Shanghai show: Chinese brands shine at home

CHINESE manufacturers have put their fresh concepts, crossovers, electric vehicles (EVs) and coupes on display at this year’s Shanghai motor show, with a long list of showcars from brands including Chery, Qoros, BYD and Senova.

Roewe launched its Vision-E Concept (not to be confused with the Skoda Vision E) at the Shanghai show, which previews its forthcoming Chinese market electric crossover.

Suicide doors and an all glass central touchscreen denote its showcar status, while a blingy front grille and chunky lower rear bumper differentiate it from its Skoda-badge homophone.

Chery brought its Tiggo Coupe Concept to the show, a coupe-crossover similar to the Toyota C-HR and Nissan Juke.

Featuring creased rear haunches to hide the second-row doors, the concept also sports bucket seats, digital instrumentation and an LED strip that stretches from both headlights to meet in the middle at the Chery badge.

Meanwhile, exotic car-builder Koenigsegg has teamed with Qoros for the K-EV Concept, an all-electric supercar powered by four electric motors for a combined output of 648kW.

Zero to 100km/h is said to take less than three seconds and battery range will allow up to 482km of travel before needing a recharge – which can be done wirelessly.

With asymmetrical doors – gullwing for the driver’s side, a traditional hinged door for the front passenger and a sliding door for the rear passenger – expect to see changes if Qoros brings a version of the K-EV to market.

Dongfeng showcased its Fengshen AX4 crossover with large, protruding foglights and two-toned body colour.

A light-reflective panel is also situated on the front doors to match the fog-lights with sleek headlights and Mazda CX-5-like proportions rounding out exterior styling.

Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. (BAIC)-owned Senova debuted a trio of new cars with its X55 SUV, D50 sedan and OFFspace D70 concept.

Looking like a Nissan Qashaqi with a Mercedes A-Class interior, the new X55 crossover hides its exhaust outlets and features chrome highlights along its large front grille, the bottom of doors and across the rear hatch connecting both tail-lights.

The four-door D50 however – while featuring a similar Mercedes-themed interior layout – appears similar in style and size to the Hyundai Sonata, with horizontal lines along the front grille connecting the headlights, classic sedan proportions and subtle boot-moulded rear spoiler.

Senova also uncovered its sleek OFFspace D70 showcar, a successor to its Saab 9-5-based D70 large sedan, featuring short front and rear overhangs, as well as a heavily sculpted derriere.

Inside, the OFFspace D70 concept sports four seats, digital instrumentation and a capacitive-touch infotainment controls found in the centre stack.

BYD showcased two of its new vehicles, the SongMPV people-mover and Dynasty SUV concept, both sporting angular headlights, imposing front end designs and enough sleek lines to make sportscar blush.

Designed by former Alfa Romeo chief designer Wolfgang Egger – who was responsible for penning the 8C and 147 hatchback – both the SongMPV and Dynasty preview the future design direction of BYD.

Chinese electric car-maker NIO is hoping to steal some of Tesla’s Model X charge with its ES8 emissions-free SUV.

Measuring almost 5000mm long with a nearly 3000mm-wheelbase, the ES8 will be more than a physical match for its Tesla rival – which comes in at 5052mm long and has a 2065mm-wheelbase – but whether NIO can go toe-to-toe in range and power with Tesla’s all-electric drivetrain is yet to be determined as details were not divulged.

Hongqi unveiled its H5 sedan and U-Concept SUV at the Shanghai show, both wearing Buick-esque front grilles, as well as the brand’s signature long bonnet and red flag hood ornament.

Based on the Mazda6, the H5 differs with new front and rear styling treatments as well as a slightly different interior layout.

Meanwhile, the U-Concept SUV wears slimmed down headlights, an eye-catching lower chin, a sloping roofline and high rear haunches.

Wey brought its Pi4 VV7x SUV to the Shanghai showfloor – which previews an upcoming production version – with the striking red concept sporting a coupe-crossover silhouette akin to the BMW X6 or Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

A front-end dominating grille, sleek headlights, gloss black rear diffuser and red-highlighted quad exhaust tips complete the eye-catching design, but expect styling to be toned down for the on-sale version.