News : Yema F12 takes Maestro platform further…

Yema F12: Maestro meets Kia?
Yema F12: Maestro meets Kia?

Yema, the current owner of the long-lived Maestro/Montego platform and tooling in China, has released its third SUV model, the F12. It’s a facelift of a facelift of a facelift, and features body styling redolent of the early 2000s Subaru Forester, with a new nose that’s clearly inspired by the Kia Sportage. Currently, only one 1.5 MT version is available, selling for 58,800 Yuan (£5950), which compares interestingly with the soon to be launched (in the UK) Dacia Duster.

All of the three Yema SUVs, the other two being the F10 and F99, share a platform and a 2515mm wheelbase. The 1.5-litre develops 95bhp and 95lb ft, and is produced by the Sichuan Automobile Industry Group Corporation, which oversees the Yema brand, with Toyota technology. Standard equipment includes manual air conditioning, parking radar, ABS/EBD, and power windows and central locking.

And all closely based on the Maestro. Remarkable.

 

Keith Adams

26 Comments

  1. It’s amazing that there’s a Maestro under there somewhere!

    I reckon that Chinese companies would clean up if they export cars like that to the UK at a bargain price. SUV styling, good interior space, all for the price of a Ford Ka no doubt.

  2. The exterior looks ok, if not remarkable, apart from the overscaled rear lights.

    The interior looks rather cheap and tacky, but then so did that of the car it was based on.

    Wonder if the Chinese will revive the talking dashboard?

  3. 😯

    Its a sort of Volvaudicus…

    Nah, now what it really needs is scalloped sides…

  4. not to bad, perhaps a little dated the only thing I dont like is the slightly wide chin / cheeks on the first photo.
    @ Keith re:I still prefer the Maestro-based Yema F16 …even though looking dated now… this front end is what is missing on the MG6. but I do like it(the silver car above) alex

  5. It’s amazing what the Chinese have managed to do with an already aged chassis – however, the relationship between the front wheel and front door still looks awkward (as it always did – what possessed BL to design it like that?), and the interior looks vile! And is it me, or does the window-line droop toward the rear, a la Maestro……surely a plastic capping should have been employed!! As for selling them over here – I doubt now whether a car based on a chassis and inner structure designed in 1978 would pass any NCAP tests!

  6. Yep, The silver Yema F16 looks good. If it were available in the UK even with a modest dealer network I would consider buying one. The Yema F12’s not that bad looking either

  7. After sixty pints of special brew and a comprehensive kicking i think it would look like a lexus.

  8. Wonder if the crash protection improved any? If not then that probably rules out any euro imports…

    Also, wonder if you could slap that dash into a Maestro?

  9. @4 Audi must seriously attack this against their IPR’s on the audit range – this is in your face rip-off! Owning an A5 – it is unreal the depth of detail they have copied here, down to the scollops, lights and spots! Frightening that this is happening!

  10. Reminds me of the varied interesting facelifts they’ve put on Citroen ZXs out there.

    Why not go the whole hog and style it as a Discovery style SUV with Maestro van rear lights?
    Then sell it in fleets to BT, who as part of their new Infinity push will paint their vans yellow.

    Almost as innovative as MGRover when it comes to getting the most from a platform 😉

  11. Actually, the Yema(n) F16 shows just how bland and anonymous Audi styling has become…….

  12. The Yema F16 – oh so Audi. Remarkably so!

    Can’t believe they are all based on the Maestro. Incredible!

  13. Wow, shows that you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear if you work at it. Like the silver lawsuit waiting to happen. I wonder if they still use the hydrolastic/hydragas system for the suspension.
    I like the interior, nice and simple dashboard, unlike some of the more espensive stuff that looks like the science station on the Enterprise-D. Theoretically it should fit, since I doubt they have changed the fitting points internally, but you’d need to actually get the parts and try to fit it up to know for sure. Did anyone else notice the 4 way electric windows/w/rear lock-out, and electric mirror controls. It looks somewhat similar to the dash on modern Mercs – although I hope the seats are more comfortable.

    In comparison to the dismal MG6 this is actually quite attractive. Well done Yema, and well done Maestro.

  14. @21, Jemma,

    The Maestro didn’t use hydolastic or hydrogas, but relied on conventional MacPherson struts and torsion beams.

    The Moulton suspension system, at least in its earlier iteration would have been out of patent by now anyway.

  15. #15, 17 and 20…

    we all know how Audis are designed….ve need an A4 avant….here take a photo of A6 avant put in ze photocopier, reduce size and hey presto Der Neues Audi A4….

    While someone was at the photocopier, they pressed the fax machine button by mistake and while pressing every button come up with Yama’s fax number… Yama, being Chinese won’t understand the German legal wording which says ‘if received by accident either delete or return to sender…..’

  16. Just looked at this again, just shows what ARG could have achieved with styling if they’d have bothered with it, imagine the Yema f16 style back in 1988…

  17. @17 Surely if Audi styling was anonymous it wouldn’t be so recognisable, or maybe i’m missing something.

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