The Derways Aurora was the version of the Chinese Huanghai Aurora SUV assembled and sold in Russia by the Derways plant at Cherkessk from 2006 to 2008. It was one of the Chinese-based models that replaced the Cowboy on the line after ARO went bankrupt.
Derways Aurora at a glance
| Maker | Derways, Cherkessk (Russia); original by Huanghai Auto |
|---|---|
| Production | 2006; 351 assembled at Cherkessk |
| Factory code | Derways 313150 |
| Original model | Huanghai Aurora (DD6470N) |
| Class | mid-size SUV, marketed as a CUV |
| Body | five-door, truck-based ladder frame |
| Styling | inspired by the first-generation SsangYong Rexton |
| Petrol engines | 2.0 4G63S4M; 2.4 4G64S4M of 130 hp |
| Diesel engine | 2.5 turbo |
| Top speed | 130 km/h |
| Fuel consumption | about 12 l/100 km |
| Price in China | 79,800 to 106,800 yuan |
There is no English Wikipedia page for the Derways Aurora itself; the article uses the pages on the Huanghai Aurora and on the Derways company, and describes only the Russian-assembled car.
History of the Derways Aurora
The Aurora was designed in China by Huanghai Auto, part of the SG Automotive group, and sold there under the Aurora name, written Aolong (翱龙) in Chinese. Coded DD6470N, it was marketed as a CUV although in construction it was a truck-based SUV with a separate ladder frame. Its styling leaned heavily on the first-generation SsangYong Rexton. In China the car was made from 2006 into 2012 and priced between 79,800 and 106,800 yuan.
In Russia the same vehicle was assembled at Cherkessk and sold as the Derways Aurora between 2006 and 2008. It carried the factory code 313150 and belonged to the group of Chinese-derived models that Derways began localising in 2006, after the bankruptcy of ARO ended production of its own Cowboy. That year the plant turned out 788 cars in total, of which 351 were Auroras, alongside the Shuttle, the Land Crown and the Saladin.
The range was built around Mitsubishi-derived four-cylinder petrol engines: a 2.0-litre 4G63S4M and a 2.4-litre 4G64S4M of 130 hp that gave a top speed of 130 km/h and used around 12 litres per 100 km, with a 2.5-litre turbo diesel as the alternative. The Aurora was a short-lived stopgap: the Cherkessk plant soon moved on to contract assembly for Lifan, Chery, Geely and other Chinese brands, and the Aurora disappeared from the Russian range after 2008.
Design and features
- Rexton-inspired shape: a truck-based SUV styled after the first SsangYong Rexton.
- Chinese kit, Russian assembly: shipped from Huanghai and put together at Cherkessk.
- Mitsubishi petrol engines: 2.0 and 2.4 four-cylinders, plus a 2.5 turbodiesel.
- Short run: only 351 cars built before the plant switched to other Chinese brands.
Derways Aurora versions
- Derways 313150: the Russian-assembled Aurora, 2006.
- Huanghai Aurora: the Chinese original, made from 2006 into 2012.
- 2.0 petrol: 4G63S4M four-cylinder.
- 2.4 petrol: 4G64S4M of 130 hp.
- 2.5 turbodiesel: the diesel alternative.
The Aurora replaced the Cowboy on the Cherkessk line together with the Saladin. More cars are in the Derways collection.
Sources
- Huanghai Aurora, English Wikipedia: model, styling, engines, prices
- Huanghai Aurora, Russian Wikipedia: engines, Russian sales as Derways Aurora
- Derways Automobile Company, English Wikipedia: assembly at Cherkessk, 351 cars
