Lifan

Lifan (zh-t|t=力帆) is the largest individually-owned Chinese motorcycle and automobile manufacturer in Chongqing, a provincial-level municipality of the People's Republic of China. They also make the Lifan 320, 520 and 620 compact sedan which use a 4-cylinder 1.3 to 1.6-liter Tritec engine design.

Lifan is most commonly known in the Western world for the production of engines used for mini dirt bikes, and entry level motorcycles such as the Lifan TMS200.

Going Global

While Lifan motorcycles, dirt bikes and off road vehicles are available in the United States, as of 2008 the cars are not.Fact|date=August 2008 Lifan CEO Mr. Yang Zhou in 2007 in an interview with CNN stated that he had plans to expand Lifan motors into the United States by 2010, but no official announcements have been madeFact|date=August 2008. In February 2008 American Insurance Group (AIG) bought 25% of the stock in Lifan ChinaFact|date=August 2008.

Historical background

Lifan was founded by Yin Mingshan in 1992 as a local Chongqing motorcycle repair shop with a staff of nine. As of 2006 Lifan employed approximately 9,000 people and had an annual turnover of 7.3 billion yuan ($900 million USD), and had factories in Vietnam, Thailand,Fact|date=January 2008 and Bulgaria.

In 2007, the Lifan Group had realised sales of 12.16 billion yuan, with an engine production and sales volume of 3.06 million to Taiwan. With those exports worth US$409.6 million, the company had reached the country's top position among privately owned firms.

Lifan has distribution centers around the world, including one in Dallas, Texas. Plans include opening a research center in Great Britain and to double its workforce to 20,000. ["Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything," Dan Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, Penguin, p. 218-219, 2006]

ponsorships

Lifan repeatedly was the owner of the former Chinese super league soccer team Chongqing Lifan and since 2005 is again sponsoring the team.

References

External links

* [http://www.lifan.com/en/ Lifan homepage (in English)]
* [http://iecauto.lifan.com/ Lifan Automobiles]
* [http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/ China Car Forums (Discussion on Chinese made vehicles)]