The CEOs and engineers from all over the country were crowding around the Qiqiong 1.5T engine, trying to determine if the numbers were too good to be true.
Haifeng stepped up and took the mic.
"Everyone, I know you're all curious about this turbocharged engine. So let me introduce the person behind it."
"This is Tang San, our technical director—and the chief designer of the Qiqiong Series."
As soon as the name was out, the room was locked in.
For the engineers, it was like meeting a legend. They stared at Tang San like starving men staring at a feast.
"The turbo wizard himself?"
"I've heard China Star Motors' rise came down to this man."
"A real genius."
"My idol, for real."
Tang San calmly took the mic with a smile.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Tang San. Let's walk through the engines, transmissions, and chassis options China Star Motors can now provide."
He walked to the 1.5T model and pressed a button. The display casing split open, revealing the internals.
"This is the smallest engine in the Qiqiong Series. You've seen the spec sheet already—but these numbers aren't just theoretical."
"These are real, tuned-for-production outputs. Mass-manufacturable. No tricks."
"The Qiqiong Series comes in 1.5T, 1.8T, and 2.0 T. Structurally, they're almost identical—optimized for power and fuel economy."
He gestured to the cutaway model.
"Take this 1.5T, for example. Installed in a 1.5-ton sedan with our custom CVT, you'll get 0–100 km/h in about 7 to 8 seconds."
"And average fuel consumption stays around 6L per 100 kilometers."
That line made jaws drop.
Seven seconds to highway speed, with that kind of efficiency?
For a 1.5-ton vehicle? That was B-class sedan territory—and only Japanese brands had ever pulled off numbers like that.
Domestic cars have constantly been hammered for their bad fuel economy. This flipped the script.
Now, China Star has built something faster, leaner, and cheaper.
In their heads, the CEOs were already pairing the 1.5T with their best-selling SUVs and A-class sedans.
It wouldn't just perform—it would sell.
Tang San kept going like it was nothing.
"The other engines follow the same logic—each tuned for real-world balance."
"And yes, we don't just offer engines. Every engine comes with matching transmissions and chassis systems."
He pulled up the catalog screen.
"NA, turbo, 4-cyl, 6-cyl, 1.4L to 3.0L. Manual, CVT, DCT, and full 8AT automatics. Everything's here."
The room was silent.
No one else had this kind of depth.
And the pricing?
One-third cheaper than equivalent Japanese or German components.
The moment Tang said that, several execs turned to Haifeng with grins.
"President Lu, you've done us a massive favor."
"One-third cheaper on powertrains? That frees up real budget for R&D and finish quality."
"This is what we've needed for years. No more getting fleeced by foreign brands."
"President Lu, does your capacity allow for a full brand switch? We're ready to overhaul Lichi's entire model line."
"Our Great Wall division is rolling out a new SUV soon—the Qiqiong 1.5T is perfect."
"Same for us—Taishan's planning a budget SUV lineup. We want this engine."
The engineers stayed with Tang San, peppering him with questions about turbo response, cooling systems, and fuel mapping.
The CEOs, meanwhile, crowded Haifeng, all pitching their latest models and trying to secure early orders.
Great Wall's CEO, Li Changcheng, started making trucks, so most of their market share came from pickups and SUVs.
Their flagship SUV dominated the market at around ¥100,000 (≈ $13,750).
Haifeng, curious, leaned over.
"President Li, which SUV is your best seller?"