New spy shots of the facelifted Besturn B70 show it is completely ready for the China car market, and it should be, because the facelifted B70 has been delayed for at least half a year. It was first expected to debut in September, then in December, but is now finally scheduled for sure to debut on the Beijing Auto Show in April. The facelifted Besturn B70 is shaped much more aerodynamic and dynamic than the current car.
This is the current Besturn B70. Price starts at 111.800 yuan and ends at 188.800 yuan. Engines: 1.8, 2.0 and 2.3. The Besturn B70 is based on the platform of the first generation Mazda 6 that is still in production in China, made by the FAW-Mazda joint venture. Besturn is a brand of First Auto Works (FAW). The 1.8 is sourced from the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture, and the 2.0 and 2.3 from the FAW-Mazda joint venture.
The Mazda 2.0 will continue in the facelifted Besturn B70. The 1.8 and the 2.3 will be cancelled. The 2.3 will be replaced by a new-for-Besturn 180hp Volkswagen 1.8 turbo. The old 1.8 will not be replaced. Both engines will be mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.
The new engine range means the B70 will be moved slightly upmarket. Price will start around 130.000 yuan and end around 200.000 yuan.
Besturn will also offer a sporty variant of the facelifted B70. It will only be available with the 1.8 turbo. The sporty B70 gets a black grille, tinted headlights, cool ‘turbo’ badges, a black roof, and a wing on the back.
This seems to me more than a simple facelift.