Autoblog

While some Chinese companies have begun to figure out what we Westerners like, others still speak a different design language.

Winding Road stumbled across this oddity from Chinese automaker SOAR while attending the recent Shanghai Auto Show. The car was on display in the parking lot. however, without much explanation.

They guessed correctly that the car was definitely a modified something, but couldn't decide what. To the rescue comes China Car Times. Based in Qingdao Provence, CCT happens to be neighbors to Qingdao-based SOAR. Lurking under all those modifications, says CCT, is nothing more than a Brilliance BS6 sedan, which, you might remember (and if not, click that last link), could become the first Chines e-built car sold in the U.S. later this year.

Does that mean that the SOAR look could soon follow? Possibly as a bolt-on kit? Oh, please no. Please, please, please no.

[Sources: Winding Road, China Car Times]

click above image to view more model pics from the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show

Whether it's the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, or the Shanghai Motor Show in China, one thing remains constant: models standing next to cars. We've had a lot of discussions lately about why models are still used at auto shows in this enlightened age, and our best answer is that automakers want the public to feel like they would look this good standing next to a Buick, BMW or Geely automobile. Clearly, this strategy is not lost on the many Chinese automakers at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. Our colleague from Autoblog Chinese kept his camera snapping a couple extra frames at each display so he could assemble this Girls of Shanghai Gallery for us, so we hope you enjoy. It's interesting to note the mix of western and Asian models hired for this show, as well.

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

Gallery: Girls of Shanghai

click above image to view more images of the Chery A6CC Concept

In addition to the Shooting Sport Concept, Chinese auto manufacturer Chery also had the A6CC Concept on display at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. The A6CC appears even more production ready than the Shooting Sport, except for those faux disc brakes that could make decelerration interesting. Our colleagues from Autoblog Chinese report that A6CC has real production possibilities as both a coupe and convertible with a choice of 3.0L V6 or 2.0L four-cylinder diesel engines. The concept has also been designed from the ground up to meet Europe's strict safety and emissions standards.

The design of the A6CC is very unassuming, almost to a fault. This may be the most subtle Chinese design ever produced, which isn't something of which many Chinese cars can be accused. The low slung coupe has a slick profile, a mildly expressive face thanks to the three-beam headlights and a clean rear end featuring dual, chrome-tipped tailpipes. Would the A6CC play in Peoria, though?

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

Gallery: Chery A6CC Concept

click above image to view more high-res images of the Chery Shooting Sport

Our colleagues at Autoblog Chinese have just provided us with our first live look of the Chery Shooting Sport concept, which is one of more than a few cars at the Shanghai Auto Show this year that proves Chinese design is evolving. The three-door hatch does have a Prius-esqe front end, as we noted earlier, though it's more inspired by the Toyota hybrid's design than outright aping it. Otherwise, the design of the Shooting Sport is an exercise in restraint compared to many concept designs we've seen come out of China in the past few years. We particularly like the car's very tidy rear end, which locates the stop lamps up and to the side of the hatch glass. This leaves the sheetmetal below smooth and free of interruptions, much like the back end of the soon-to-be-cancelled Ford Focus ZX3 hatchback.

This is also our first glimpse of the Shooting Sport concept's interior. While we're no fans of the pea green accenting, the overal design is simple and appears to have a lot of production potential. The concept car's white leather interior, however, will likely never the see light of a showroom.

It's extremely important at this year's Shanghai Auto Show that Chinese automakers prove they can design vehicles that appeal to the aesthetic taste of the European and North American markets. The Shooting Star is one such vehicle, and a trip through the gallery should be proof enough for anyone.

Gallery: Chery Shooting Sport Concept

BMW just dropped the full press kit on its stunning CS Concept unveiled yesterday in Shanghai. In case we didn't see it before, these diagrams clearly show similarities to class competitors, including the Quattroporte, Rapide and Panamera, with an overall BMW 7-Series flavor. They're even using the Gran Turismo tag in the press release. Read all the details about this emerging segment entry after the jump, and don't forget to visit both the official gallery and gallery of live shots, in case you haven't already. There's also a VIDEO walkaround available before the press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

click above image to view more pics of the Geely Meirenbao II in our gallery

We showed you spy shots of this car earlier in the week, but our man on the floor in Shanghai met up with the Geely Meirenbao II on the show floor today. Apparently the Meirenbao on display today is the second generation of an earlier concept produced by Geely. The new model's front clip has been compared by some to an R34 Nissan Skyline. We've got plenty of live shots showing the car from every angle, so we'll let you be the judge of whether or not the Skyline has influenced Geely's designers. This the first time we've seen the rear of the Meirenbao, and it appears as disconnected from the vehicle's overall design as we guessed. We also noticed it would take a good arm to swing a suitcase or grocery bag up over that extremely high trunk lid.

