Bugatti brought their Veyron to the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, and sold one within two hours.
The buyer put forth $3.6 million—which is more than twice the asking price to be the first on the block to own one; actually, to be the first in the country; to own one. Must be nice...
Full story here
...
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show,Bugatti
Now before anyone screams that it's just another Chinese rip-off, remember that Beijing Jeep was a joint venture that was originally set up by Beijing Automobile Works and the then-owner of Jeep, American Motors Corporation (AMC), in the early 1980s.
Frankly, I'm pretty impressed by this B40, at least in terms of styling. I think it's way better looking than the current Wrangler. Not much has been reported as to what's under the skin, but it's probably pretty similar to what Jeep offers...
Continue reading Beijing B40: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show,SUVs
China's auto industry is picking up steam, and is about to launch its products upon the global marketplace.
Well, they're
almost
ready to do so, as
AutoObserver
elaborates on in today's editorial on the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. The show is
almost
world-class, and the cars that they are planning to export are
almost
world-class. Well, maybe not quite "world-class," but at least
almost
ready for prime time...
Continue reading 2008 Beijing Auto Show in a Word: "Almost".
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show
Porsche obviously sees plenty of potential in the Chinese market. So much so that it staged the world premiere of its most expensive SUV, the 2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, here in Beijing.
This new Cayenne Turbo S gets a slight bump in horsepower along with a few minor mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. The twin turbo 4.8-liter in the Turbo S produces 550 horsepower, a 50-hp bump compared to the standard Turbo. Porsche says a revised exhaust system and "improvements in engine control" account for the increase. Torque is up to 553 pound-feet as well.
Continue reading 2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Porsche,SUVs
We managed to snag a little face time with Nissan super boss Carlos Ghosn here in Beijing. As we expected, he talked mostly about business stuff given that he runs two of the world's biggest automakers, Nissan and Renault. He did, however, spend a few minutes talking about Nissan's electric vehicle program, and it's clear he sees it as a must-have technology for the future survival of the company.
His basic premise?..
Continue reading 2008 Beijing Auto Show: Nissan CEO Sees Electric Future.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Green Tech,Hybrids,Nissan,Trends
Maybe you remember the name Geely? It was the first Chinese car company to show a car at the Detroit auto show in 2006. The display vehicle was a pathetic attempt at a sedan that left many wondering if it was a serious car company.
Now take a look at this Geely concept...
Continue reading Geely Tiger GT Concept: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Coupes,Geely
Nissan's head honcho Carlos Ghosn was on hand here in Beijing to preside over the company's short but sweet press conference. Although Mr. Ghosn rode onto the stage in the Pivo 2 concept car, he only spent a minute or two talking about Nissan's electric vehicle plans.
Most of the press conference was dedicated to the introduction of the latest Nissan Teana...
Continue reading Nissan Teana and Carlos Ghosn: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Nissan,Sedans
After seeing the lackluster lines of the Audi Q5, the sharply creased sheetmetal of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK actually looked pretty good. When we first saw this new compact SUV as a concept, it looked a little overstyled, like Mercedes was trying too hard to give it some personality.
In person, however, the GLK works. Instead of looking like a shrunken down M-Class, the GLK has enough original lines to keep you interested...
Continue reading 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Mercedes-Benz,SUVs
One of the most anticipated introductions at the show was the 2009 Audi Q5 SUV. Instead of a full-blown press conference, however, Audi just put a couple of Q5s out on the show floor and let the vehicles speak for themselves. After taking a closer look, they should’ve made a bigger effort.
Maybe it was the colors or the chrome wheels of the main display model, but the Q5 looks too anonymous in person, especially for a company that’s trying to re-create itself as the anti-establishment luxury brand. There’s not a memorable line on it from the front, and the only notable styling feature in back are the big LED taillights.
There’s nothing wrong with the interior, as it’s basically borrowed straight from the
new A4 sedan and wagon
. Passenger room is about average and the cargo area is a useful size. With Audi’s 3.2-liter V6 under the hood, the Q5 should have reasonable performance, too. In other words, nothing unexpected here, and nothing very exciting either.
-- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Continue reading 2009 Audi Q5: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Audi,Beijing Auto Show,SUVs
For all the hype surrounding the introduction of the Buick Invicta concept, it's not getting much attention in Beijing. There's rarely much of a crowd around it despite the fact that this concept was developed with input from both U.S. and Chinese designers.
Rumors suggest the Invicta is a preview of the next Buick LaCrosse. We can barely remember what the current LaCrosse looks like, so anything that resembles the Invicta should be an improvement. Although this concept has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder under the hood, expect a more traditional V6 when it arrives in production form sometime next year. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Continue reading Buick Invicta Concept: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show,Buick,Sedans
Yes, they rolled out the red carpet for us this morning at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. It was a nice welcome until the winds kicked up and the rain started pouring down. Then it became a mad dash for the doors, and given that there's no such thing as a line around these parts, it wasn't pretty.
It was only slightly less hectic inside as this all-new venue was still getting things in order...
Continue reading 2008 Beijing Auto Show: New Venue for a Growing Show.
Categories: Beijing Auto Show
Resurrecting a name from the 1960s, and playing upon stying cues from from its past, Buick debuts the Invicta Concept at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. The four-door midsize sedan with a coupe-like roofline presents bold direction for Buick’s new generation of vehicles in the world’s two biggest automotive markets, the United States and China.
While its looks may speak to both Buick and Detroit's past; the powerplant, a 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder, direct injection turbo, and hooked up to a 6-speed automatic; is clearly more global in scope. The car resides on a 114.5-inch wheelbase and is 194.2 inches long...
Continue reading Buick Invicta concept: 2008 Beijing Auto Show.
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show
Forget the silly name 'Wingle,' just look at this thing—a factory-built 6-door pickup. It's powered by a 2.8L diesel, and has a top speed of 120 kph. It will debut at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show.
There have been affermarket 6-door pickups before, but never has one been offered from the factory; at least not one that I'm aware of...
Continue reading Beijing Auto Show Preview: Great Wall Wingle 6-door pickup.
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show
STOP THE PRESSES!!!
A Chinese car that's
not
a blatant rip-off of some other worldly car? A Chinese car that's actually
really
good looking?
Yep, that's what we have here with this Geely CE Concept which will debut at the Beijing Auto Show. Ah, my hope for humanity has just been given a much needed boost...
Full story here
...
Categories: All Auto Shows,Beijing Auto Show,Geely