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Dongfeng Forthing is a passenger car brand under Dongfeng Liuzhou Automobile Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Group. The company is headquartered in Qiche City, Liudong New District, Liuzhou, Guangxi. Its roots go back to 1954, and in 1969, it successfully developed and produced Guangxi's first automobile—marking the province's official entry into the automotive industry. Today, the company has an annual production capacity of 300,000 passenger vehicles. Forthing serves as the core passenger vehicle brand, together with the commercial vehicle brand Chenglong, forming Dongfeng Liuzhou Auto's brand matrix.
Since its founding in 2001, Forthing has built a product portfolio covering both residential and commercial segments, with a full range of sedans, SUVs, MPVs, new energy vehicles, and special purpose vehicles. It has become a domestically recognized independent car brand with strong all‑round capabilities. Backed by Dongfeng Group's over 70 years of manufacturing heritage and 25 years of deep MPV expertise, Forthing has stayed true to its philosophy of "craftsmanship in carmaking," striving to build a new force within the national automotive manufacturing team—with a character defined by heritage, not haste.
Startup & Foundation Period (1969–2000)
In 1969, the predecessor of Dongfeng Liuzhou Auto developed Guangxi's first automobile. The first batch of ten vehicles rolled out that year and were driven to Nanning to mark the 20th anniversary of National Day. In 1981, Liuzhou Auto entered a joint operation with Dongfeng Motor, becoming the first auto company in Guangxi to bring in a central state‑owned enterprise. With Dongfeng's technical strength and military background, Liuzhou Auto set off on a fast track of growth.
Brand Establishment Period (2001–2019)
In 2001, the Forthing brand was officially launched, and the Forthing Lingzhi—targeting the commercial market—debuted as China's first independent MPV, setting a new precedent. From 2001 to 2012, the brand grew rapidly, with the Lingzhi series consistently ranking among the top three in domestic MPV sales. In 2014, the high‑end multi‑purpose business vehicle Forthing CM7 was launched, later appearing at high‑profile events such as the G20 Summit and the China‑ASEAN Expo, shifting the brand's focus toward the mid‑to‑high‑end market. In 2016, Dongfeng Forthing hit a peak, with annual production and sales surpassing 260,000 units.
Transformation & Exploration Period (2020–2023)
In 2020, Dongfeng Forthing launched a comprehensive brand renewal, highlighted by the T5 EVO—a model that redefined the brand in terms of design, space, performance, quality, and safety. In 2021, the entire lineup adopted the "Roaring Lion Badge," starting a brand upgrade with a fresh visual identity. In November 2022, the brand unveiled its "Guanghe Future" new energy strategy, committing to full electrification within three years and ending fuel vehicle production within five years, with the goal of becoming a mainstream new energy brand by 2025. In 2023, the first pure electric SUV, the Forthing Thunder, was launched—marking the brand's first move into the new energy space.
Comprehensive Transformation Period (2024–Present)
In 2024, Dongfeng Forthing officially launched its new energy series, "Xinghai." The first model, the Xinghai V9, uses the Mach 1.5TD hybrid system, with a combined range of 1,300 km. That September, the Xinghai S7 pure electric sedan, built on the S2‑E architecture, was launched as the mass‑production vehicle with the lowest drag coefficient in the world. In 2025, the Lingzhi family introduced a full new energy lineup, covering both pure electric and extended‑range versions. In August, the Xinghai V9 Yuexiang Series was launched, drawing market attention as "the only mid‑to‑large plug‑in hybrid MPV under 200,000 RMB." In November, the Xinghai S7 800V ultra‑fast charging version officially hit the market. On March 9, 2026, Dongfeng Forthing held a brand launch event in Bangkok, Thailand, officially announcing its entry into the Thai market—a key milestone in its international expansion.
Dongfeng Forthing has built a complete product lineup covering commercial MPVs, family MPVs, SUVs, sedans, and new energy vehicles.
MPV Lineup is Forthing's core strength. On the commercial side, the Lingzhi family continues to lead, covering fuel, pure electric, extended‑range, and natural gas powertrains—reinforcing its "wealth‑creation tool" positioning, with annual sales holding steady at 40,000 to 50,000 units. Future plans include three product lines: Lingzhi, Large Lingzhi, and Small Lingzhi, targeting annual sales of around 100,000 units. On the family MPV side, the Xinghai V9, the first model in the Xinghai series, enters the 200,000‑yuan market with an "electric‑for‑fuel" strategy, pushing MPVs toward a "C‑end plus B‑end" dual‑engine model. The V9 has been praised by education influencer Zhang Xuefeng as "a third space for both business and family," and film star Wu Zhenyu called it "400,000 yuan worth of features for under 200,000 yuan"—its reputation continues to grow. Future plans also include mid‑size MPVs in the 100,000‑140,000 yuan range and compact MPVs from 80,000 to 100,000 yuan.
SUV Lineup focuses on models like the Xinghai T5 and Xinghai X5. The X5 broke 10,000 sales within four months of launch. The pure electric Forthing Thunder is also expanding the brand's presence in the new energy SUV segment.
