SWM X7
The X7 is the first model of the SWM Motor brand, owned by a Joint Venture between Brilliance Automotive and Shineray Motorcycle Company. Production and sales started in September 2016. SWM has originally been an Italian producer of small motorcycles, which ended production in 2014. In 2014, the brand was bought and resurrected by Shineray (Xinyuan Holding), one of the largest motorcycle makers in China. Shineray also has a Joint Venture with Brilliance Automotive to produce passenger cars and small commercial vehicles for Brilliance-Jinbei. Now they’ve started to make passenger cars under the SWM brand. Their first vehicle is a 7-passenger SUV named SWM X7, powered by a either a base 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine with 137hp or a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with 150hp, both mated to a five-speed manual or a CVT. It is front-wheel drive only. Its dimensions are: 4.710/1.855/1.750 mm with a wheelbase of 2.750 mm. It features a huge 12-inch touchscreen in the center console, not bad for a car with a price tag starting at 89.900 yuan (€12.200,- / US$ 13,400).
Brilliance has another Joint Venture with BMW to produce the 3-Series L, 5-Series L, X1 and 2-Series AT for the Chinese market. Perhaps that’s why SWM is not afraid to draw inspiration from the BMW X5 for their first SUV: the shape of the headlights, the Hofmeister-kink and the crease in the sides. And then there’s the name of course: X7.
