This is the Kunding KWD6618QCXC from China, a new happy schoolbus from Sichuan Kunding Automobile. I met this great vehicle today at an exhibition in Urumqi in Xinjiang Province and it did make me happy. Brilliant design here; a smiling grille, two eyes and even a small nose in da form of the Kunding logo. Kunding calls it the ‘Laughing QQ’, refering to the Chery QQ, which has a similar kinda face.

The Kunding KWD6618QCXC is based on a chassis from Dongfeng Automotive, but the body is all designed by Kunding itself. Many smaller Chinese busmakers use Dongfeng chassis’ as their base for development. Power comes from a Dongfeng 4-cylinder diesel engine, good for 115hp @ 3200nm. Top speed is only 80 kilometers per hour, which sound surprisingly low until you see the weight of this thing: 7300 kilo! Size: 6100/2180/2750, wheelbase is 2820. This Kunding bus fits in a long line of new Chinese schoolbuses, like the Kinglong Smart School Bus and the FAW ‘Domestic American Schoolbus’.

Dongfeng-logo on the steering wheel. Very manual gearbox. Hard plastic materials. This indeed, is China! It seats 21 students plus one driver plus one teacher. I asked the booth-persons for the price, they didn’t wanna say. Then I shared cigarettes and a number came up; 150.000 yuan, or 23.000 USD. A bit on the expensive side but sure it was before the real negotiations started…

Back a bit too messy for my taste, delete some stickers and things might look better…