New Chinese car brand aims to cater to European tastes
An all-new car maker, Qoros Auto, will launch at next year’s Geneva motor show with a Ford Focus-rivaling saloon car. It is expected to go on sale in Europe late in 2013.
Qoros says the as yet unnamed car, which has been penned by BMW Mini designer Gert Volker Hildebrand, will be the first of a product offensive. The company is expecting to launch a new model every six months after the initial unveiling.
This rapid proliferation of models is down to the Qoros’s ‘advanced modular architecture’, which will underpin all of its forthcoming vehicles, including planned hybrid and electric cars.
Aiming to appeal to discerning European buyers, Qoros is claiming its new saloon will feature high levels of technology and receive maximum ratings in Euro NCAP safety tests.
“We are a new company without any legacy or previous history, which gives us a great advantage because we are operating with a clean sheet of paper. By recruiting experts in all the essential fields of our operation, we can create a globally competitive product that is designed to fit the lifestyles of modern metropolitan customers,” said Qoros vice chairman Volker Steinwascher.
Headquartered in Changsu, China, Qoros is aiming for an initial annual production volume of 150,000 units, rising to a potential maximum volume of 450,000.
Daljinder Nagra