Photo: Guido Ten Brink/SB-Medien
You're going to have to get yourself more familiarized with these Chinese brands if you don't want to be left behind by the market dynamic as more of them make their way into western countries.
Either on their own or under the guise of an existing brand, the Chinese are rapidly spreading all over the automotive world helped in no small part by their financial might. Chery has long been China's number one export carmaker, and now it is ready to make the jump into the more demanding European market.
The first model that will launch the assault is called Exeed TX and it is, of course, an SUV. The most remarkable thing about the Chinese vehicle is that it will be offered strictly with electrified powertrains: hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid, and full battery-powered electric.
The greatest performance will come from the plug-in hybrid version which Chery claims can reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in just six seconds with a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h). Its battery charging figures are also impressive, but it all depends on the capacity and the subsequent maximum range the SUV can cover on electric power alone: 80% recharge takes 30 minutes on a fast charger and only four hours for a full recharge using a domestic 220v socket.
Styling-wise, the Exeed TX is what you'd expect from your standard Chinese manufacturer: a melange of other existing models. The front bears significant resemblance to Land Rover models while the rear is almost a carbon copy of the Kia Sportage. That being said, it doesn't look half-bad while the interior is also quite luxurious.
But it's the second car on display that's more worthy of our attention, and that's the Tiggo Coupe Concept. The sleek-looking crossover is supposed to preview the second model Chery prepares for Europe, and it seems like it'll go straight for the Nissan Juke.
The Tiggo Coupe Concept has been shown before under various forms, but with each new appearance, it looks closer to production. The concept still has black fenders, suicide doors and a funky interior, but the overall shape is entirely feasible. And quite attractive, if we're honest.
Chery doesn't reveal what it plans to use under the Tiggo Coupe Concept's hood once it goes into production, nor does it make it entirely clear when we should expect to see it on the streets, but we'd be surprised if it followed a different recipe than the one for the Exeed TX.
It will be interesting to see how these manufacturers fare in the western markets where people tend to associate things that are made in China with poor quality. We guess pricing is going to be a decisive factor, but it won't be easy: set it too low, and you will only feed the preconception mentioned before; ask too much, and customers will just turn to the brands they already know.
The first model that will launch the assault is called Exeed TX and it is, of course, an SUV. The most remarkable thing about the Chinese vehicle is that it will be offered strictly with electrified powertrains: hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid, and full battery-powered electric.
The greatest performance will come from the plug-in hybrid version which Chery claims can reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in just six seconds with a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h). Its battery charging figures are also impressive, but it all depends on the capacity and the subsequent maximum range the SUV can cover on electric power alone: 80% recharge takes 30 minutes on a fast charger and only four hours for a full recharge using a domestic 220v socket.
Styling-wise, the Exeed TX is what you'd expect from your standard Chinese manufacturer: a melange of other existing models. The front bears significant resemblance to Land Rover models while the rear is almost a carbon copy of the Kia Sportage. That being said, it doesn't look half-bad while the interior is also quite luxurious.
But it's the second car on display that's more worthy of our attention, and that's the Tiggo Coupe Concept. The sleek-looking crossover is supposed to preview the second model Chery prepares for Europe, and it seems like it'll go straight for the Nissan Juke.
The Tiggo Coupe Concept has been shown before under various forms, but with each new appearance, it looks closer to production. The concept still has black fenders, suicide doors and a funky interior, but the overall shape is entirely feasible. And quite attractive, if we're honest.
Chery doesn't reveal what it plans to use under the Tiggo Coupe Concept's hood once it goes into production, nor does it make it entirely clear when we should expect to see it on the streets, but we'd be surprised if it followed a different recipe than the one for the Exeed TX.
It will be interesting to see how these manufacturers fare in the western markets where people tend to associate things that are made in China with poor quality. We guess pricing is going to be a decisive factor, but it won't be easy: set it too low, and you will only feed the preconception mentioned before; ask too much, and customers will just turn to the brands they already know.
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