Brilliance sets ambitious goal for Europe

Another motor show, another Chinese manufacturer. And this one’s serious about Europe. The Geneva motor show saw the official European launch of Brilliance Jinbei Automobile, with ambitious plans to sell 75,000 cars across the continent by 2010.

But the UK will have to wait for the cars as right-hand drive production is not scheduled until after 2010. In any case, European distributor HSO Motors Europe has a task on its hands to meet its targets in Europe – it wants to sell 15,000 of the cars this year.

“The Geneva Show opens the door to Europe for Brilliance,” said Hans-Ulrich Sachs, head of HSO. “It represents a huge milestone on the journey to make Chinese cars popular in Europe.”

The first model is the BS6, a large saloon styled by Giorgio Giugiaro’s ItalDesign organisation and with ride and handling “optimised” by Porsche. Two-litre, 122bhp and 2.4-litre, 130bhp petrol engines are provided by Mitsubishi, and are Euro-IV compliant. Prices will start at around €20,000 – or £14,000.

Later this year the BS6 will be followed by the smaller BS4 mid-range saloon and a coupe called BC3. The BS4, also penned by Giugiaro, is based on a shortened version of the BS6 platform. It has a 1.8-litre Mitsubishi engine and five-speed gearbox. The engine comes in turbocharged guise too, coupled to Brilliance’s own four-speed automatic gearbox.

The BC3 was styled by Pininfarina and also has a 1.8-litre turbo – but this is Brilliance’s own design, developing 170bhp. It also meets Euro IV standards. All these cars were displayed at Geneva. And a diesel engine for BS6 and BS will be added by the end of 2007. Future models include a compact car called BS2 and an SUV.

Brilliance has experience of building quality cars – it’s BMW’s Chinese assembler. It has invested heavily in manufacturing facilities in Shenyang, and will build 200,000 vehicles this year – 20,000 of them BMWs.

HSO Motors is currently signing up European distributors, including Belgian car supermarket operator Cardoen and France’s AsieAuto, which already distributes Chinese Landwind SUVs through a 100-strong network of dealers. HSO plans to handle German sales itself. Brilliance wants 700 European dealers by the end of 2008.