After storming Europe in 2006, BMW's Chinese automaking partner Brilliance wants to start sending its BS6 sedan to our shores as soon as this year. If it does, it will be the first Chinese car maker to grace the US market.
According to Brilliance President Zhigang Liu, if the BS6's don't make it this year, then we'll get them in early 2008. When they arrive, you will know them by their . . . well, you won't actually know them, because each one looks like several different cars depending on where you stand. A resurrected and chromed-out Rover grill on a whatchamacallit front end, a perfectly nondescript profile, and a done-a-million-times Southeast Asian rear. The automotive equivalent of jambalaya, it's got a little bit of everything in it. Still, it's hard to say anything bad about the car. At least not the one in the picture.
Brilliance has put $1.3 billion into R&D for its line of sedans, and will invest that amount again over the next five years. As well, the company builds BMW's and Minis in Northeast China, so they should have a some sort of handle on quality control. There are no sales targets set yet, but we practically guarantee they can up their target if they swap the letters "BS" -- which probably stand for Shenyang Brilliance -- for almost anything else.
[Source: Reuters]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
bmoredlj @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:30PM
ALL YOUR BRILLIANCE ARE BELONG TO US.
Derek @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:34PM
It is telling how poorly informed the author is...
"A resurrected and chromed-out Rover grill on a whatchamacallit front end, a perfectly nondescript profile, and a done-a-million-times Southeast Asian rear." Firstly, the styling was done by an Italian design house, and unlikely a copy of any Rover, if anything, it is reminscent of an Lancia grill (a Fiat company). Secondly, the "Southeast Asian rear" is difficult to understand. The last time I checked, southeast Asia refers to countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and that part of the world. The Brilliance is build in northeastern China, aka Northeast Asia, and is geographically closer to Korea and Japan. It is kind of sad where poor-informed, geographically deslexic writer jump on the "Everything from China is a Copy" bandwagon.
Kowell @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:36PM
I guess it will all depend on the sticker price...
bmoredlj @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:49PM
The Grille and even the Logo are borrowed from Lancia, true enough. I read up on UK's AutoExpress, where they took some photos of the interior, which looks very poorly executed. This car is supposed to sell for around 15,000 pounds, or $30,000, which surely is BS(6). I cannot justify paying half that for an unproven, uninspired, two-generations-behind design with a 2.4 liter Mitsubishi motor, 12-second 0-60 times (!), only two airbags, no ESC (soon a must in the US), vague steering and a Kia Amanti-esque ride. Sure, it looks okay in the photo above, but you can make anything look attractive given the right lighting. Brilliance is trying to run in a marathon before it can walk. Unless they can get away with a price tag under $10,000 in the U.S, this is a waste of a savvy car buyer's time.
P to the C @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:56PM
RE: "the company builds BMW's and Minis in Northeast China, so they should have a some sort of handle on quality control"
Having purchased a new BMW and seeing the horrible dependability reports for Mini, let's hope these Brilliance things are engineered a little better than those two.
Derek @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:07PM
#4, using European pricing to gauge the future cost of this model can be misleading. Car in Europe face many more taxes. For example, a Ford Focus sells for about 15,000pounds, which is similar in price to the Brilliance. I think we can reasonable expect this model to arrive in the US for about the same price as a focus/corolla. I've sat in one of these when in China, the interior quality is comparable to a mid 90s Hyundai, which is to say that it is passable, but not great. The ride is soft, but the drivetrain is licensed Mitsubishi, which makes getting parts easy in the US. At an assumed price of $18,000US, I suspect that there would be enough US buyers to take a risk. (Think Daewoo, when they were still selling cars here). Given that the modle has been in production for a few years already in China and Germany, it would be reasonably safe to say that reliability should not be a major problem. The fact that it lacks the options that Americans prefer, and the fact that it takes 12 seconds to reach 60 may be a problem though. Interestingly though, I know for a fact that Mitsubishi makes a turbocharger for that very 2.4L engine.... maybe there is still hope! :)
The FedEx Man @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:08PM
It looks less dull than its US made competitors, and I the interior quality can't be any worse, most probably better. Probably won't worry GM and Ford, patriotic flag waving and all that will ensure no real dent in their sales.
And I agree Derek...Jonathon Ramsey, buy an atlas.
