These are the very first pictures of the Besturn B30, a new entry-level sedan for FAW’s Besturn brand, it will be launched on the Chinese car market in 2014. The Besturn B30 will be based on the old (or is it?) Volkswagen Bora which was made by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture.

The old Bora, it was replaced by the new Bora in December last year. Price started around 90.000 yuan when new. The Besturn B30 will be significantly cheaper, starting around 60.000 yuan. The Besturn B30 will be powered by the rather ancient 1.6 liter four cylinder with 106hp and 155nm, mated to a 5-speed manual.

So here we have it; another FAW product based on an old chassis with an old engine. It is hard to see why FAW thinks this will be a success. All Besturn-branded cars are based on Mazda or Volkswagen platforms, and powered by a mix of Mazda, Volkswagen and FAW engines. The ensuing mess is not helping the brand very much at all.