The Lifan 520 is a four-door subcompact sedan produced by the Lifan Motors division of the Lifan Group. It was the first car built by Lifan Motors, presented at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show, and it was also sold abroad, in Russia as the Lifan Breez.
Lifan 520 at a glance
| Maker | Lifan Motors, Lifan Group |
|---|---|
| Production | from 2006 |
| Class | subcompact four-door sedan |
| Debut | 2006 Beijing Auto Show |
| Chassis | based on the 1991 Citroën ZX |
| Hatchback version | 520i, five doors |
| Engine, 1.3 | 1342 cc, 65 kW (88 PS) |
| Engine, 1.6 | 1587 cc, 78 kW (106 PS) |
| Engine, Tritec 1.6 | 1596 cc, 85 kW (116 PS), shared with the Mini |
| Russian name | Lifan Breez |
| Layout | front engine, front-wheel drive |
This article is based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Lifan 520.
History of the Lifan 520
The 520 was the first car produced by Lifan Motors. It was launched at the 2006 Beijing Auto Show, and although its exterior and interior were specific to Lifan, the car was built on the chassis of the 1991 Citroën ZX. The range was made up of the four-door 520 sedan and the five-door 520i hatchback.
Three four-cylinder engines were offered. The smallest was a 1.3-litre Lifan unit of 1342 cc producing 65 kW (88 PS), followed by a 1.6-litre Lifan engine of 1587 cc and 78 kW (106 PS). The most powerful option was the 1.6-litre Tritec engine of 1596 cc and 85 kW (116 PS), the same unit used in the last generation of the Mini. All were mounted at the front and drove the front wheels.
The 520 was sold in China and in a number of export markets. In Russia the car was marketed as the Lifan Breez, the name under which it became one of the brand’s best-known models there. The Breez was also the version that appeared in rallying: Lifan 520 and Breez cars were entered in the Rally Mobil championship in Chile, where the model competed in the N2 class.
For Lifan the 520 marked the move from motorcycles and engines into complete cars, and it set the pattern for the models that followed: a conventional four-door saloon with a modern-looking body over proven mechanical parts, sold at a low price and exported widely.
Design and features
- Proven chassis: the running gear came from the Citroën ZX, a chassis well known in Europe and China.
- Three engines: two Lifan units of 1.3 and 1.6 litres and the 1.6-litre Tritec shared with the Mini.
- Two body styles: the four-door 520 sedan and the five-door 520i hatchback.
- Export model: sold in Russia as the Breez and used in rally competition in Chile.
Lifan 520 versions
- 520 (from 2006): the standard four-door sedan.
- 520i: five-door hatchback version.
- 1.3-litre cars: 1342 cc engine with 65 kW (88 PS).
- 1.6-litre cars: 1587 cc Lifan engine with 78 kW (106 PS).
- Tritec 1.6: 1596 cc engine of 85 kW (116 PS) shared with the Mini.
- Breez: the Russian market name for the 520.
The 520 was followed in the Lifan range by the Lifan 620 sedan and the smaller Lifan 320, while the Lifan X60 was the brand’s first crossover. More Lifan models are in the Lifan collection.
Sources
- Lifan 520, English Wikipedia: history, chassis, engines, markets
