Canada's future cars bow at giant Beijing auto show

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

A model poses beside a Hyundai Verna at its world premiere during a media preview at the Beijng Auto Show on April 23.

John LeBlanc

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

BEIJING–Welcome to China, the largest new-car producer and seller in the world and home of the world’s largest new-car show.

While America, displaced as the largest car market last year, bought only 10.4 million cars and trucks in 2009 — down 4 million units and the lowest number in 27 years — Chinese new-car sales jumped 46.2 per cent to 13.65 million.

And the momentum doesn’t seem to have let up.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, 1 million new cars (almost as many as are sold in Canada all year) were sold in March alone. By the end of the year, it could add up to more than 16 million new cars sold, with some projecting 19 million by 2016.

Mirroring the explosive market, the 2010 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition with almost 1,000 new models on display — of which 89 will be world debuts from domestic automakers — is the largest new-car show in the world.

While no Chinese automaker has yet been able to sell their vehicle to Western customers — mainly due to our stricter safety requirements — Chinese new-car buyers play an important role for Western luxury automakers as European and U.S. markets struggle to recover from the global financial crisis.

And while Chinese automakers may be catching up in terms of design, quality and features, Western automakers still own the Chinese luxury car market — for now, at least.

As such, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche all presented world debuts at this year’s show — many of which will eventually be sold in Canada.

In China, Audi’s share of the luxury market is more than its rivals combined. And Audi is shooting for a 26 per cent increase in 2010, to more than 200,000 cars.

Part of that total will come from the new A8 L that made its world debut here in Beijing, a lengthened version of the also-new-this-year flagship A8 sedan, set to go on sale in Canada sometime before Christmas.

Brandishing a 500 hp V12 and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the A8 L shines inside as well. Features include wall-to-wall leather, a full-length rear centre console, heated and cooled seats that massage you, and folding ottomans.

Mercedes-Benz introduced its own mini-limousine, the Chinese exclusive E 300 L, a locally-made lengthened version of its mid-size E-class sedan that adds 140 mm of rear seat legroom.

More relevant to Canadians, the German automaker’s CLS Shooting Break concept that made its world premiere here previews the styling of our next CLS sedan (and possibly a new five-door model to take on BMW’s 5-series GT), along with a new family of turbocharged and direct-injected engines that we will see in our Canadian E-class models eventually.

Mimicking Mercedes’s Chinese market ambitions, BMW, which began producing 3- and 5-series models in China in 2003, debuted a 140 mm longer version of the all-new 2011 5-series.

Like the E 300 L, the new BMW 535 Li will be built and sold exclusively in China.

BMW also showed for the first time its Concept Gran Coupé, a near-production version of the Concept CS show car that was shown at the Shanghai show three years ago.

Allegedly a thinly-veiled version of a four-door version of the Canada-bound 2012 BMW 6-series (there will be a coupe and convertible as well), the Concept Gran Coupé is theoretically similar to other four-seat GTs, like the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera.

Speaking of which, Porsche re-emphasized how much the success of its Panamera lies with Chinese buyers.

Following up on the Panamera’s world debut this time last year at the Shanghai auto show (Beijing and Shanghai shows alternate years), Porsche debuted 300 hp, entry-level V6 rear- and all-wheel-drive versions of its four-seat sedan that will also be sold in Canada.

Of course, the majority of the expected 700,000 or so attendees at this year’s Beijing show can’t afford a luxury car. But many still prefer a Western ride.

China’s best-selling-brand is Volkswagen, with sales up 60 per cent for the first three months this year to more than 457,000 vehicles — 15 times what the German automaker sells in Canada.

At the show, VW introduced made-in-China versions of its CC Passat sedan, Tiguan crossover and an updated version of its flagship Phaeton that left the Canadian market after 2006.

Although VW is China’s top-selling brand, General Motors (with its Chinese manufacturing partners) is the country’s largest automaker. And here in Beijing, it debuted a possible new extension to Chevrolet’s Volt family of extended-range hybrids.

The Volt MPV5 concept is a five-passenger tall wagon with the Volt’s 1.4-litre gas engine and a lithium-ion battery drivetrain that’s slightly larger than the existing Cobalt-based HHR.

With front-end styling from the Volt applied to the body of the forthcoming Chevrolet Orlando, the Volt MPV5 could make for a roomier alternative to the four-seat Volt sedan.

Ford presented its Start concept, a small, two-passenger, three-door car made of aluminum, high-strength steel and composites.

The Start’s looks point to a possible future design direction for the U.S. brand. But it’s what’s under the concept’s hood that may be more relevant and immediate.

Although the Start’s 1-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder engine is too small for the Canadian-bound Fiesta subcompact, Ford has something that could accommodate the engine and hit our shores, namely the next-generation Ka, a city car smaller than the 2011 Fiesta.

Looking like the baby brother to the larger Sonata sedan, Hyundai debuted its Verna subcompact — what we in Canada know as the Accent.

In China, the Verna/Accent gets either a 1.4- or 1.6-litre four-cylinder gas engine, making 106 hp and 120 hp, respectively.

More than likely when the Accent goes on sale in Canada in 2011, the bigger motor will be under the hood.

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