Chongqing Design Meets Smart Manufacturing | Episode 1: How Chongqing Motorcycles Forge New Trendsetting Labels Through Design

Editor’s Note

In recent years, AITO automobiles have defined a new paradigm for premium mobility, while Qiteng’s quadruped explosion-proof robot has taken the lead in the specialized intelligent equipment track. Industrial design has become the core enabler for Chongqing’s manufacturing industry to leap to higher value in the industrial chain and achieve iterative upgrades.

As the only world “City of Design” in western China, cutting-edge creative concepts have deeply intersected with Chongqing’s century-old industrial heritage. A large number of “Chongqing Design” masterpieces—distinguished by their aesthetics, quality, strength, and potential—are emerging and gaining acclaim across the Bashu region.

From today onwards, the “Encountering Design·Shaping the Future” series will present a panoramic view of Chongqing’s landmark industrial design projects of 2025. Through words and lenses, the series will immerse you in the mutually reinforcing journey between industrial design and Chongqing manufacturing.

Starship 6:
A Sci-Fi Battleship for a Cyber City

Where mech aesthetics meet the 3D magic maze of Chongqing’s mountainous road network, the Starship 6 is naturally suited to the city’s unique vertical and interwoven urban mobility landscape.

The Starship 6 is a luxury cruiser model under “Pai Fang,” a premium motorcycle brand of Chongqing Qianli Technology. It was meticulously developed by the company’s professional industrial design center. The model adheres to a “starship aerospace” design philosophy, incorporating avant-garde mech geometric elements. It blends the futuristic styling of interstellar spacecraft with the practical attributes of long-distance motorcycle touring, empowering comprehensive product upgrades through cutting-edge industrial design. The bike features a cornering auxiliary lighting system and is the first mass-produced large touring cruiser in the industry equipped with a fully electric center stand. It also pioneers the integration of automotive-grade intelligent driving assistance technologies, including a 77GHz millimeter-wave radar and high-definition driving recorder warnings, significantly enhancing riding safety and operational convenience.

Image: Starship 6

With its uniquely recognizable original design and automotive-grade intelligent safety features, the Starship 6 has created a differentiated competitive advantage within its class. Since its launch, domestic sales have exceeded 30 million yuan, and the model is now exported to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and beyond, marking the beginning of a new phase of global brand development.

Zongshen Cyclone SR1000:
An All-Rounder in the Liter-Class Category

If the Starship 6 has raced into the future like a sci-fi battleship, then the Cyclone SR1000 represents the culmination of the brand’s deep racing heritage and manufacturing prowess.

The Cyclone SR1000 was meticulously crafted by Zongshen Group’s Industrial Design Center, bringing together over 200 professional designers for collaborative R&D. The vehicle adheres to original design, refining the cultural imagery of the Oriental Lion, integrating futuristic mechanical aesthetics, and featuring signature LED headlights inspired by a lion’s gaze, creating a unique visual identity. The model incorporates cutting-edge features such as blind-spot monitoring and an E-Clutch electronic clutch, with a full-color TFT smart dashboard as standard equipment. By leveraging its self-developed high-end electronic control system, the bike has broken through foreign technological barriers, driving the industry from traditional manufacturing into a new era of high-end smart manufacturing empowered by industrial design.

Image: Zongshen Cyclone SR1000

With its exceptional value proposition in the 50,000-60,000 yuan price range, the Cyclone SR1000 strongly enters the premium sports touring segment, precisely targeting the middle-class rider seeking “entry-level luxury.” It breaks away from Zongshen’s traditional label as the “king of commuter bikes,” comprehensively elevating the brand’s premium positioning.

STARK300:
A Fun Street Naked Bike Setting Sail for Global Markets

Built upon the new track of industrial design enabling industrial exports, the launch of the STARK300 demonstrates the clear strategy and firm determination of Chongqing’s local professional design team to expand into overseas markets.

Image: STARK300

Currently, in emerging overseas markets such as Latin America and Southeast Asia, there is a shortage of customized models that combine high cost-performance, high reliability, and trendy styling. The STARK300, created by the Dusse design team, precisely targets the 250-300cc displacement range. Through structural optimization of the entire vehicle, the power-to-weight ratio has been improved, significantly enhancing handling performance. The bike features a lightweight, high-rigidity frame, paired with lightweight powertrain components and streamlined body panels, embodying the product trait of a “high-value handling pocket rocket.” It is well-suited for rough, unpaved roads overseas and precisely meets the market demand for entry-level sport naked bikes. The model has already been exported to over ten countries, including Spain, Argentina, and Malaysia, helping Chongqing’s motorcycle industry achieve a profound transformation from traditional product exports to original design output and brand value globalization.