Besturn T99 is a front-wheel drive mid-size SUV of the "premium" class and, in combination, the flagship of the model range of the Chinese automaker FAW, combining original design, modern and high-quality interior and a productive technical component, and even for relatively little money ... This car is focused on active city dwellers with a good level of income, who follow all fashion trends and are not used to sacrificing comfort, safety, or any other aspects ...
The official premiere of the FAW Besturn T99 serial crossover took place in mid-September 2019 during an online presentation, but its conceptual forerunner, called the T2 Concept, was shown to the general public back in April of the same year at the stands of the Shanghai International Auto Show.
The car, which became the largest, most advanced and expensive SUV of the company (only the models of the subsidiary luxury brand Hongqi are cooler), in fact turned out to be a "redesigned version" of the Hongqi HS5, from which the technical component was borrowed without any major changes.
The exterior of the FAW Besturn T99 is characterized by classic proportions and is distinguished by an original, expressive and very brutal design, which lacks memorable design solutions.
The monumental "facade" of the crossover is adorned with narrowed headlights, a large chrome grille and L-shaped daytime running lights integrated into the embossed bumper, and its solid stern carries spectacular lights united by an LED strip, vertical sections of fog lights and trapezoidal pipes that imitate " four-barreled "exhaust.
In profile, the mid-size SUV evokes some associations with Land Rover SUVs, but at the same time it looks beautiful, balanced and quite presentable - a pronounced long hood, sloping roofline, strict sidewalls and embossed wheel arches that can accommodate 20-21-inch wheels.
Size and weight
The FAW Besturn T99 is 4800 mm long, 1915 mm wide and 1685 mm high. The center-to-center distance is 2870 mm at the five-door, and its ground clearance is 192 mm.
When equipped, the car weighs at least 1775 kg, and its gross weight reaches 2225 kg.
Interior
Inside, the mid-size "premium" crossover meets an attractive, modern and truly solid design. In direct control of the driver are a "plump" three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a truncated bottom rim and a fully digital instrument cluster with a 12.3-inch display. The center console lacks physical switches as such, and all functions are managed by a pair of touch screens: the upper 12.3-inch diagonal carries infotainment, and the lower 8-inch is responsible for the "climate" environment.
Salon FAW Besturn T99 boasts a solid margin of free space in both rows of seats. At the front, there are ergonomic chairs with a pronounced side profile, moderately dense filling and a huge number of adjustments.
In the back there is a hospitably profiled sofa with a folding armrest, an almost flat floor and a minimum of convenience such as its own ventilation deflectors and cup holders.
In the arsenal of the Chinese SUV there is a trunk of a rather modest volume, correct in shape, since in normal condition it is able to accommodate only 377 liters of luggage (when loaded "under the shelf").
The second row of seats is folded in two sections in the ratio "60:40", which significantly expands the cargo capacity of the "hold". In the underground niche there is a spare wheel and a necessary tool.
Specifications
The FAW Besturn T99 is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an in-line architecture, an aluminum head and cylinder block, a turbocharger, direct fuel injection, intake and exhaust phase shifters and a 16-valve DOHC timing belt that generates 224 horsepower at 4500-5500 rpm and 340 Nm of torque at 1650-4500 rpm.
By default, the engine works jointly with an 8-band hydromechanical "automatic" of the Chinese company Shengrui and the front axle drive wheels (all-wheel drive transmission is not provided for SUVs, even for an additional fee).
How long does it take for the crossover to accelerate from zero to 100 km / h is not officially reported. The maximum car is capable of developing 210 km / h, and its fuel consumption in the combined mode is an average of 7.9 liters for each "hundred" of the run.
Design features
At the heart of the FAW Besturn T99 is a monocoque front-wheel drive platform featuring abundant use of high-strength steels in the power structure. On both axles of the five-door, independent suspensions with hydraulic shock absorbers, steel springs and anti-roll bars are installed: in the front - MacPherson-type architecture, in the rear - a multi-link system.
The car is equipped with rack and pinion steering and electric power steering. Disc brakes are used on all wheels of the crossover (ventilated on the front axle), working in conjunction with ABS, EBD, BAS and other electronic "assistants".
Options and prices
It is possible that in the foreseeable future FAW Besturn T99 may reach the Russian market - but it is not known when this will happen (if at all). In China, a mid-size SUV is sold at prices ranging from 149,900 to 189,900 yuan (1.37 ≈ 1.73 million rubles).
The basic equipment of the car includes: front and side airbags, 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and engine start, ABS, EBD, BAS, ESP, cruise control, virtual instrument cluster, media center with a 12.3-inch screen, full LED optics , power windows for all doors, dual-zone climate control, high-quality audio system and some other equipment.
