Dongfeng: owner, models, markets and what the name means
Facts checked United States status as of 4 September 2026
- State-owned
- HKEX 0489
- SSE 600006
Listing: 1,697,025 vehicles, down 0.3% year on year
The Dongfeng badge has been on the company's trucks since the 1970s. The modern passenger-car brand dates from July 2009, when Dongfeng launched Aeolus - 风神 (Fēngshén), 'wind god' - with the Fengshen S30 saloon, shown at Auto Shanghai that April.
Aeolus is the mainstream line: compact and mid-size saloons and SUVs such as the Yixuan, Haoji and Haohan, with the L8 and L9 series arriving from 2025. Its best year so far was 2022, at 190,587 units.
Since August 2023 Dongfeng has run Aeolus, the electric Nammi brand and its eπ line under one passenger-vehicle organisation, Dongfeng eπ Auto Tech, while keeping the three names on the cars. That reorganisation sits alongside Dongfeng's separate premium brands, Voyah and M-Hero.
Aeolus cars are exported to South America and Algeria. This entry lists only the export markets it could confirm from the sources cited; Dongfeng's wider export network is larger.
The Dongfeng passenger-car brand and its Aeolus line are run by Dongfeng's own passenger-vehicle business, not by any of its joint ventures.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 东风 “DOONG-fung” east wind |
|---|---|
| Also written | Dongfeng Aeolus, Aeolus and Dongfeng Fengshen |
| Owner | Dongfeng Motor Group |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Wuhan, China |
| Origin | China |
| First car | Dongfeng Fengshen S30 (Aeolus S30), 2009 |
| Vehicles | Cars |
| Segment | Mass market |
| United States | Never sold in the United States — No Dongfeng passenger cars are sold in the United States and the sources consulted show no plan to enter. |
| Brand launch | Aeolus introduced July 2009; the Fengshen S30 debuted at Auto Shanghai in April 2009 |
| Best sales year | 190,587 units in 2022 |
| Reorganisation | From August 2023 Aeolus, Nammi and eπ have been managed together under Dongfeng eπ Auto Tech while keeping separate names |
| Confirmed export markets | South America and Algeria |
| Parent | Dongfeng Motor Corporation, a central state-owned enterprise at Wuhan |
Who owns Dongfeng?
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council owns Dongfeng Motor Group at 100% since 2003.
Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a central state-owned enterprise whose shareholding SASAC holds. Dongfeng told the Hong Kong exchange in February 2025 that a planned restructuring might change its controlling shareholder but would not change its ultimate controller, SASAC.
Dongfeng Motor Group owns Dongfeng at 100% since 2009.
The Dongfeng passenger-car brand and its Aeolus line belong to Dongfeng outright. Aeolus launched in July 2009 and has been run since August 2023 alongside Nammi and the eπ line under one Dongfeng passenger-vehicle organisation.
The full ownership page for Dongfeng · Is Dongfeng Chinese?
Where Dongfeng is sold
Recorded in 2 market s: CN and DZ. 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 |
| Algeria | DZ | no page yet |
Dongfeng: questions people ask
- Is Dongfeng Chinese?
- Yes. Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a central state-owned enterprise headquartered in Wuhan, and the Dongfeng brand is its own, not a joint-venture badge.
- What does Dongfeng mean?
- 东风 (Dōngfēng) means 'east wind'. The company was called the Second Automobile Works until 1992; Dongfeng began as the marque on its vehicles.
- What is Aeolus?
- Aeolus is the English name of Dongfeng's mainstream passenger-car line, called 风神 (Fēngshén, 'wind god') in Chinese. It launched in July 2009 with the S30 saloon.
- Who owns Dongfeng?
- The Chinese state, through SASAC. Dongfeng also has two listed arms, in Hong Kong and Shanghai, with minority public shareholders.
- Is Dongfeng sold in the US?
- No. Dongfeng passenger cars are not on sale in the United States and the sources consulted show no plan to enter.
Related
Sources for Dongfeng
- Wikipedia, Aeolus (marque). Read . July 2009 launch, S30 debut, model list, 2022 peak, August 2023 reorganisation, export markets
- Wikipedia, Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Read . Ownership, headquarters, brand list