The "City Ark" SUV, debuted in Beijing, signifies "Made in Yichang"  to go nationwide. It was informed that, the "City Ark" SUV made its first appearance at the 12th Beijing International Auto Show. It is made by Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd — one of Yichang\'s key investment companies and it took the company three years to build this new passenger vehicle, which marks that the company, with its leading products being pickup trucks, has started its business in the passenger car market.

    "City Ark" is a new model developed by Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd for urban traffic. It\'s smaller and more fuel-saving, compared with other similar vehicles. It has optimized lightweight design, and is equipped with 1500 cc Mitsubishi engine. It is expected to come officially off the assembly line at Xiaoting Industrial Park of the Yichang Hi-tech Development Zone and enter the passenger car market in China in October 2012.

    At the same time, "Off-road Ark", another passenger car of Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd has also officially debuted. The "Ark" fleet, as the first series of products of Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd will enter the passenger car market in China in the second half of this year.

    It is reported that the annual output of 200,000 urban SUVs relocation project of Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd. is located in Xiaoting Industrial Park of the Yichang Hi-tech Development Zone. The total investment of the project is 3.3 billion Yuan, with a construction period of 4 years. Upon its completion, it will have an annual production of 200 000 off-road leisure vehicles, with annual sales income of 12 billion Yuan. By now, the main plant of the 1st phase project has been completed and is expected to be formally put into operation in October.

    (By Yang Chunyan)