Qoros debuts new sedan at Geneva with more in the pipeline

Guo said the Qoros 3 sedan has entered pre-production after two years of extensive testing at key locations around the world.

The model will hit the Chinese market in the second half of this year, with the first European sales expected by the end of the year. It is aimed at competing with similar models from Volkswagen and Toyota.

The company will produce the sedan in Changshu with an initial annual production of 150,000 units, rising to 450,000 units a year in future.

"We expect to launch other new model at intervals of six to eight months," said Guo.

Guo Qian, Chief Executive of Qoros (R) poses with Vice-Chairman Volker Steinwascher (C) and Designer Gert Volker Hildebrand during the presentation of the new Qoros 3 Sedan during the first media day of the 83rd Geneva Auto Show at the Palexpo Arena in Geneva March 5, 2013. Chinese-Israeli carmaker Qoros announced its entry into Europe on Tuesday, the latest attempt by a Chinese manufacturer to gain a foothold in the region's highly competitive market. The Geneva Motor Show will take place from March 7 to 17, 2013. [Photo / Agencies]

The Qoros has been created by an international team with major design input from nine different automotive brands.

Klaus Schmidt, Qoros' executive director for automotive engineering, who joined the company from German giant BMW AG, said: "The Qoros team has had complete control over the design of the vehicles, their branding and the technology involved, without having to make compromises, which has given me a unique opportunity to start from scratch, with a blank sheet of paper."

Guo added that the company, which has its engineering, commercial and purchasing functions based in Shanghai, is also building operations in Munich, Germany and Graz, Austria, "to make Qoros a truly international brand".

He said the basis of its design is quality and styling, combined with safety and fuel economy.

Everything involved in the evolution of the brand has been geared toward making a product that appeals to a modern, metropolitan customer from China and Europe, added Guo.

lifangfang@chinadaily.com.cn