Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. has a toehold in the American pickup market.

It is supplying parts for two of its pickups, called the Star and Champ in America, to a U.S. company, Tiger Truck LLC, that assembles them in the state of Oklahoma.

The two pickups are small and underpowered by American standards. But they get excellent fuel mileage -- welcome in America where fuel prices have risen about one-third in the last year to more than $4 per gallon (7.2 yuan per liter).

Until this year, Tiger Trucks sold the pickups for use off public roads, such as construction sites and college campuses, because they can’t meet U.S. standards for safety and emissions.

But in June, Oklahoma’s lawmakers passed a law that makes the Champ and a small Tiger Truck pickup, the Star, legal starting Nov. 11 on all roads in Oklahoma except most federal highways.

Mike Ward, CEO of Tiger Truck says many auto dealers in Oklahoma are eager to sell the two pickups. Trades workers and farmers, desperate for inexpensive transportation, will snap them up, he says.

"I just don’t know how people are paying for gasoline," Ward says.

The two pickups were designed by Changan, which ships about half of the parts, by value, from China. Ward sources the rest in North America.

Tiger Truck welds and paints the bodies and finishes assembly, installing upgraded interiors for American tastes.

In America, the starting retail price for the Star is $11,795 (80,460 yuan). The Champ, available with a diesel engine and four-wheel drive starts at $12,995 (88,646 yuan).

Ward has been importing, modifying and selling pickups from Changan since 1999. In 2006, he sold about 800 vehicles, all for off-public-road purposes.