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BAIC adds to Armstrong’s arsenal
Richard Bosselman
November 18, 2025
Two sports utility models first arrivals from the state-owned mega-maker.
YET another of China's massive state-owned carmakers has announced intent to set up in New Zealand.
BAIC Motor has announced a distributor agreement with Armstrong’s Distribution Limited, the business created by Rick Armstrong, a Christchurch car magnate.
Arsmtrong’s already has responsibility for two other big Chinese makes - Leapmotor and Dongfeng - and also represents Opel, Peugeot-Citroen and Smart (which now only builds in China) nationally.
Intent with BAIC - parented by Beijing Automotive Group - is to focus on the sports utility vehicles it specialises in under its own brand.
It will launch locally with two core models, the compact X55 (below) and the medium-sized B30 (above). Both will arrive in the first quarter of 2026, with more BAIC vehicles to follow as the brand ramps up its presence.
Initially, BAIC vehicles will be sold through Armstrong’s outlets in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, before the network expands further.
No pricing has been announced and exact specifications for this country appear to still be resolved, but how they already sell one key right hand-drive market, South Africa, could provide a clue.
There the X55 comes with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 138kW and 305Nm, driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, with quoted fuel use of around 7.7L/100km.
The B30 Hybrid, meantime, pairs a 1.5-litre turbo engine with electric assistance for a combined 246kW and 550Nm. An AWD version is quoted at 6.5L/100km. The car has just begun domestic manufacture in South Africa.
BAIC in China also involves with Mercedes, Hyundai and another domestic make, Fujian, but product from those joint ventures is not on the table via this arrangement.
However, a Hyundai co-developed with BAIC, is being signalled as a high potential for entry. The Elexio is a fully electric car with a 88.1kWh battery and a 500 kilometre-plus WLTP range that avails in two-wheel-drive standard range, a two-wheel-drive long-range, and an all-wheel-drive long-range.
The Benz association is highly profitable, said to account for most of its operating income.
It has been a big involver in China for decades and make headlines 13 years ago by hiring the man responsible for creating the Ferrari Daytona and 288 GTO to design products it needed to become competitive in the global marketplace.
More recently, the make lost its previous chairman in a major boardroom ruction.
Comment provisioned by Armstrong’s today quoted the new chairman of BAIC International, Wang Jianhui, Rick Armstrong (both above) and Simon Rutherford, chief executive of Auto Distribution Holdings, the Auckland-based business which fronts the new car activity.
Jianhui said the partnership marks a key step in the brand’s regional expansion, calling it “a foundational part of our strategy to expand further into Oceania and mature, highly regulated markets.
“We look forward to providing New Zealanders with a fun and rewarding driving experience in our leading SUV’s and off-road hybrid vehicles,” he says.
Armstrong expressed confident the brand would fit neatly into the heart of NZ’s SUV-driven market.
“BAIC is a very strong and large player with segment leading products in its domestic market.
“Our local BAIC product offering will sit in the heart of the market and provide consumers with a choice of powertrains and capabilities that serve their needs today and tomorrow.”
Rutherford added to that sentiment, saying: “BAIC brand and products are a very exciting addition for us to bring to the market for New Zealanders because of how well their style and utility resonate with our diverse environment.
“The off-road prowess that BAIC has built over many years is combined with advanced technology and manufacturing expertise in these latest models to deliver an outstanding package for customers seeking capability and adventure.”