Sedan Lineup centers on the Xinghai S7, built on Dongfeng Group's S2‑E architecture. With a fastback coupe design and a drag coefficient of just 0.191 Cd—currently the lowest among mass‑produced vehicles worldwide—it features core technologies including Quantum Architecture, Mach E Power, Armor Battery 3.0, and the Xinghai Pilot intelligent driving assistance system. Its 8‑layer flat‑wire motor achieves a system efficiency of 94.5%, with energy consumption of just 11.9 kWh per 100 km.
Latest Model – Xinghai V6 made its global debut at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, positioned as an affordable smart large six‑seater with Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving. It features a 2+2+2 layout and is the only model in its class with a retractable third‑row seat, allowing flexible switching between passenger and cargo modes. As the first Forthing model equipped with Huawei's Qiankun system—and the first product to come out of the deep partnership between the two sides—it is scheduled for official launch in the third quarter of 2026. Looking ahead, Dongfeng Forthing plans to roll out more than 25 new vehicles during the 15th Five‑Year Plan period, including nine all‑new models, covering a wide range of user needs.
In 2025, Dongfeng Forthing's annual sales reached 96,534 units, a year‑on‑year increase of 13.5%, outperforming the industry average. Terminal sales hit 147,647 units, up 22.9% year‑on‑year. Passenger vehicle sales grew 13.5%, also beating the market trend. Brand awareness stood at 76%, while reputation climbed from 18% to 30% year‑on‑year, ranking fifth among independent brand MPVs.
The Xinghai series became the main engine of sales growth. After the Xinghai V9 Yuexiang Edition launched in August 2025, the series quickly gained traction. The Xinghai X5 broke 10,000 units within four months, while the Xinghai S7 posted a 25% year‑on‑year increase in average monthly sales—creating a pattern of broad‑based growth across multiple segments. In commercial MPVs, the Lingzhi series continued to hold its market leadership.
Entering 2026, Dongfeng Forthing maintained its strong momentum. January sales rose 182% year‑on‑year, reflecting the brand's transformation gains. First‑quarter cumulative sales reached 8,603 units, up 56.79% year‑on‑year. The brand's annual development goals are clearly set around three pillars: product breakthroughs, profit improvement, and a major leap in brand awareness.
Dongfeng Forthing views technological innovation as the core engine of its brand transformation, drawing on Dongfeng Group's cutting‑edge expertise in new energy and intelligent technologies to build a comprehensive technology system.
New Energy Technology
Since launching its full‑scale new energy transformation in 2022, Dongfeng Forthing has rolled out the "Dragon Walk Project," investing 12.5 billion RMB in cumulative R&D breakthroughs. The brand now commands technologies including Mach Power, Quantum Architecture, Tianyuan Architecture, the 800V all‑domain high‑voltage platform, Armor Battery, lightweight electrification, and low‑consumption hybrid systems—fully covering pure electric, hybrid, and extended‑range powertrains. The brand has already achieved its full‑lineup electrification goal ahead of schedule.
Intelligent Technology
Dongfeng Forthing is the first central state‑owned enterprise to partner with Huawei across its entire brand. Since 2019, it has worked closely with Huawei, integrating the Huawei IPD R&D system into its car‑making DNA—not merely as a technology buyer, but as a "symbiotic partner" built on six years of deep collaboration. The Xinghai V6, the first model to come out of this deep integration, is equipped with Huawei's Qiankun intelligent driving system, opening a new chapter in making premium smart driving accessible to a broader audience. Going forward, the brand will gradually equip more models with Huawei's Qiankun intelligent driving, smart cockpit, and other solutions.
R&D
Dongfeng Forthing holds hundreds of patents and operates multiple research workstations, R&D centers, and technology innovation platforms, earning recognition as the "Guangxi automotive industry talent powerhouse." The brand follows the "One Innovation, Three Extremes" strategic direction—with new energy as the engine, pursuing extreme space, extreme energy efficiency, and extreme value for money. Its goal is to create lasting user value through steady, iterative technological progress.
Dongfeng Forthing has adopted a new brand positioning as a "smart affordable family car brand," with the brand claim: "Choose Forthing, smarter and more affordable." Looking ahead, the brand has laid out three strategic directions: new energy, intelligence, and internationalization.
In the Chinese market, Dongfeng Forthing will focus on strengthening its MPV advantage while achieving full‑category new energy coverage, offering a complete range of pure electric, hybrid, and extended‑range powertrains to meet diverse mobility needs. During the 15th Five‑Year Plan period, the brand will continue to increase R&D investment, with cumulative spending exceeding 1 billion RMB to solidify its technology foundation. It will be driven by a dual core of "demand plus technology," connecting the full chain of scenario, need, and experience.
In overseas markets, Dongfeng Forthing has officially entered the Thai market. Production at its Egypt factory marks a substantive step in its global expansion, with the first locally assembled vehicle already off the line. The brand showcased the Xinghai S7 Extended Range, V9 PHEV, and Forthing Thunder at the WETEX Dubai New Energy Car Show, demonstrating its targeted push into the Gulf market. The "Chengfeng Twin Engines (2030) Plan" has been officially launched, building a three‑dimensional development model that combines commercial and passenger vehicles while linking domestic and international markets.
Dongfeng Forthing will continue to deepen its presence with a mindset of "heritage, not haste," committed to becoming a trusted "smart affordable family car brand" under Dongfeng—and writing its own new chapter in the transformation and upgrading of China's automotive industry.
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