Luxgen7 MPV marks Taiwanese brand debut in UAE

Taiwanese carmaker Yulong, building cars since the 1950s for their own region, has started their international expansion, starting with the Luxgen line of vehicles in the GCC. Their first product here is the Luxgen7 MPV.

The Luxgen7 MPV is a 7-passenger minivan equipped with surprisingly upscale technologies, and the company intends to compete on an entry-level luxury footing with pricing to match regular non-luxury brands.

The top feature is the Luxgen Think+ system, co-developed with smartphone makers HTC, that comes with built-in HSPDA 3.5G communications, GPS Navigation and a 10.2-inch LCD display screen for a comprehensive tech package.

The system also includes the “Eagle View+” 360-degree parking assist which utilises four cameras to provide a real-time visual display of the surrounding environment. The “Side View+” feature automatically displays live video images of the vehicle’s rear blind spot to reduce the chance of an accident during lane changes. The “Night Vision+” high-sensitivity night vision camera system helps illuminate the road and traffic conditions at night beyond the range of the headlamps. “LDWS+” constantly reads the road surface for lane markers and dividers and gives audible and visual warnings when the vehicle veers too close to the lane markings. Overall, the MPV is equipped with 23 advanced ECUs and 8 video cameras to provide these features. Also available are power-opening doors, leather upholstery, rear DVD screen, Bluetooth and more.

The Luxgen7 MPV is powered by a turbocharged-and-intercooled 2.2-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine. Using a Garrett turbocharger and the a 5-speed automatic, the engine develops 175 hp at 5200 rpm and 275 Nm of torque from 2500 rpm to 4000 rpm.

To improve driving feel, the steering system was tuned by Delphi, noise suppression engineering was handled by LMS, the suspension system was developed by Magna, and the overall chassis tuning was done by both Magma and Prodrive. It has been tested to be able to achieve a 4-star EuroNCAP crash rating.

Following the Luxgen7 MPV, other models that will become available during next year include the Luxgen7 CEO ultra-luxury minivan, the Luxgen7 SUV luxury 4×4 and the Luxgen EV+ electric minivan. Dealers in all GCC countries are yet to be announced, but the cars will make an appearance at the 2009 Dubai Motor Show.