Dongfeng [2] (China) - AllCarIndex

Dongfeng Motors Corporation, based in Shiyan City, Hubei Province, China, was established as a significant player in the automotive industry. Originally known as the Second Auto Works, the company underwent a rebranding in the late 1990s to adopt the name Dongfeng Motors Corp.

In the second half of the 1990s, Dongfeng experimented with a compact vehicle known as the Dongfeng EQ 7100, which was affectionately nicknamed Xiao Wangze, meaning "Little Prince." This model was a four-door, five-seat hatchback powered by a 1-liter, three-cylinder engine. For testing purposes, a pre-series of 77 units was deployed as taxicabs in Shiyan, allowing the company to gather valuable feedback on the vehicle's performance and practicality.

During this period, the Dongfeng name and logo were also utilized by a subsidiary, the Shenlong Auto Refit Works, located in Wuhan. This subsidiary produced various models, including the FUKANG cab and chassis, which served as the foundation for a range of vehicles such as a pick-up truck, a closed van, and an estate car known as the Dongfeng F.Q7140. The F.Q7140 bore similarities to the contemporary Citroën C15, reflecting the company's efforts to diversify its product offerings in the competitive automotive market.