Of course, there's also the King Kong hatchback, which sadly isn't as amazing as its name, being in reality, a bum basic economy car with derivative styling. Geely is also expected to unveil a whole mess o' hybrid, fuell cell and other alternative energy vehicles. Whereas a few years ago you couldn't have found a less apathetic group of car bloggers, Geely's latest vehicles, like the GT, have us genuinely excited. [via Motor Authority]

Those crisp lines are actually wrapped around the same basic car as the Suzuki Forenza. Yes, it is essentially the same subcompact that serves duty as Top Gear's "Reasonably Priced Car" in the form of a Daewoo Chevy Lacetti. There's no word on the technical specs yet, as the Excelle will be officially unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show later this month. Just don't expect anything bigger than a 1.8-liter inline-four. Does that make this a badge-engineered abomination, or do you like the little bugger? It's certainly better than a late-model Century.
[CarScoop]

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In the year since Shanghai General Motors launched its Daewoo-developed Chevrolet Aveo in China, the car's gained traction among the country's growing middle class and the peasant class that sweats them. Now, the company's worked up a show model for Auto China 2006 to tweak the country's burgeoning audience for aftermarket accessories. Sure, this Aveo looks like it was passing by just as JC Whitney exploded, but the kids want what they want. – Mike Spinelli

[via Auto Sina]

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You Always Give Up: Aveo Bestselling Subcompact [internal]

Looks like Chinese carmakers won't be shying away from hyperbolic concept vehicles after all. This van-like creature, introduced at Auto China 2006, is the Xingqing — which translates to something approximating "don't bogart that hash pipe, Moondoggie." Actually, it means "clear sky," derived from designers' aim to capture the romantic notion of staring at the stars on a clear night. It's built to accommodate up to five young, urban professionals of the near future, their surfing equipment and respective feelings of bourgeois entitlement. Don't tell Mao the revolution's dead. – Mike Spinelli

[via Auto Sina]

Related:
More on Auto China 2006 [internal]

Looks like JAC motors has terminated the backward Lexus logo that once adorned its Vision concept. And that's fine, because this isn't some bizarro Toyota (though to be a fly on the wall in the development meetings). The company unveiled its latest Sino-chic take on the typical sports sedan at the Beijing show this week. Copyright infringement aside, if concepts like this are an indication, Chinese makes won't keep churning out cars uglier than the haircuts on "Cold Case" for much longer. – Mike Spinelli

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We've come across this video from a visitor to the Beijing Auto Show — it's running through the 27th in the billion-person country of China (buy your tickets now, folks!) and although it's not the most exciting piece of footage we've ever seen, it's fun to watch the beginning and see the sea of humanity attempting to breach the line of Chinese armed forces members at the press gate to the show. Also, we can't tell if the guy who's filming is holding the camera way above his head — or if he really is that much taller than everyone else. – Ray Wert

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More of our China Auto Show coverage [internal]

Chinese automaker FAW worked up this little coupe concept with joint venture partner Mazda for Beijing's Auto China 2006. While close inspection reveals a mishmash of Mazda, Nissan and Mitsubishi product influences (plus de rigeur gilded sport-compact wheels, natch), a surprising gestalt makes it all work. If this is the net effect of China owning all our T-bills, we say bring on the National Monument Fire Sale. – Mike Spinelli

[via ChinaCarForums]

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Coolbear!; More on Auto China 2006 [internal]

Volkswagen unveiled its Neeza crossover concept in Beijing, which has the chin of an Audi Q7, but the heart of a Las Vegas lounge act. Actually, whispers indicate the concept may hearken the ute-like stylings of the upcoming Audi Q5, which is expected to be introduced next year, possibly at the Frankfurt show. The 14.8' long prototype is the product of VW's Shanghai design shop, but something similar, according to Edmunds Inside Line, could show up in the US later this decade — along with its platform-mate, the upcoming Tiguan SUV — as Volkswagen's line expansion plans continue unabated. – Mike Spinelli

Official Pics: VW Neeza Debuts in China [Edmunds]

Related:
Beijing Unveiling: Volkswagen Neeza Concept; more on the Audi Q5 [internal]

Wow, what a great Idea. A small, economical car, whose block-like shape is both a symbol of its quirk and the reason for its utility. The kids will totally eat it for breakfast. Or maybe it'll be 55-year-old men. Eh, who cares, it'll sell like hotcakes. Kudos, Great Wall motors of China. – Mike Spinelli

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Toyota's Daihatsu Motor is showing off this precarious looking prototype at Auto China 2006, ahead of its Chinese market intro in mid-2007. It's a new manner of compact "multi-purpose passenger car," the company says, which will be shown in two forms, the crossover (above) and a sportier take (not above). Despite its high center of gravity and outward chintz factor, it does seem to have a nice enough interior, accepting the possibility of Photoshop license taken. But that single, rectangular tailpipe may be the loneliest thing we've ever seen. – Mike Spinelli

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The Daihatsu Fellowship [internal]

According to Automotive News. Chrysler's about as close to picking China's Chery Automobile to build its new subcompact model as it can be without actually, say, selecting them. The group's CEO Tom LaSorda told reporters in Beijing (hmm) that the car — a ~$14,000 model likely based on the Hornet Concept shown at this year's Geneva show — will debut in western Europe, Mexico and Canada before coming to the US. LaSorda didn't mention which other company was in the running (they're down to two), which wasn't surprising, considering he was in China making a non-announcement that may or may not have to do with a Chinese company. How do you say "That guy is such a tease" in Mandarin?

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A Chinese Bee: Chery to Build Dodge Hornet?; Chrysler Considering Chinese Chery-Built Model for Global Markets? [internal]

No, it's not Canadian. The Maple Marindo 504 is the latest from China's Shanghai Maple Automobile, a subsidiary of Geely. It may look like some sort of bastard Caddy CTS, but it's based on a Citro n, whose association with China goes back to the Qing Dynasty, or the 1980s (whichever came second). – Mike Spinelli

[via Supercars.net]

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China's Geely motors plans to show off this trippy concept car, the Fengyin, at AutoChina 2006 in Beijing later this month. We're not saying it's ugly, but Battlestar Galactica called; it wants its air conditioner back. – Mike Spinelli

[via Autoblog Chinese]

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China's Geely in Detroit: Little, Crooked, $10,000 [internal]

Will the third Sino-Japanese war be over hybrid cars? China's Chery Automobile just announced plans to show off its first hybrid car at the Auto China 2006 show in Beijing next week. While it's unclear if the system's been developed in house, or if it's a product of UK engineering firm Ricardo (as a report last year suggested), news outlets are reporting it as the first to be developed by a Chinese automaker. The announcement comes on the heels of GM's plan to build hybrids in China with partner Shanghai Auto, while Chinese competitor Geely Automobile recently announced plans for its first hybrid model early next year. They want in — the question is how soon? – Mike Spinelli

China's Chery to display first home-grown hybrid car at Auto China 2006 [Forbes]

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Bricklin's First?: Chery Crossover Unveiled in China [internal]

Volkswagen is showing off this Passat-like concept — dubbed Neeza for the beloved Chinese mythical figure who invented the air-cooled engine during the Ming dynasty — at the Auto China 2006 in Beijing. Sporting suicide doors and a spacious interior with high-design appointments, the Neeza is fitted with state-of-the-art digital entertainment media kit, including an on-board hard drive for storing hundreds of gigabytes' worth of bootlegged Disney movies. – Mike Spinelli

[via Autoblog Chinese]

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The Wind Cries Scirocco: More on VW's Iroc Concept [internal]