Bestune: owner, models, markets and what the name means
Facts checked United States status as of 4 September 2026
- State-owned
- SZSE 000800
- SSE 600742
- SZSE 002232
Bestune is FAW's mainstream car brand, launched in 2006 with the Besturn B70, a saloon built on Mazda 6 underpinnings. It sits below Hongqi in FAW's line-up and sells sedans and SUVs in China.
The English name changed at the end of 2018 from Besturn to Bestune; the Chinese 奔腾 stayed the same, so Chinese buyers saw no change at all. The brand has since added electric models, including the small Pony city car from 2023, and a separate new energy line called Yueyi launched from 2025.
Bestune's export history is thin compared with Hongqi's. It entered Russia in 2012 with the B50. This entry lists only the export market it could confirm; the brand's current export footprint was not verified from a primary source.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 奔腾 “bun-TUNG” to gallop, to surge; 奔 'to run fast' + 腾 'to leap, to soar' |
|---|---|
| Also written | Besturn and FAW Bestune |
| Owner | FAW Group |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Changchun, China |
| Origin | China |
| First car | Besturn B70, 2006 |
| Vehicles | Cars |
| Segment | Mass market |
| United States | Never sold in the United States — Bestune has never been sold in the United States and the sources consulted show no plan to enter. |
| First car | Besturn B70, 2006, developed on the Mazda 6 platform |
| English name change | Besturn became Bestune at the end of 2018; the Chinese name 奔腾 was unchanged |
| Small electric car | Bestune Pony, on sale since 2023 |
| New energy line | Yueyi, three new energy models launched from 2025 |
| First export market | Russia, from 2012 with the B50 |
| Parent | FAW Group, a central state-owned enterprise at Changchun |
Who owns Bestune?
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council owns FAW Group at 100% since 2003.
FAW has been state-owned since it was founded in 1953; SASAC, created in 2003, is the State Council body that has held the state's shareholding since then.
The full ownership page for Bestune · Is Bestune Chinese?
Where Bestune is sold
Recorded in 2 market s: CN and Russia. Where a company publishes only its principal markets, that is a floor and not a complete list.
| Country | Code | Market page |
|---|---|---|
| China | CN | no page yet |
| Russia | RU | Chinese cars in Russia |
Bestune: questions people ask
- Who owns Bestune?
- FAW Group, the Chinese state-owned carmaker at Changchun. FAW is held by SASAC, the State Council's asset-supervision commission.
- What does Bestune mean?
- The Chinese name 奔腾 (Bēnténg) means 'to gallop' or 'to surge'. Bestune is a coined English spelling rather than a translation.
- Was Bestune called Besturn?
- Yes. FAW used the spelling Besturn from the brand's launch in 2006 until the end of 2018, then changed the English name to Bestune. The Chinese name did not change.
- Is Bestune sold outside China?
- It has exported to Russia since 2012. This entry could not confirm any other current export market from the sources consulted.
Related
Sources for Bestune
- Wikipedia, Bestune. Read . Founding year, first car, name change, Pony and Yueyi lines, Russia entry
- China FAW Group Co., Ltd., 集团简介 (Group profile). Read . FAW lists Besturn/Bestune among its own brands