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Customer LoginsFrankfurt Motor Show 2017: Chery to reveal new compact SUV
Chery has announced that it plans to reveal a new compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the Frankfurt Motor Show (Germany) next month.
The company has said in a statement that this vehicle will be sold under "an all-new nameplate" and will lead a range of new models into the European marketplace that will be offered with electrified powertrain options. It added that vehicle itself has been designed for "young, urban, progressive-minded customers, and will meet the needs and expectations of European private and fleet buyers in terms of design, quality, dynamics and crash worthiness." Furthermore, the company also said that it is evaluating sales opportunities in key markets prior to setting up operations in Europe with import and distribution partners. It also plans to establish a local research and development (R&D) operations to support existing sites in China.
Significance:
Despite being a growing brand in China, unlike some of its rivals Chery has chosen not expand into Western and Central Europe until now. However, the unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show appears to be a statement of intent in terms of its expansion in to this market. The statement seems to suggest that the brand intends to offer a competitive offering with electrified powertrain options and a high level of connectivity features. Dr Anning Chen, the chief executive officer of Chery Automobiles, has added that other features of these new products include being "fun to drive, offer flexible and spacious interiors and will provide comprehensive personalisation, all of which are aligned with our high standards of product quality and aftersales support." IHS Markit anticipates that this new compact SUV will be based on the automaker's new M3X platform being developed with Qoros, an automotive joint venture (JV) in which Chery has an investment. As well as being used on this vehicle - codenamed M31T - this architecture is also expected to underpin a traditional C-segment passenger car, a mid-size crossover and a sub-compact SUV, all of which are likely to be earmarked for this market eventually. It remains to be seen whether how its ambitions match with the competitive reality of the European passenger car market.
About this article
The above article is from AutoIntelligence Daily by IHS Markit. AutoIntelligence Daily provides same-day analysis of automotive news, events and trends. Get a free trial.