But SAIC-GM-Wuling offered them all the parts and maintenance equipment needed and even a laptop to check the vehicle condition.

With a showy logo on the MPV saying "three rookies on a world tour", they visited the major cities in foreign countries they passed through, taking many photos in front of famous tourist spots or landmarks to prove how far a Chinese vehicle can go. The MPV had a checkup and maintenance in Warsaw.

"The mechanics said they had never seen this vehicle model before. They offered the services free of charge and asked for an opportunity for a dealership if SAIC-GM-Wuling decided to set up sales in Poland," he said.

Fun and difficulties

The three became emotional when they recalled both the fun and difficulties on their way.

They saw a 7-year-old boy driving an aged Volga on the road in Zabaykalsk, a Russian town close to Manzhouli. They were stopped by Kazakh police 24 times in two days for "tips". They saw a riot of lavender blossoms in Provence, France.

"Having a good rest certainly was a luxurious thing for us on the journey and our average daily sleep time was only around five hours, with the rest spent on the road and experiencing local life. Even so, we still feel the time was not enough," Zeng said.

Inside the car, Zeng said there were only three seats with the other space full of cooking gear, fast food, condiments, clothes, travel books and electronic products such as cameras, a backup navigator and an automobile data recorder. But Yu Xiang, Zeng's teammate who works for Lishui's television station, said the MPV was big enough for three people on long-distance travel.

"Chinese vehicles were considered low-quality by international buyers," Yu said. "But ours was durable and was so eye-catching that many Europeans wished to take photos with us."

Zeng said their next goal will be driving it across the United States next year and SAIC-GM-Wuling will continue to offer support. They will ship the car to San Francisco next January.

Wang Lei, Public Relations director at SAIC-GM-Wuling, said the company views Zeng's trip as good promotion for the car developed and made in China.

"The Hongguang MPV is our niche product.

"Its roomy and flexible interior is suitable for long-distance travelers and self-employed businesses, allowing them to put in more goods and equipment," he said.

Hongguang sales totaled 339,158 units in the first three quarters of this year with a price of around 60,000 yuan, according to the company.