Chine
Landwind
Landwind (also spelled Land Wind, and marketed as Lufeng in China) is a Chinese automotive brand founded in 1998 by Sun Min, then president of the Jiangling Motors Group Corporation (JMCG), in Nanchang, in Jiangxi province. Sun Min, an engineer who had taken part in turning around Jiangling's truck operations through partnerships with Isuzu, wanted to diversify the company into passenger vehicles, targeting affordable sport utility vehicles and off-roaders. The brand started out with the X9, a three-door SUV launched in 2002, followed by the more popular five-door X6 in 2003, both derived from Isuzu platforms and engines. Landwind tried its hand at exporting very early on, beginning with the Netherlands in 2005, but the European venture was marked by a resounding ADAC crash test conducted for Euro NCAP, which gave the X6 a zero-star rating. In terms of ownership, Landwind came under structures tied to Jiangling Motors and its joint venture Jiangling Motor Holding, created in 2005 on an equal (50/50) basis with Changan Automobile. The brand reached its commercial peak in the mid-2010s, notably thanks to the X7, a compact SUV launched in 2015 whose design closely echoed that of the Range Rover Evoque. This resemblance triggered a lawsuit from Jaguar Land Rover: in March 2019, a court in Beijing's Chaoyang district ruled in JLR's favor, finding that the X7 copied five distinctive design elements and ordering a halt to its production and sale, along with compensation. After a peak of roughly 80,000 vehicles sold in 2016, sales collapsed to about 1,000 units in 2019. Production of Landwind-badged vehicles ended around 2020, and the brand essentially disappeared. Landwind was never officially distributed in North America; its presence was limited to China and occasional export markets.
ActiveÉlectrique / hybrideCamion / utilitaireChinoises
History
History of Landwind
Landwind (also spelled Land Wind, and marketed as Lufeng in China) is a Chinese automotive brand founded in 1998 by Sun Min, then president of the Jiangling Motors Group Corporation (JMCG), in Nanchang, in Jiangxi province. Sun Min, an engineer who had taken part in turning around Jiangling's truck operations through partnerships with Isuzu, wanted to diversify the company into passenger vehicles, targeting affordable sport utility vehicles and off-roaders. The brand started out with the X9, a three-door SUV launched in 2002, followed by the more popular five-door X6 in 2003, both derived from Isuzu platforms and engines. Landwind tried its hand at exporting very early on, beginning with the Netherlands in 2005, but the European venture was marked by a resounding ADAC crash test conducted for Euro NCAP, which gave the X6 a zero-star rating. In terms of ownership, Landwind came under structures tied to Jiangling Motors and its joint venture Jiangling Motor Holding, created in 2005 on an equal (50/50) basis with Changan Automobile. The brand reached its commercial peak in the mid-2010s, notably thanks to the X7, a compact SUV launched in 2015 whose design closely echoed that of the Range Rover Evoque. This resemblance triggered a lawsuit from Jaguar Land Rover: in March 2019, a court in Beijing's Chaoyang district ruled in JLR's favor, finding that the X7 copied five distinctive design elements and ordering a halt to its production and sale, along with compensation. After a peak of roughly 80,000 vehicles sold in 2016, sales collapsed to about 1,000 units in 2019. Production of Landwind-badged vehicles ended around 2020, and the brand essentially disappeared. Landwind was never officially distributed in North America; its presence was limited to China and occasional export markets.
Public founding or origin of Landwind.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
Landwind's technology relied mainly on third-party components rather than extensive in-house development. The early models (X9, X6) used Isuzu Rodeo–type platforms and Isuzu engines, including a 2.8-liter turbodiesel, as well as Mitsubishi-sourced gasoline blocks (2.0 and 2.4 liters) assembled in China. The X8 off-roader (2009) used JMC's N350 platform with Mitsubishi gasoline engines or an Italian VM Motori turbodiesel. The X7 used a Mitsubishi-inspired 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing around 190 hp. The brand offered rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive architectures depending on the model, with ladder-frame chassis on the off-roaders and monocoque structures on the more recent SUVs. Landwind did not develop a significant electrified lineup or its own electric platforms before winding down its operations.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
Landwind was a Chinese brand of very affordable SUVs and off-roaders, now defunct, remembered above all for its controversies.
Reputation
Landwind's reputation is lastingly marked by two negative episodes: the 2005 Euro NCAP/ADAC crash test, in which the X6 scored zero stars, and the X7's copying of the Range Rover Evoque, sanctioned in court in 2019. The brand was seen as a maker of very affordable SUVs, sometimes rugged in off-road use, but lagging on safety, fit and finish, and perceived quality compared with established automakers. Its resale value is hard to assess outside China, given the lack of an official network and distribution. Overall, Landwind illustrates the first wave of Chinese exporters with a fragile image, now largely eclipsed by more modern Chinese brands.
Strengths
Landwind's strengths lay in a highly accessible positioning: SUVs and off-roaders priced well below those of established brands, with engines of known origin (Isuzu, Mitsubishi) and, on certain models like the X8, genuine ruggedness in off-road use. The brand offered a sought-after SUV format at a reduced cost.
Points to watch
The limitations were major: very poor passive safety on the early models (zero-star crash test), design copying that led to a court conviction, fit, finish, and perceived quality that fell short, and the absence of a parts and service network outside China. The brand has ceased production, which complicates maintenance and parts supply today.
Models
Landwind models
Current or active models by market
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
Landwind was produced in China, mainly in Nanchang and the Jiangxi region, within the industrial ecosystem of Jiangling Motors and the Jiangling Motor Holding joint venture (Jiangling–Changan). Production combined the assembly of platforms derived from partners (Isuzu, JMC) with the integration of Mitsubishi, Isuzu, or VM Motori engines. The brand never had a plant or assembly site in North America, and was never officially sold there. Its exports targeted mainly emerging markets and, briefly, a few European countries through independent importers. Manufacturing of Landwind vehicles ended around 2020.
Tires and wheels
Landwind SUVs and off-roaders, from the X7 segment (compact) to the X8 (larger), generally use SUV tires in common wheel diameters of roughly 16 to 18 inches, sometimes 15 inches on entry-level models. The bolt patterns typically follow Asian standards common on this type of vehicle. With no North American distribution, you should confirm the exact dimensions on the door-jamb label or the vehicle's spec sheet before buying. In Quebec, these vehicles would fully benefit from dedicated winter tires, ideally mounted on a second set of wheels to make seasonal changeovers easier and to protect the original wheels from salt and winter abrasion.