David @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:10PM
My guess is that whoever enters this market from China first will establish the American perception of Chinese automotive quality for everyone who comes later. That won't be fair but I think it will be true. And they'd better come correct. Because there is too much manufacturing capacity chasing too few buyers in this market as it is and first impressions will mean everything for a new entrant hoping to take share from the established players.
bziko @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:11PM
here is article bmoredlj was talking about...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/204329/brilliance_bs6.html
J @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:12PM
hey guys, I'm actually from that city...10k miles away from southeast Asia
Allow me to stand some points about this
1. the company,Brilliance, does not make mini in china. They only make BMW 3s & 5s,no 7s though
2.This BS6 was Designed by Pinifarina, Italy,who also designed Lancia(and Farrari and Masa and blablabla). I admit this guy did some cheap thing on Lancia...
3.The BS6 shares the bodywork line and painting line with the BMW cars in the same plant,but diffrent assembling line of course.
4.The quality,though, does not match BMW... but still quite OK, if you take the price in to consideration.
5.All right, the price. It's about $15K-25K depending on the optional here
6.Last thing, it might be crapy according to you laughers,but who wasn't?corolla?accord?or camry?
Enjoy you time, those who laughs
^_^ better smile than laugh
jgp @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:12PM
Wow...that car looks _exactly_ like a Daewoo Nubira.
Viv @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:21PM
Why would you waste your valuble dollars on this copy cat stuff?
Mr. Oak @ Apr 23rd 2007 3:59PM
While I would consider a current model Hyundai Sonata, there is no other car coming out of S.Korea or China (Native cars) I would ever buy. Just not my flavor.
With the American cars drastically improving their interior designs, and overall quality, there is currently no reason for me to buy any imports.
Saw an Outlook at the train station this a.m. That is a very attractive vehicle. Made the other 30 or so SUVs in the lot all look very stale. You've got to see this sitting between a Highlander and a Pilot, made them look crappy. The owner of the Pilot (with all it's tranny problems)spent quite sometime eyeballing the Outlook.
BOB @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:15PM
FIRST, this is a prior-series Infiniti I30 (Maxima) in all details behind the A pillar. If Pininfarina "designed" it, I would say they were under orders to execute a copy, and stuck on the Honda/Lancia front end.
SECOND, if they dont "lowball" this under Korean prices, they are not "Brilliant".
THIRD, both those who say that Chinese cars are crap, and those who defend the Chinese from copying accusations, need to check their positions.
YEAH, THE CHINESE ARE COMING! Let's not help them with more "developing nation" tax breaks they no longer need.
Don @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:31PM
Right. This year.
Tim @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:32PM
Car is probably the one that debuted in Europe. Looks a little better. Just remember the Euros hated the last generation Taurus too.
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2006/12/13/brilliance-review-by-a-uk-magazine/
tiny tim @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:36PM
"a done-a-million-times Southeast Asian rear"? LMAO.
Derek @ Apr 23rd 2007 5:05PM
This thing is considerably larger than a Daewoo Nubuira. In fact, it is about the same size as a Hyundai Sonata. As for it looking like an Infiniti, not quite, the rear is actually quite different when seen in the metal. While it is obviously not a BMW, the fact that it uses the same assembly line and painting plants as the Chinese domestic market 5-series suggests that quality control should be okay. I agree with the earlier posting though, that the first Chinese car to arrive on our shores would most likely dictate how cars from that country will be perceived as a whole... Sad really, as all the ones who are really keen on exporting (GEELY, CHERY, BRILLIANCE, GREAT WALL...) are all second-tier companies who are not able to compete well back at home (hence their desire to export) VW, GM, FAW, SAIC dominate the Chinese market at home, with FAW and SAIC being the two big domestic manufacturers. As it will become evident very quickly, the EU and US markets are very different from the middle East, Africa and Malaysia, where these second-tier companies have had some notable successes over the last couple of years.
mr.ed @ Apr 23rd 2007 5:14PM
The Kia Amanti, bad as it is sells a few vehicles too. But Kia already had a dealer network. Who's going to sell this puppy-Walmart?
Rick Lyon @ Apr 23rd 2007 7:52PM
A never heard of before name entering the US market? It better have a knock you on yer tush price. Car looks nice but China has such a horrible stigma for LACK of quality control.