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Chinese Automaker Chery and Its Visionary North American Retail Division to Debut New Models at Auto Shanghai 2005

Can Visionary Entrepreneur Do With Chery What He Couldnt With Yugo?

Chery, one of Chinas largest carmakers, and potentially the first Chinese vehicle to cross the Pacific to North America with the help of brave entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin, will show a total of six new vehicles at the Auto Shanghai 2005 auto show. With the announcement that Bricklin targets 250,000 Chery unit sales within the brands first year in North America alone, under his new company Visionary Vehicles, heres the chance to get the inside scoop on whats headed our way.

Of the Chery vehicles that will be shown at Auto Shanghai 2005, the most dramatic is the M14 Roadster. Built to fill the demand for a domestic sports car engineered

Designed by the renowned Italian styling house Pininfarina, the Visionary/Chery retractable hardtop convertible will make its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show. The convertible will be among the first Chery-made vehicles to arrive in the United States in 2007, and have a sticker price less than $19,000 USD. (Photo: Visionary Vehicles)

to international standards, the M14 is one of the most eagerly awaited vehicles to come from China. A would-be competitor to the stillborn Tiburon-based Hyundai CCS, the Europe-only Peugeot 307CC and Renault Megane C+C, the M14 is super sleek. The car rides on its own unique

Chery will target young, trend-setting North American buyers with its new retractable hardtop convertible, the M14. Shown with the car is (from left to right) Ken Okuyama, Creative Director, Pininfarina S.p.A., Yin Tongyao, President, Chery Automobile Co., Andrea Pininfarina, Managing Director, Pininfarina S.p.A., Malcolm Bricklin, CEO, Visionary Vehicles, Lorenzo Ramaceotti, Executive Vice President of Design, Pininfarina S.P.A., and Zhan Xia Li, Part Secretary General of Wuhu City and Founder of Chery Automobile Company. (Photo: Visionary Vehicles)

platform, and the stylish bodywork was penned by Italian styling house Pininfarina.

With four bucket seats, a removable hard top, a multi-function steering wheel and classic-style gauges, the S14 checks all the right boxes for practicality and passenger comfort, without leaving the

Visionary Vehicles Founder and CEO Malcolm Bricklin stands next to Chery Automobile President Yin Tongyao, with a new crossover vehicle at Cherys state-of-the-art factory in Wuhu, China. (Photo: Visionary Vehicles)

interiors image to suffer. Its not so big on performance though, with power coming from home-grown 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engines which run through either a five-speed manual or a belt-driven CVT gearbox. Nevertheless, its junior Lexus SC 430 styling and removable hardtop should appeal to the masses.

As for more mainstream models, Chery will be introducing the next-generation A21 (FengYun), the replacement to the existing Qiyun model, which made its debut in 2000. Though its 4,522 mm (178.0 in.)-long, 1,750 mm (68.9 in.)-wide and 1,483 mm (58.4 in.)-tall body may be styled frighteningly close to Nissans Maxima with its curved roofline

Cherys new crossover appears very upscale for an entry-level brand. The Chinese automaker plans on undercutting currently available brands by up to 30 percent. (Photo: Visionary Vehicles)

and bold, upright headlamps, the A21 is completely different underneath. Based on the old Seat Toledo sedan (VW Jetta), it offers the option of a 1.9-liter turbodiesel, and can be had with either a five-speed manual or a CVT gearbox.

This year, Chery will also put two minivans into production. The B14, a 4,662 mm (183.5 in.)-long six- or seven-seat minivan rides on a 2,800 mm (113.3 in.) wheelbase. The vehicle, which first made its debut at the Peking motor show as a concept, is now production- ready, powered by either a 2.0-liter gasoline, 2.4-liter gasoline or 1.9-liter turbodiesel engine. The B13, an enlarged version of the B14, will also be shown at the Shanghai show. With a 118.1 inch long wheelbase, and a body thats 199.0 inches long, its one of the biggest non-commercial vehicles on display

Visionary Vehicles Founder and CEO Malcolm Bricklin standing in front of the new Chery crossover vehicle he hopes will win over North American market. (Photo: Visionary Vehicles)

at the show. With angular styling, it has the ability to transport up to eight people in comfort.

Though introduced several weeks prior to the Shanghai show, Chery also announced its new-generation T11 (Tiggo) compact sport utility vehicle. Described as having Toyota RAV4 "undertones" which are particularly evident from the rear end, the 168.7 inch long, 69.5 inch wide and 67.5 inch tall T11 rides on its own Chery-developed platform which has a wheelbase of 98.8 inches. Automotive consulting firms Japan MAE and Lotus were called in to assist in the engineering and development phases of the T11, and as such, it should perform admirably amongst its peers in the over-crowded junior SUV marketplace.

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