Like most Chinese automakers, Geely exclaims its intent on entering the North American every chance it gets. We're wondering what kind of reception a design like this would receive cruising down Woodward Ave. Either way, Geely gets an E for effort.

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

UPDATE: Check out live shots of the BMW Concept CS here.

click above image to view our BMW Concept CS gallery and click here for live shots

Love it or hate it (and based on your comments, lovers seem to have a slight edge), the new BMW CS Concept has drawn a lot of attention. So when additional photos of the big "coupe" popped up overnight, we decided to pass them along. A couple dozen more media shots show concept sketches and a few more angles of this potential new 8-Series flagship. You can read our original post here, and the gallery is accessible below. Finally, if you're interested in some LIVE shots, our colleagues from Autoblog Chinese have just set up a gallery full of many shots from the show floor.

Although the supersized Audi A6L has offered buyers more backseat legroom and luxury compared to the standard A6, there seemed to be something missing. Extra room is nice, but what's a young executive to do back there? These lengthened sedans are becoming very popular in China, and with the new features Audi just showed at the Shanghai Auto Show, we understand why the demand will most likely continue to grow. Audi is showing off a few extra gizmos designed to help pass the time on those 20-hour, cross-province drives.

Audi just announced "an innovative entertainment system" for rear-seat passengers that includes a pair of front seatback-mounted 10.2" LCD monitors. Passengers can play DVDs on the center armrest DVD player, but that's not all the center armrest is good for. Besides the DVD player, customers will also find a wide array of multimedia connectors for everything from game consoles, to iPods, to digital cameras! And if you tire of watching Cars for the umpteenth time, you can always change the channel. That's right, folks. There's even a built-in TV tuner. Now that's what we call first class service. Still no bar or footrests, however.

Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi via Jalopnik]

Click image for photo gallery

BMW surprised everyone with their Shanghai antics today. Showing that they can play the four-door coupe game as well as Mercedes, Aston and Porsche, the Bavarians unveiled their Concept CS. Expected to become BMW's new flagship model (8-series, perhaps?), the CS is believed to be almost production-ready. It sits on the newest 7-series platform under development, extending the length and width of the current 7 by a couple of inches, while dropping the roofl by a good five inches. it measures in at 200.8 inches long, 78 inches wide, and just 53.5-inches high. Even with the extra acreage, the CS is a four-seater only, with two sculpted seats in back.

Mercedes-Benz started this sport sedan/4-door coupe craze with its CLS, but this will be a larger, and likely more expensive, vehicle along the lines of the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. This Concept CS also shows us where the next iteration of BMW design is headed. Although his previous designs have been met with mixed reactions, designer Chris Bangle continues to use "flame surfacing" for complex curves that wouldn't have been possible with old manufacturing techniques. The CS feels like an evolution of that philosophy with sharper edges and swoopier surfaces all around. Underhood we'll find a 6.0-liter V12, which is essentially the M5 5.0-liter V10 with two extra cylinders. That's a nice modular motor for BMW if that ends up being the case, with 10-cylinder, 12-cylinder, and V8 versions used across the Motorsport models.

BMW's massive press release is pasted after the jump.

[Source: BMW via the Motor Trend Blog]

click above image to view more shots of the Buick Riviera Concept

Our colleagues over at Autoblog Chinese have just shown us a bevy of new pics revealing more angles of the Buick Riviera Concept set to debut soon at the Shanghai Auto Show. As we reported earlier, the Buick Riviera Concept was penned at GM's Pan Asia Technical Center, which makes the concept a coming out of sorts for that region's development team. The car is a proper coupe that reportedly shows off Buick's future design DNA, and while it's being referred to as a "global" concept, we can't say for sure whether or not the styling elements will make their way around the world to our own North American market. The prospects, however, seem good, as the Riviera Concept is set to go on an international tour of the auto show circuit after the Shanghai show comes to a close. So we leave the judgment up to you readers, is this the styling direction in which the Buick brand should head?

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]