Photo: Auto Shanghai
It’s a known fact that billionaire Li Shufu has big plans for his company, especially since it took over Volvo. Don’t know who he is? He’s the man behind Geely, one of the biggest car makers in China and, coincidence or not, owner of Volvo Cars as well.
At the Shanghai Auto Show 2015 his intentions became crystal clear, his company unveiling the Emgrand concept, a preview for a potential sports sedan that would go ahead and take on the likes of the 3 Series in the future.
Developed under the direction of former Volvo Cars design chief Peter Horbury, the Emgrand was apparently inspired by the West Lake Bridge in Hangzhou (the hometown of Geely) and the Shanghai skyscrapers. Even so, we could see some cues from other cars as well.
Despite all that, we have to admit that the concept they came up with looks clean and composed, at least compared to the rest of the Chinese market and what it has to offer. It also fits right in if Geely is to make a global move and expand beyond China with more courage.
Factors like driving experience and handling will matter less in the future, and other will start gaining traction. Things like luxury, comfort, good looks and pricing will be of the utmost importance. This is what could trigger the downfall of BMW and the rise of companies such as Geely.
That’s because they’ll probably be able to offer similar cars with a smaller price tag and simply push out the competition with their sales volumes. Until then we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out though, and you can tell us what you think of the Geely Emgrand Concept in the comments section below.
Developed under the direction of former Volvo Cars design chief Peter Horbury, the Emgrand was apparently inspired by the West Lake Bridge in Hangzhou (the hometown of Geely) and the Shanghai skyscrapers. Even so, we could see some cues from other cars as well.
Despite all that, we have to admit that the concept they came up with looks clean and composed, at least compared to the rest of the Chinese market and what it has to offer. It also fits right in if Geely is to make a global move and expand beyond China with more courage.
Is BMW supposed to be afraid?
Probably not, not for now at least as Geely is still a relatively young brand that can’t afford to tackle the real giants in the industry. However, in 20 years the situation could be different not only because of the growth of the Chinese company but also because the way transportation will change.Factors like driving experience and handling will matter less in the future, and other will start gaining traction. Things like luxury, comfort, good looks and pricing will be of the utmost importance. This is what could trigger the downfall of BMW and the rise of companies such as Geely.
That’s because they’ll probably be able to offer similar cars with a smaller price tag and simply push out the competition with their sales volumes. Until then we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out though, and you can tell us what you think of the Geely Emgrand Concept in the comments section below.
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