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While there is little doubt as to the rising importance of China on the world’s automotive landscape, the products launched at this year’s Beijing auto show help to reinforce that automakers are getting serious about the market. With production-ready vehicles being shown by Audi and Mercedes-Benz, and Buick launching yet another evocative concept, we were happy to have China correspondent David Yang holding down the WINDING ROAD fort in the Middle Kingdom.

BUICK INVICTA CONCEPT

After a long wait between the first sketch of the Buick Invicta shown at the New York Auto Show and the car’s official unveiling at Auto China 2008, the concept’s big moment was almost spoiled by the weather.

The Invicta was under wraps beside the Riviera concept, which bowed at last year’s Shanghai Auto Show, when its cover was almost blown away by Beijing’s refreshing evening breeze. For a moment the untidy wind nearly made our fellow media members forget their cameras, but it was back to business when vice president of General Motors Global Design Ed Welburn pulled the silks off the svelte Buick sedan concept.

“I’m really excited, not just about the design of the car, but the fact that this brought together two teams in China and the U.S. to develop the design. They worked together like one seamless virtual design team,” stated Welburn.

Drawing inspiration from the Riviera and Velite concepts that came before it, the Invicta (Latin for “invincible”) also sips from the deep well of Riviera design history. While Buick is keeping mum about the direction the Invicta might take, the company did go to the trouble of providing the concept car with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 250 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. Industry pundits see the Buick concept as part of the run up to the next-generation LaCrosse, which is expected to appear around 2010.

2009 AUDI Q5

On the eve of Auto China, the Audi Q5 made its world premiere at the New Poly Plaza in Beijing.

Developed on Audi’s new MLP platform, the Q5 is the second model in the German carmaker’s Q range. The compact soft-roader has a 111-inch wheelbase, and comes with one of three turbocharged engines—one gasoline and two TDI. The most powerful 3.0-liter V-6 diesel takes the Q5 to 62 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, kicking out a top speed of nearly 140 mph.

Audi’s decision to launch the important Q5 in Beijing this year is more than a concession to the growing importance of the Chinese market; the German automaker will actually produce the vehicle in Changchun, Jilin Province, in addition to Ingolstadt. The car is expected to come to the U.S. in 2010.

2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK

The debut of the GLK, the first compact utility produced by Mercedes-Benz, also marked the automaker’s first world premiere in China.

“After last year’s success, which saw Mercedes-Benz China achieve a volume increase of 53 percent, the new GLK will inject additional momentum here and in other markets,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management at Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Famous the world over for her movie success, actress Zhang Ziyi of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was on hand as a guest of honor at the premiere, and she was excited about the GLK. “I love this powerful, great-looking all-rounder,” she told Zetsche in conversation.

The new model increases the number of variants in the successful Mercedes-Benz utility range to five, and the compact GLK is likely to fit in with its older siblings, even if the styling is a bit odd.

“The GLK is the right vehicle at the right time. It boasts a highly individual design and combines the strengths of our large models within a compact vehicle format, which also offers fuel consumption benefits,” said Daimler Head of Development Dr. Thomas Weber. “With this intelligent ‘rightsizing,’ Mercedes-Benz is making a further contribution to CO₂ reduction within the SUV segment—in parallel with its Bluetec initiative.”

GEELY TIGER GT CONCEPT

Our early-morning arrival at the Beijing auto show was greeted by an unexpected downpour, but the visit to the Geely display proved well worth the effort. In addition to the nicely done Panda and CE on display, Geely’s Tiger GT concept seemed to outshine every other car in the room.

Production plans for the Geely GT remain unclear, but the concept was reportedly powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 producing 225 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are certainly respectable for a sports car, but they don’t come close to matching the Tiger’s performance-oriented looks.

The car’s unique design and aspirational nature are encouraging signs from Geely, however, and we look forward to seeing more from the Chinese automaker.

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Magazine Issue: Winding Road Issue 34