automated manual on the 1.3 |
| Electric version | from November 2010, 40 kW, range of 120–150 km |
| Russia | sold as the Chery IndiS |
| Italy | assembled by DR Motor as the DR1 |
| Licence | Hawtai S1 iEV360 from 2018 |
History of the Chery X1
The smallest Riich
The M1 was developed on the same platform as the Chery QQ and was the smallest car of the Riich division, which was intended to sell better-made cars than the parent brand. It was launched in China on 16 August 2009 with a five-door body that looked a little like a small MPV. With a length of 3.60 m it was designed mainly for export, and in Italy it competed directly with European A-segment cars such as the Fiat Panda, Citroën C1, Peugeot 107 and Hyundai i10. At launch it had two four-cylinder Acteco engines developed by Chery and AVL, a 1.0 and a 1.3 16-valve, with a five-speed manual gearbox or an optional five-speed automated manual on the 1.3; the 1.0 was later replaced by a 1.1 16-valve. The interior was recognisable by its central instrument cluster.
The X1, the M5 and the electric car
An estate version with crossover cues, called the Riich X1, was also available, with a wagon body and black plastic cladding. In 2010 Chery added a notchback saloon called the Riich M5, codenamed S18C and 30 cm longer at 3.905 m, with the 1.3-litre engine and a manual or automatic gearbox; it kept the front end and doors of the M1 and stayed in production until 2014. An electric version of the M1 followed in November 2010 with a 40 kW motor and a range of 120 to 150 km.
Abroad
In most Asian and Latin American markets the car was exported under the Chery brand, because the Riich division sold only in China. When the Riich brand closed in 2013, the M1 became the Chery M1, and production ended in 2014. In Russia it was sold as the Chery IndiS, a five-door 3.86 m long with a 1.3-litre engine of 83 hp, a five-speed manual and, from the end of July 2012, a robotised gearbox developed with Magneti Marelli; it had disc brakes on all wheels and MacPherson front suspension. In Italy DR Motor built the car in CKD as the DR1 from the end of 2009, with a redesigned bumper, better-finished interior and safety devices re-homologated to European standards. In 2017 Hawtai bought the licence for the electric version and from 2018 built it as the S1 iEV360.
Design and features
- Two bodies: the M1 hatchback and the X1 estate with crossover cladding.
- Made for export: a 3.60 m car designed to compete with European city cars.
- Electric version: the M1 EV of 2010 with a 120–150 km range.
- Several names: Chery M1, Chery S18, Chery IndiS and DR1.
Chery X1 versions
- Riich M1: the five-door hatchback of 2009.
- Riich X1: the crossover estate version, sold in Russia as the Chery X1.
- Riich M5: the notchback saloon of 2010.
- Chery IndiS: the Russian name of the M1.
- DR1: the Italian CKD version, built from 2009 to 2014.
The M1 was the smallest model of the Riich brand and sat below the Chery Tiggo. More models are in the Chery collection.
Sources
- Riich M1, English Wikipedia: platform, engines, X1 and M5 versions, DR1, Hawtai licence
- Riich M1, Russian Wikipedia: Riich history, M5 and DR1
- Chery IndiS, Russian Wikipedia: Russian version, dimensions, robotised gearbox
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