The Hafei Saibao III is a four-door compact sedan from the Chinese maker Hafei, designed by Pininfarina and first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005. Its most unusual legacy is American: the same body was used for the Coda electric car.
Hafei Saibao at a glance
| Maker | Hafei Motor, Harbin, China |
|---|---|
| Type | Four-door compact sedan |
| Design | Pininfarina |
| First shown | Geneva Motor Show, 2005 |
| Engine | 1.6-litre Mitsubishi Orion 4G18 petrol |
| Displacement | 1,584 cc |
| Power | 101 hp / 75 kW / 102 PS |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Electric derivative | Coda Sedan, exported to the USA 2012–2013 |
| US version | also sold as the Mullen 700e in 2015 |
Based on a very short English article; only the facts it states are used.
History of the Hafei Saibao
Hafei had built its business on microvans and small cars, and the Saibao range was its attempt at a conventional compact saloon. The Saibao III was the model that reached the public: finished by Pininfarina, it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005.
Under the bonnet sat a 1.6-litre Mitsubishi Orion four, the 4G18, of 1,584 cc. It produced 101 hp (75 kW, 102 PS) and drove through a five-speed manual gearbox — straightforward mechanicals for a car meant to sell on price and space.
The body outlived the petrol car in a surprising way. The Saibao III provided the basis of the Coda Sedan, an electric car sold in the United States between 2012 and 2013, and it also appeared there as the Mullen 700e in 2015. Both kept the Pininfarina shape with different front and rear treatments.
Design and features
- Pininfarina design: the saloon was styled by the Turin studio and shown at Geneva in 2005.
- Mitsubishi engine: a 1.6-litre 4G18 four of 101 hp with a five-speed manual.
- Body that travelled: the same shell became the Coda Sedan and the Mullen 700e in the United States.
- Conventional layout: a four-door compact saloon, a step away from Hafei’s vans.
Hafei Saibao versions
- Saibao III (2005): the Pininfarina-styled 1.6-litre petrol saloon.
- Coda Sedan (2012–2013): the American electric car built on the Saibao III body.
- Mullen 700e (2015): the same car sold under the Mullen name.
The Saibao was Hafei’s saloon alongside the company’s vans, such as the Hafei Zhongyi, and the small Hafei Lobo city car. More cars are in the Hafei collection.
Sources
- Hafei Saibao III, English Wikipedia: design, engine, Coda and Mullen derivatives
- Hafei, English Wikipedia: place in the model range
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