By Robert Emslie
The 15th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition is presently getting its press on, and befitting the largest automotive market on the planet, the 2013 show is anticipating more than 2,000 exhibitors on its vast convention center floor. The thing of it is, China’s auto makers, while evolving faster than a Tuatara, still seems to value mimicry over establishing unique blood lines, and when they do strike out on their own the results can be aesthetically questionable.
Because of that, and since by now you’ve probably seen a lot of what has been trotted out at Shanghai, I want to know which of the debuts you think is the weirdest, wildest, or most jaw-droppingly bizarre. Explosive demand in the domestic market, along with a lot of unfavorable press regarding the quality and safety of Chinese products, has dampened any enthusiasm for the wares to be sold abroad, so even if these cars are but a mild refresh, they’re still unlikely to have faced our scrutiny before.
If you haven’t seen many if the Shanghai debuts then a good primer may be found here on the Car Lounge. Also, Jalopnik has a good post on the Xerox cars making the show. Once you get an eyeful, let me know which you think is the craziest, either in a good way or painting the walls with your own poo kind of way. I want to know your opinion of which is Shanghai’s wildest debut.
Image source: The Car Lounge
Jeff Glucker
De Tongji Auto… Just look at the reactions of the spectators!
<img src="http://media.autoweek.nl/m/m1nydqlbfl93.jpg" width=670>
Where's Barbie?
What's…
…
….what's that hole in the front for?
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/T8TmB.jpg">
Well, I was going to make some quip about Chinese automotive technology having not progressed past hand cranks, but then you went there…
Of course I went there. Did you expect more? Of me??
The Geely KC looks surprisingly nice..
<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-C7wENsQJdvI/UXF–DO-JVI/AAAAAAAMg0o/Eliqq0DAYv4/s1600/Geely-KC-Concept-9%25255B2%25255D.jpg" width=640 />
It's amazing to think that the KC comes from the company that made these:
<img src="http://www.cars-directory.net/pics/geely/mk/2008/geely_mk_a1236394893b2508968_orig.jpg" width=640 />
Hey, it wasn't that long ago that Hyundai was making these.
<img src="http://busanhaps.com/sites/default/files/images/articles/hyundai_excel_1986.jpg" width='512'>
How the mighty have fallen…
Geely seems to have bought Volvo in order to get a team of people who know how to design cars. It appears to be working.
I can't tell if I like it, or if those headlights and grille are hypnotizing me into thinking I like it…
Good news, everyone! Dacia is making an old Corolla!
I prefer the concepts that demonstrate originality…
<img src="http://www.absolutechinatours.com/UploadFiles/ImageBase/donkey-cart–China-modern-culture.jpg">
<img src="http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/square/000/002/135/sw50sw8sw578.gif">
Not intended to be. Consider it a clumsy protest against systemic industrial espionage.
http://news.techworld.com/security/3443256/chines…
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/2p3sczj.gif">
A chopped dragon Mini.
<img src="http://www.thecoolhunter.net/images/stories/2007pics/storiesnew2007pics/marchpics/minibeijing.jpg" width="600">
That guy must have legs of iron.
Or an upscale gear ratio.
I'd heard the CVT was a weak link. Now I understand why.
I liked the Hongqi L7.
<img src="http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/5A/ECB4DDEA2DD6BE7EC74D3157AFA691.jpg">
Mostly because it reminds me of the GAZ Chaika for some reason.
<img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7326422156_8b107c6aba_z.jpg">
Looks like they took the whole front end, and added the grill from a Volga. And that hood ornament looks a lot like a Superman logo.
Came here to post the Hongqi, happy it was already mentioned. Gotta figure out how to sneak one over here…
You could find a way if you're able to afford one, I think they're supposed to cost about $800,000 dollars.
Funny, I thought it looked like an updated Honqqi 770… 😉
<img src="http://zumann.com/data_images/posts/hongqi-ca-770/hongqi-ca-770-02.jpg" width=600>
Well, since all the communistical countries were buddy buddy at the time, you're both probably right!
As someone who has an odd fascination with not-Jeep Jeeps, the Beijing Auto 500 was really neat.
<img src="http://www.carnewschina.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/beijing-auto-concept-500-china-1-458×379.jpg">
Maybe not crazy though.
Wildest paint is probably the BYD Denza, which looks like a really boring car until someone covered it in crazy stripes.
<img src="http://www.carnewschina.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/byd-daimler-prototype-china-1.jpg" width="500">
It's almost as if they forgot to remove the anti-spy photo camouflage paint!
Blue tape FTW.
Wait, you really expect me to know anything at all about what was at the Shanghai Auto Show? I'm not sure I knew there was a Shanghai Auto Show.
Wildest debut? Sensibly dressed models instead of porn shoot escapees.
<img src="http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/04/IMG_0840.png" width=600>
And check out Acura's knock-off of a Chinese SUV…
OMG, they did the beak thing over there too?!?
Silly Acura stylists are silly.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/OBgbuCp.jpg" width="500">
What's the deal with the MG CS? An SUV? MG should stick to its history of race cars and sports cars! Well, and of course sedans. And econoboxes. And….
No, the MG logo looks good there.
This should do wonders for MG's fleet reliability.
Exactly! So much for heritage.
I see they are using lights as fuses though, that's seems about right. Hey, you over there, your forgot to turn off the fan, hurry-up before the smoke get's out!
TRON set escapee.
…and not being built in China.
I WAS gonna say something along the lines of "and not being built by communists", but clearly that would have been untrue.
I'm not sure what it's called because I can't read Chinese characters, but we saw a really weird, plasticky, bright-yellow not-a-Hummer-honest that was on a very thin line between awesome and awful. In the flesh it looks even more unbalanced.
http://imgur.com/a/vR4tf