Filed under: Concept Cars, Economy, China, Hatchbacks, Misc. Auto Shows
Beijing '08 Preview: Geely CE Concept
Click image for a photo gallery of the Geely CE concept
Via Autoblog Chinese, the parade of Beijing-bound debuts continues. Today we've got another one from Geely, which seems to be working to establish itself as a style leader in a sea of Chinese cars, the looks of which range from the vanilla to the bizarre. The renderings you see here show the Geely CE concept, a compact 5-door hatch that easily has the looks to appeal to shoppers outside of Geely's home market. If Geeley is able to bring this car to production and make it safe enough to meet Western crash test standards (something we have yet to see on anything remotely resembling a consistent basis from the Chinese manufacturers), it is going to make a lot of noise, particularly in Europe where a low-priced, stylish, compact hatch like this would sell like french fries at McDonalds. From what we've seen so far, Geely's 18-car Beijing parade is setting itself up to be a stylistic quantum leap over some of its ridiculous past concepts and mundane current offerings.
Gallery: Geely CE Concept
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[Source: Autoblog Chinese]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
iSpec 11:36AM (3/31/2008)
But is it safe and possessing the build quality needed to compete? Oh and perception is a little important too.
In this game, the aesthetic issues are far outweighed by what's underneath.
I give 'em 10 years from launch before they can really compete.
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apearlman 11:38AM (3/31/2008)
All these recent Chinese show cars look interesting. And as soon as Geely et al can convince Americans and Europeans that the cars are safe and well-made, they'll sell great. Until then, these are just pretty pictures.
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Throwback 11:40AM (3/31/2008)
I am surprised by some of these designs. They are not ugly! Which considering some other designs we have seen is quite a compliment I think. How well are they built however remains to be seen.
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TBlueMax 11:40AM (3/31/2008)
This is perhaps the most cohesive design by any of the Chinese automakers although it makes me wonder what the back looks like.
Safety, build quality, reliability, etc. - one thing at a time I guess.
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Rick 7:45PM (3/31/2008)
I agree. It has very clean lines, I actually like it.
Mattias 11:40AM (3/31/2008)
The updated Brilliance already crashes better than a Chevrolet Aveo -- it should at least get two points. Yes, in our lousy EuroNCAP the Aveo just gets one point. And it still sells...
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Colin Smith 11:47AM (3/31/2008)
Geely must have employed some western designers.
Now, if they can get the safety/engineering right - and why not if they keep going at this rate - and then offer the product at a 'Chinese' price, western manufacturers are stuffed.
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I_Hate_China 12:05PM (3/31/2008)
> Geely must have employed some western designers.
More like these concepts are outsourced to western studios.
> then offer the product at a 'Chinese' price, western manufacturers are stuffed.
Chinese prices on automobile is a myth. It doesn't exist. Wage accounts for less than 10% of an automobile's manufacturing cost. Hence wage along isn't a significant cost savor.
Typically, these Chinese firms put out cheap cars by skipping on safety and emission, as well as using ultra-cheap parts that foreign brands wouldn't touch. The moment you try to make these Chinese cars Euro and US regulation compliant, they cost as much as Japanese and Korean cars to build, what separates them would be margins put on them.
Drewboy 12:00PM (3/31/2008)
I feel dirty for liking a Chinese car, but damn, I like that design!
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jgp 12:03PM (3/31/2008)
Ingredients:
1 Honda
1 Nissan
Place in bowl. Mix.
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Bungle 2:28PM (3/31/2008)
I was just going to say that - looks like the Versa and Fit had a baby!
It's actually a pretty nice looking car. Too bad it's Chinese...
A.N.E. 12:39PM (3/31/2008)
This design looks quite decent.
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Steve_S 12:51PM (3/31/2008)
I just couldn't imagine buying a Chinese car at any price regardless if safety, warranty and performance concerns were taken care of.
It seems like flooding China with money from the US goes against our national best interest. This is still a psuedo communist country with severe human rights issues and not thought of intellectual property rights.
I just don't get it.
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ZippyDooDa 1:20PM (3/31/2008)
Is China any worse when it comes to Human Rights abuses than a country that invaded another sovereign country under false pretenses?
Chinese cars will get to the point where they are safer, but I do not think it will take 10 years. Try 5 years. Technology is fluid and free flowing today, we are not living in the Indstrial Revolution, its the Digital Revolution.
Steve_S 2:17PM (3/31/2008)
More like because we are stupid as opposed to false pretenses although the result is the same.
China will become the largest world power in the next 50 years. I just hope they become a democracy before they do.
tanooki2003 2:19PM (3/31/2008)
Steve dude you really need to stop acting like a typical narrow minded ignorant american, study economics, try once in awhile stepping outside of the USA or at least getting your so called "worldly knowledge" from outside the biased American media circle, and learn to become "globalized" seriously. Your attitude of "those commie bastards are taking over america" is seriously going to not only leave you behind times further proving that you will "never get it" but it also multiplies your ignorance level by a large margin.
If you weren't taught economics in school or did poorly in that subject I'd seriously suggest you start learning if you want to become one of the people that helps America get back to being a leader. It's ignorance amongst our people that is slowly degrading this once great country into a third world country.
jsjs 9:05PM (3/31/2008)
While the invasion of Iraq was a bonehead move (Bush & Co. should have concentrated on Afghanistan, which is still a mess - and, at the very least, have put in enough troops at the Battle of Tora Bora to finish of Bin Laden), one really can't compare the US invasion of Iraq w/ the PRC's invasion and rule over Tibet.
The Iraqis voted for their own govt. - as corrupt and incompetent as it may be, and the US isn't trying to do away w/ Iraqi culture.
I_Hate_China 1:36PM (3/31/2008)
> Is China any worse when it comes to Human Rights abuses than a country that invaded another sovereign country under false pretenses?
Yes. Japan of 1970 was a full-blown democracy that renounced offensive war forever. China of 2008 is lynching peaceful Tibetan monks on the streets right now.
> Chinese cars will get to the point where they are safer, but I do not think it will take 10 years. Try 5 years.
Automotive technology doesn't evolve as fast as electronics. And Chery and Geely's growth mostly stalled in China, with foreigners controlling 70+% Chinese domestic market share.
Why would you want to buy a Chinese car that even Chinese consumers don't want if they could afford a little more?
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Jimmy 2:05PM (3/31/2008)
> Is China any worse when it comes to Human Rights abuses than a country that invaded another sovereign country under false pretenses?
lol, I thought you were talking about the "good old" USA...
no no 4:49PM (3/31/2008)
How do you know the Chinese consumers don't want Chinese cars ? Well if Chinese people don't really want Chinese cars, then Chery would not become China's largest domestic maker within 5 years.
China's market is taken by foreign makers because it does not impose heavy import tax duty on foreign cars unlike Korea, a country that played unfairly during the 70s and 80s who slap a heavy import tax on foreign car imports and the Korean were left with only choice and that is Hyundai, and I believe that heavy tax system is still effectively in place, lift that and see if people go for German or Japanese or still stay with your Korean.
Toyota and Lexus are not liked in Japan, what does that say ? Japanese people seem to like German cars more.