Tanghua Book of Songs (诗经)

At the January 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Tanghua returned with not one, but three different vehicles on display. Among them was an updated version of their earlier concept, now called the Book of Songs (诗经). While still heavily reminiscent of the previous Xiaoyaou model, this iteration featured several noticeable refinements. The front grille had been redesigned for a cleaner, more polished look, and the logo no longer extended onto the hood. Inside, the dashboard received a new shape as well.

The rear of the car also saw a refresh. Gone were the outdated taillights from the Paris 2006 version — now replaced with round units. A small trunk lid was added too, giving the vehicle a slightly more conventional silhouette. Despite these updates and its more “production-ready” styling, the car still looked thoroughly eccentric — though it was arguably the most normal-looking of the three on display that year.

In terms of size, the car grew slightly: 2820 mm in length, 1440 mm wide, and 1580 mm tall, with an increased wheelbase of 1860 mm. It was powered by a 3.5 kW electric motor, offering a top speed of 45 km/h. The range was quoted at 160 km, though it’s unclear which of the two battery configurations that figure applied to. The lead-acid battery version was priced at $5,200, while the lithium-ion variant was expected to sell for $8,500.