The AP11 - Roewe N1, Roewe 350

The AP11 – Roewe N1, Roewe 350

The AP11 is SAIC’s mid size modular vehicle platform on which four series of models will be built. It is sized as a Chinese “A – Class” car platform and developed as SAIC’s first own-brand mid-range platform to be built to international standards.

Alongside the AP11 comes a range of technology also used in other platforms, most notably engines, transmission and information technology.

The AP platform features all round independent suspension with MacPherson struts at the front and an H-type rear suspension using longitudinal torsion bars at the rear.

The AP family tree consists of:

• AP11 – Saloon - N1 Concept, Roewe 350
  
• AP12 – Hatchback - Future MG5?
  
• AP13 – Tourer
  
• AP14 – Possible SUV cross
  
• AS12 – SUV
  
• AM11 - MPV.
  

Engines
The Roewe 350 introduced a new range of engines known as the NSE (New Small Engine) series developed by SAIC to take the place of the old Rover K-Series derived Nanjing MG N-Series and SAIC Kavachi engines. The NSE is expected to cover the range from 1.2L to 1.6L, another series of engines known as the NLE (New Large Engine) series is being developed starting at a displacement of 2.0L and a series of diesel engines is also being developed.

Currently the only available engine in the Roewe 350 is the 1.5VCT however the range will rapidly expand to include:

Petrol Engines

• 1.2T - Turbo
  
• 1.5VCT - Variable Cam Timing
  
• 1.5T - Turbo
  
• 1.5TSI – Turbocharged direct petrol injection
  
• 2.0T - Turbo

Diesel engines

• D1.4
  
• D1.6TCI – Common rail direct injection
  
• D1.9TCI – Common rail direct injection
  

Hybrid
No information has yet been released on hybrid power for the AP platform other than that the chassis and systems have been designed to accommodate hybrid drive-trains.

A 1.5T version of the Roewe 350 using a dual clutch transmission is expected in the autumn of 2010.

Transmissions

Automatic

• 4AT – 4 speed automatic, produced by Aisin transmissions
  
• 6AT – 6 speed automatic
  
• DCT 250 – dual clutch automatic, produced by SAIC in partnership with Borg-Warner
  

Manual

• 5MT – 5 speed manual
  
• 6MT – 6 speed manual
  

Safety
The AP platform is designed to achieve a 5 star NCAP rating in the Chinese, European and United States safety collision tests.

Production
Currently all AP production is at the Nanjing Pukou MG factory with AP11 bodyshells and the NSE small engine series being produced in the brand new and purpose built Pukou phase II factory. Assembly takes place on assembly lines shared with the MG3SW and MG7 in the original Nanjing MG Pukou factory.


Installation of the AP11 presses at Nanjing Pukou Phase II

The Roewe N1
This is the first AP based concept car introduced at the Shanghai International Motor Show in April 1999 and which forms the basis of the Roewe 350.


The N1 Concept car at the Shanghai Auto Show 1999





AP11 - The Roewe 350
The Roewe 350 is the first production car to use the AP platform and was launched at the Beijing Motor Show in March 2010. It is derived from the N1 concept car introduced at the Shanghai Motor Show a year earlier.





Roewe 350 TV Advert - All I want is a cup of cocoa.


Future AP12 - Hatchback, possibly MG5


AP Hatchback computer generated image

Future AP13 – Tourer


AP Tourer computer generated image

Future AS12 SUV
It is reported that the AP platform based SUV will be equipped with a full-time four wheel drive system with 4 wheel independent suspension and a high rigidity body structure.


AP based SUV computer generated image

That's a very nice looking car. I wonder what it will look like if/when it goes on sale in the UK...

Having said that, the instrument panel is a bit OTT, but that's the kind of thing that gets toned down for production. You really can't beat a needle pointing at a circle of numbers.

ZTsteve wrote:but that's the kind of thing that gets toned down for production. You really can't beat a needle pointing at a circle of numbers.

That's what I said about the 550 instruments when I first saw them, but they delivered them unchanged with a digital speed display!

At least this has an analogue speed guage, even if it is a fake one. Actually I quite like it but in an MG it should be orange not blue...

They have said that the car wont be having much in the way of changes before production, presumably those mirrors will go though!

It looks good so well done to MGR and the remnants of the design team in Longbridge delivering this....just has the wrong badge on. This caree will sell in large numbers in Europe with the right badge on.

I think it looks better than the MG6 hatchback at present from the images supplied.

Windy wrote:...At least this has an analogue speed guage, even if it is a fake one. Actually I quite like it but in an MG it should be orange not blue...

are you the engineer who makes VWs out of Audis?

Progress Update

The N1 is a concept car produced from the AP11 project.

AP11 is the code name for the A class car Platform with the Roewe 350 4 door saloon being the first version of the first model produced. In future the platform will be used for AP12 (5 door hatchback), AP13 (small SUV) and possibly AP14 (Estate) models.

The platform is reported to be based on the MG ZS platform which itself was based on the Rover 400/ Honda Civic collaboration. The first MG version of the AP11 is expected to be named the MG 5.

The first cars, a batch of 60 hand built cars, where produced last September for test purposes. Small numbers of cars are now being produced on the new production lines at the Nanjing Pukou MG factory with assembly lines shared with the MG3 and MG7. Start of production is scheduled for January 30th 2010 with start of full scale production on 28th February.

The engines are being produced at Nanjing Pukou Phase II and are expected to include 1.3L, 1.5L and possibly 1.5L turbo NSE engines. NSE stands for New Small Engine, thought to be based on designs from the MG-Rover Powertrain company with further development work undertaken by SAIC. The basic 1.5L is a naturally aspirated variable cam timing engine thought to produce in excess of 130 bhp with the turbo version reported to produce in excess of 160 bhp. The first engine off the new production lines was first fired up on May 12th 2009 with the launch date set for 30th January 2010.

The transmission on the 1.3L is expected to be a manual transmission while the 1.5 is expected to receive the new Dual Clutch Automatic (DSG) which SAIC currently has in development in cooperation with Borg Warner.