Expected in Russia
In Moscow, IKCO (Iran Khodro) presented the Tara sedan and Saipa presented the Shahin sedan.
The Tara model is being prepared for the certification procedure: it may go on sale before spring.
IKCO Tara released from 2020. Closest to the start of sales with us. A close relative is the Peugeot 301, some of the body panels, doorways are direct copies. The platform is the same. Slightly bigger than Vesta. Engine TU5 1.6 (115 hp). In addition to the five-speed mechanical gearbox, it is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission – the Chinese analogue of the Japanese Aisin. suspicions price – from 1.5 million rubles.
IKCO Tara
Saipa Shahin on sale from 2021. The size of the sedan is very close to Vesta. The chassis is a licensed Toyota XP90, relatives of the second generation Yaris (until 2013). Gasoline engine 1.5 (110 hp) – 8 valves, but with supercharging, a strange combination. A version with CVT was presented at the fair, but a manual gearbox is also possible. Equipment: a media system with a 7-inch screen, air conditioning, a reversing camera, cruise control and even a tire pressure monitoring system. Expected price – from 1.2 million rubles.
Iran Khodro: assortment
Iran Khodro means “Iranian car”. The company was founded a little earlier than AVTOVAZ, the first car was produced in 1966. Part of the giant IKCO, which also makes trucks, buses, rail vehicles, engines and other components for this purpose. A total of half a million vehicles per year at six production locations. The company has huge potential, and if anyone is coming from Iran to Russia for a long time, then most likely it will be her.
There are now more than a dozen passenger models on the conveyor belt. Part – turned Peugeot. Platforms and technologies were adopted after a period of cooperation with the French. Part assembly from other brands.
From 2006 to 2009 we sold the Samand sedan – a modified Peugeot 405. It is still produced today, and at the same time in three “generations”: restyled and improved Samands got the names Soren, Dena and Dena +. The production line also includes the Runna sedan (in the past life Peugeot 206), two Chinese crossovers Haima S5 and S7, the Chinese hatchback Dongfeng H30 Cross and the compact pickup Arisun, based on the chassis and units of the years 70 with external panels and the Peugeot 405.
Recently, the company introduced two crossovers with its own design: Rira and the simplified version of Ray. The drive is front-wheel drive only, which is understandable – it’s based on the same French PF1 platform, albeit renamed IKP1. Both cars are thus related to Peugeot 2008 and the series will start next year.
Motorbikes and boxes
On models dancing from the “French”, the French aspirated TU5 1.6 and XU7 1.8 still work in a slightly modernized form.
TU5 in the form that came to us – a good engine. Cast iron block, 16 valves, hydraulic valve lifters, quite reliable, with a resource of 300 thousand km and suitable for capital.
XU7 with an aluminum block, it is more capricious and capricious – in particular, it does not like frost very much. But most importantly, we can now find spare parts for them. They will certainly be necessary, because, for example, ignition coils were not very durable even on machines made in France. Their Iranian hypostasis is unlikely to be any better.
We also have our own range of motors. EF, developed 14 years ago in collaboration with the renowned German company FEV Engine Technology. Quite extensive – there are gasoline “turbo” and diesel engines.
The production of all motors is completely localized – from casting to electronics. Many were originally designed for conversion to gas – Iran’s network of methane gas stations is much more developed than ours.
Gearboxes – with the world on a wire. Part taken over from Peugeot. Some units are purchased assembled from Chinese manufacturers, the rest are made by ourselves. The vast majority of cars are equipped with five-speed mechanical. Hydraulic automatic is a sign of luxury equipment.
Saipa: model range, engines and gearboxes
Saipa is the second largest company. When Iran produced Khodro Peugeot, Saipa started out as a Citroën assembler. Later she opened the production of engines and transmissions, created her own engines and gearboxes (there is even a variator under them), bought the company Zamyad (commercial trucks), and so on. She produced models from many brands, including Japanese and Korean.
Current models: Tiba sedans (formerly Kia Pride) and the upgraded version of Saina, Shahin sedan and Quik hatchback (both on licensed Toyota chassis).
Quality and prices
Almost all Iranian cars subtly resemble our Ladas from ten years ago. There is quite a bit of electronics in the latest developments. But in fact, everything is very simple, including materials and design solutions – the Iranians do not need expensive cars. And many complaints about the build quality and individual components.
If we talk about prices, then in Iran mass cheap models are cheaper than Grants, in terms of the local rial – 500-600 thousand rubles. If we add delivery charges, customs charges, recycling charges and VAT, we get over a million. That is, a model similar in size and features to the Grant will cost us about the same as Vesta.
IRAN IN NUMBERS
Iran produces all the necessary vehicles. The industry employs several million people. A dozen or so companies are involved in the passenger car industry, almost all of which started as joint ventures with various European and Asian companies.
- Iran ranks 17th in the world in both area and population (84 million).
- Iran ranks 27th in the world in terms of road length. The density of the road network is higher than in our country or, for example, in Canada. All major cities are connected by highways, they are maintained in excellent condition. Roads with a hard surface – 87% (we have 61%).
- In terms of motorization, Iran is in eighth ten of all countries in the world, between Jamaica and Uruguay.
- The average age of the fleet is about 20 years.
- More than a million new cars are sold every year.
- About a third of the fleet carries the Peugeot nameplate.
- In 2021, the Saipa Tiba became the best-selling model (more than 150,000 units).
The pros and cons of Iranian cars for Russia are mentioned here.
“Behind the wheel” can be read in Odnoklassniki.
In August, only two Iranian companies showed new cars at the MIMS exhibition in Moscow. Both want to sell with us.
