A traditional Beijing rickshaw, upgraded

BEIJING: A traditional Beijing rickshaw has had a major upgrade, adding car parts and other decorations.

Is it a car? Is it a rickshaw? Is it an overpriced hard-to-ride vehicle or an attention-grabber that everyone wants a ride in? With the rear body of a Mini Cooper Clubman, safety belt and cozy seats, this vehicle looks like an ordinary car.

But, it's a rickshaw equipped with different car parts, designed to get attention by Beijing's BMW car dealer which sells Minis.

Named "the other rickshaw", the vehicle features four gold-plated dragons and other Chinese decorations. It also has its own plate number, known as Beijing 2008.

This rickshaw was designed and produced by Chen De Bao Company, a licensed BMW agent and it is claimed to be the only one in the world.

"People walking by were quite interested in this rickshaw. Many of them kept asking us that whether this rickshaw can be seen around Beijing streets or be sold in the future. But in fact, as part of the upcoming Mini-cooper XXL and Urban-bus auto promotional plan, we made this rickshaw and put it on exhibition. And it is the only rickshaw in the world of its type.