Beijing 2008: Guangzhou Honda's Linian concept shows where new brand is headed

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Linian concept

Last Summer, we told you how Guangzhou Honda planned to develop a separate, China-only brand. Today in Beijing, the first step in that direction is on display in the form of the Linian concept. Specifics are hard to come by, but according to Autoblog Chinese, the car here is representative of what we can expect to see when the new spinoff brand launches in 2010. Look for a full range of vehicles, likely including something very much like the 5-door you see here. In terms of styling, the Linian is extremely reminiscent of Ford Europe's "kinetic design" philosophy, but its "gaping maw" grille is even bigger than the Ford Verve's. While the nose might not be to everyone's tastes, the rest of the car's a solid-looking effort with a nice stance to it. And it's likely on its way to the Chinese market, backed by all the know-how Guangzhou Honda's gleaned from building Hondas. The question is, will it be a Chinese car built to Honda-like standards, or just another Chinese car -- one built by people who also happen to build Hondas?

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

All photos Copyright ©2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc.