The Lifan 320 is a five-door supermini made by the Lifan Group of China. Sales began in 2009, a facelift followed in 2013 together with the more upmarket Lifan 330, and in Russia the car was sold as the Lifan Smily.
Lifan 320 at a glance
| Maker | Lifan Group, China |
|---|---|
| Production | from 2009 |
| Class | five-door supermini |
| First shown | 2008 Beijing Auto Show |
| Prototype shown | 2009 Shanghai Auto Show |
| Launch price in China | 48,800 yuan |
| Engine | 1.3-litre four-cylinder |
| Power | 90 hp, 115 Nm |
| Transmission | five-speed manual or CVT |
| Facelift | 2013, with the new Lifan 330 |
| Russian assembly | Derways, Cherkessk, from 2011 |
| Russian name | Lifan Smily |
History of the Lifan 320
The 320 was first shown at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show and the prototype appeared again at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. When sales began the car was offered in four body colours at 48,800 yuan in the Chinese market. As early as May 2008 a Lifan 320 team had been founded to take part in the China Rally Championship, part of a plan to race first and sell later and to strengthen the durability of the car.
In 2013 the range was facelifted and a more upmarket version, the Lifan 330, joined it. The 330 had a completely redesigned front end and was sold alongside the original 320 rather than replacing it; in Germany the five-door was described as the successor of the 320, which nevertheless stayed in production. German sources give the 330 a 67 kW (91 hp) 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, and the car was not offered in Germany.
The 320 was exported widely. In Russia it was known as the Lifan Smily, and from 2011 it was assembled in Cherkessk by the Derways Automobile Company. Other export markets included Peru.
The styling caused controversy at launch: the 320 was widely described as a knockoff of the 2001–2006 Mini Cooper. Although the proportions differ and the Lifan has five doors, the interior, the two-colour exterior scheme and the shapes of the headlamps and tail lamps were considered very close to the Mini. Safety was another weak point: in December 2014 a Chinese-built 320 without airbags or ABS was tested by Latin NCAP and received zero stars out of five. The testers reported poor protection for the driver’s head and chest because of contact with the steering wheel, possible knee impact with structures behind the dashboard, and an unstable bodyshell.
Design and features
- Mini-inspired styling: the two-colour body, lamps and interior were openly compared with the Mini Cooper.
- Modern small engine: a 1.3-litre unit of about 90 hp, similar to the engine used in the Mini Cooper, with a five-speed manual or a CVT.
- Two-model range after 2013: the original 320 continued alongside the redesigned 330.
- Wide export network: Russian assembly by Derways from 2011 and sales as the Smily.
Lifan 320 versions
- 320 (from 2009): the original five-door supermini.
- 320 facelift (2013): updated model sold next to the 330.
- 330 (from 2013): upmarket version with a completely redesigned front end.
- Smily: the name used for the car in Russia, where it was assembled in Cherkessk.
The 320 was Lifan’s small car alongside the larger Lifan 520 and the compact Lifan 620; the later crossover of the range is the Lifan X60. More Lifan models are in the Lifan collection.
Sources
- Lifan 320, English Wikipedia: history, engines, markets, safety
- Lifan 330, German Wikipedia: 330 variant, engine output, German availability
