Will Proton rebadge it as the next Persona?
Two years after its launch, it appears that the Geely Bin Rui has spawned a sportier version known as the Bin Rui F-Type Sport. Like the rest of you, we can’t help but wonder if the decision to use the ‘F-Type’ name has anything to do with the appointment of ex-Jaguar designer Wayne Burgess as the new Head of Design and Vice President of Geely Design UK. Whatever the reason is, it should raise a few eyebrows especially over in Coventry.
(Edit: Guy Burgoyne handles most of Geely’s car designs from Shanghai, and Wayne Burgess has since left his post).
Well, back to the Bin Rui F-Type Sport. There’s not much information on this particular variant on the Internet but it seems that it is a purely cosmetic job done to up the C-segment sedan’s game. Whether or not it achieves that goal is entirely up to you.
From the outside, the changes are led by a new grille design that has an ‘F’ emblem and sporty C-shaped inserts on each corner of the front bumper. At the back, the hexagonal muffler tips (which are fake, by the way) and the chrome tailgate trim have been given a gloss black finish. Same goes to the rims, side mirror covers and window trims.
The interior remains the same, with the exception of red trims on the dashboard, door panels, centre console, armrest and seats. The seat belts come in red, too. Other than the stainless steel pedals, the Bin Rui F-Type Sport simply does not carry enough sporty addenda for it to deserve the ‘F-Type Sport’ designation.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this car is that it does gain some extra power. The JLB-4G14TB 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine now makes 141 hp and 235 Nm of torque, which represents an increase of 10 hp and 30 Nm over the standard version. Not exactly earth-shattering but we’ll take it. Unfortunately, it is only available with a CVT, which is a missed opportunity since the 1.4-litre was offered with a six-speed manual at the time of launch.
The Bin Rui F-Type Sport is priced at $14,039 in China, which works out to about RM58,679 based on the current exchange rate. Would you pay that kind of money? Or would you rather splash the cash on a Proton X50?
PRESS RELEASE (BIN RUI)
Geely Auto officially launched its first sports orientated A+ segment sedan, Bin Rui on the market at the 2018 Chengdu Auto Show.
The Bin Rui comes in three power configurations, G-Power 200T Engine + 6-speed DCT, G-Power 14T Engine + 8-speed CVT, and G-Power 14T Engine + 6-speed MT. The G-Power 200T Engine is a 1.0 liter turbo direct injection engine putting out 100kW (134HP) of power and 205N.m of torque matched with a 2nd generation Getrag 6-speed dual clutch transmission. This golden combination allows the Bin Rui to achieve a fuel consumption rating of 4.9L per 100km. G-Power 14T Engine is a 1.4L turbo engine putting out 98kW (131 HP) of power and 215N.m of torque that’s matched with either a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed continuously variable transmission. The fuel consumption rating with the G-Power 14T is only 5.7L per 100km.
Designed for the young and fashionable, elements of a sporty coupe can be seen in the Bin Rui. The sporty sedan uses a fastback design based Geely’s newest design concept “The Aesthetics of Racing through Space and Time.” The roofline flows down to the car’s tail, lowering wind resistance and making the car both more stable and dynamic. The C-shaped air intake, high waist line, and diamond shaped double exhaust gives the Bin Rui a fashionable sense of movement.
The Bin Rui interior is created around a cockpit set up so that all information and controls are located in a convenient location for the driver. The central console is made up of high-quality matte metallic material and the information displayed is organized in a manner resembling an asteroid belt. The leather bound D-type steering wheel comes with multi-functional buttons putting all the controls necessary at the drivers fingertips and giving the interior a high-tech feel.
The Bin Rui doesn’t just boast sports credentials, it is a highly intelligent vehicle that is capable of reading the road ahead of it and keeping its occupants safe. When it comes to intelligent drive, Bin Rui comes with 14 advanced intelligent driver assist systems. In terms of autonomous drive, the Bin Rui has already reached L2 levels.
The ICC Intelligent Cruise Control equipped on the Bin Rui was specifically designed for complex road conditions. It includes full-speed ACC adaptive cruise control, TJA traffic jam assistance, and LKA lane keep assistance. It can change lanes and follow cars at speeds up to 150km/h… IHBC intelligent high-beam control system automatically adjust high-beams when on-coming cars are detected. SLIF speed limit identification system uses both cameras and on-board navigation data to identify speed limits and notify drivers. Intelligent driving features help reduce driver fatigue and making driving more convenient.
As well as convenience, intelligent driving also makes driving safer. Bin Rui unique AEB-P automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian identification) adds a new layer of safety to the automatic driving in cities. The system identifies vehicles and pedestrians over 80 cm in height, detecting potential collisions more than 2 seconds in advance, and activating brakes while traveling below 40km/h
Bin Rui’s active and passive safety has been designed to surpass a global NCAP 5-star rating. The body is made up of over 70% high-strength steel. Anti-whiplash seats are included along with 6 airbags protecting passengers in the event of a collision. Bin Rui is equipped with Bosch 9th generation ESP electronic stability control and integrates 11 active safety features such as HHC Hill Climbing Assistance, TCS Traction Control System, Autohold automated park assist, etc.
Made for young drivers who demand constant connectivity, the Bin Rui is made with smart connectivity in mind. It’s equipped with a 10.25 high-definition 1920x720P full-touch infotainment panel, GKUI Geely Smart Ecosystem, a HD dashcam, etc. The hardware runs on a 4-core processor with 32G of memory and a super-efficient smartphone like operating system. GKUI Geely Smart Ecosystem integrates into the vehicle, 4G high-speed internet, high-tech navigation, Baidu Maps, voice controls, APP remote vehicle control, and other functions. The various programs can be customized via a personal G-ID Geely ID.
The first product of Geely’s new “Bin” series, the Bin Rui is specially designed for young users from first and second tier cities. It is youthful, sporty, intelligent, and high quality. As a strategic global model, the Bin Rui will not only become Geely’s newest trump card in the Chinese sedan market, it will also compete against the world’s best A+ segment sedans in the future and set new benchmarks in for A+ segment sedans around the world.
The Bin Rui will be first launched in China and soon after roll out globally.
