File:Baojun 730.jpg

English: Place: Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Chinese name: 宝骏730 (bǎojùn 730) Year of launch: 2014

The last ten years lots of joint venture companies between Chinese domestic and international carmakers have popped up in mainland China, as the Chinese government sort of requires foreign-invested joint ventures to develop in return for approvals to expand production capacity on the lucrative Chinese market. Usually foreign carmakers dump their oldest models in those car brands, because they don't want to share their latest platforms and technology with the Chinese companies. So far we've seen brands like Baojun (SAIC-GM-Wuling), Venucia (Dongfeng-Nissan), Ciimo (Dongfeng-Honda), Everus (Guangqi Honda), Horki (Dongfeng-Yueda-Kia), Denza (BYD Daimler), Zinoro (BMW Brilliance), Ranz (FAW-Toyota), Kaili (FAW-Volkswagen).

Some of these brands have already been discontinued and only two brands are successful: Baojun and to a lesser extent Venucia. Baojun. Baojun started in 2011 with a sedan based on the Buick Excelle (Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira) platform, the 630 and sales really took off when it launched the 730, an MPV slotting above the Wuling Hongguang-range. In 2016 Baojun sold over 370,000 examples of this MPV. In 2015 it launched the 560, the brand's first SUV. It was yet another sales hit with over 320,000 units in 2016. In 2016 Baojun sold more than 760,000 cars.