First Automobile Works

First Automobile Works (中国第一汽车) is China's first automobile manufacturer. FAW is one of the "Big Five" Chinese automobile manufacturers along with Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, Chang'an Motors, and Chery Automobile. The company was established in 1953 with ranges such as Jiaxing mini MPVs, Xiali saloon cars and Hongqi luxury cars.

History

The construction of the First Automobile Works was started in 1953 with assistance from Zavod Imeni Likhacheva and finished in 1956. During its first 30 years, its major product was Jiefang CA-10 medium truck, the first mass-produced automobile in China based on ZIS-150. The next generation of Jiafang truck, CA141 rolled out in 1988. In 1991, FAW formed joint venture with Volkswagen and began to focus on car manufacture. Since then, it has formed joint ventures with other automobile giants such as Toyota and Mazda. In the same time, FAW maintained its own car brand Hongqi since 1958. Through purchasing and expanding, it has become one of top three automobile manufacturers in China. (The other two are Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation and Dongfeng Motor Corporation) By 2004, its car sales had passed 1 million units.

Logo interpretation

Symbol

Image:FAW LOGO.jpg

The symbol represents the combination of Chinese word "一汽"(meaning "China FAW Group Corporation") which was transformed visually, Chinese character "一" means "first" and "汽" means "automobile", depicting the visionary of a hawk spreading its wings.

Meaning

FAW flies throughout the vast skies of the world, spreading its wings and soaring high and far into the bright blue sky.

Technology

In 1988, Chrysler sold much of the machining equipment, as well as a license to the design, of their K-car 2.2L straight-4 engine to First Auto Works.

Joint ventures

FAW operates many joint venture manufacturing concerns in China. Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor (Changchun City, Jilin Province) produces the Toyota Prius for the Chinese market.