Two FAW Jeifang J7 trucks will arrive at Italdesign Headquarters in Italy next Monday June 25, after a 60-days trip, running backwards along the 20,000 km of the Silk Road.
Leaving the People’s Republic of China last May the 5th, the trucks have crossed Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and, finally, Italy, to end their trip back “home”.
The whole J7 project started in 2012 in Moncalieri, when Chinese OEM FAW Jeifang asked Italdesign to design their brand new truck.
It is always a great satisfaction when you have the chance to actually see “on the road” one of your ideas – Head of Design Filippo Perini said – Whether they’re supercar, mass produced car or, just like in this case, heavy trucks. For a designer, and the entire team who worked on the J7 project it will be a great moment when the trucks will arrive in Italdesign after such a long trip”.
The idea of travelling on the Silk Road backwards, that in ancient times was the commercial road between the Roman and Chinese Empires, besides assuring the quality and reliability of the J7 trucks, represents an ideal connection between the Chinese transport industry and Italy, where the story of automobile and car design were born.