Brilliance BS6 in 'EURONCAP' test [Archive]

BringIt

03-22-2007, 09:12 AM

I'm sure not every car that is currently being sold in the EU market, got a 5 star rating. I'm even more sure that not every car in the 2nd hand car business, got a 5 star rating. Given the low price and low volume Brilliance is shooting for, there will be takers.

In business, there are certain decisions you gotta make. I'm sure, had Brilliance had the choice, they'd invest billions of dollars and take 5 years more time, to come up with a true world class car, before they enter the EU market. But no one has that kind of money and time (and confidence). So they're entering the EU market first with an okay car; not great, just okay. To test the market, make improvements, make a little bit of money (at least help finance the debts), then get better and better on the next waves of cars. It's a very sound strategy to me - for you can't learn very much until you jump in and get the feet wet, yes?

By the time Brilliance get to the US market, they'd be ready. Without this EU experience, they never will.

eddie

03-29-2007, 05:14 PM

In just a decade we will see them how we want to see them at the time being ,I guess.

Raul

04-02-2007, 09:09 AM

Two stars is not good but it's not entirely bad either. In early 2000 some European cars of this size also got only two or three stars. This is a humble start for Brilliance but someday they will be at the top.

oo4load

04-07-2007, 05:56 AM

Well also consider that the car is based on a design from 2000, so ofcourse it cannot compete with current EU models.

The press makes it sound like it was 'designed for the EU market' but that's just nonsense. The original M1 has been on sale in China since 2001.

mgrovernut

04-08-2007, 07:19 PM

So why even try selling it in Europe? All they will do is get a bad reputation!

erik (laofan), cmvdc

04-09-2007, 04:42 AM

No Chinese car has ever been tested by EuroNCAP.
EuroNCAP is a private European consumer organisation, it has nothing to do with the requirements for a European approval.

For a European approval, a car must pass the EU-Norm ECE-R 94. This test is much more simple than the EuroNCAP test.
Landwind passed the ECE-R 94, Brilliance BS6 too.
There are no stars given by the ECE-R 94.

Two consumer organisations, ADAC and ANWB, have tested the Landwind according the EuroNCAP norms. This is the famous Landwind video, showing the disastrous result. They couldn't give any points, while the test was incomplete.
A Russian organisation tested the Chery QQ according the EuroNCAP norms. The result was also rather disastrous.
The Tianjin institute CATARC has tested the GreatWall Hover according EuroNCAP. CATARC stated that the Hover earned four stars.

EuroNCAP tested a lot of cars, but not all the cars for sale in Europe. An example is the Landrover Defender, which was never tested, but anyone who sees the design can understand that it would get not any stars.
Recent bad results are: the Chevrolet (Daewoo) Aveo: 1 star, the Chevrolet Matiz: 2 stars and the Chrysler Voyager (1 star).

About mgrovernuts question: why sell the Brilliance in Europe: it is not the Chinese who are eager to sell their cars in Europe. It is the European car importers who come to China to look for cars they can sell in Europe. And of course, the Chinese are happy to sell. That is the relationship between HSO and Brilliance.

eddie

04-09-2007, 04:50 PM

You have summarized it very well.Not only EU or the USA,but also from some rich Arabic countries,like Katar or UAE,you can see how eager some importers are to sell chinese cars there.

oo4load

04-11-2007, 03:41 AM

Here's another of those puzzling questions: why hasn't NCAP tested the Renault Twingo ??? That tin can has been on sale for almost 15 years and is the only Renault that has never been tested.
I smell politics.

daewoo-chevrolet

04-11-2007, 02:50 PM

@ oo4load: http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=1&id2=161

oo4load

04-12-2007, 05:34 AM

Whoops seem to have missed that one :)

oo4load

06-21-2007, 04:15 AM

German ADAC and dutch ANWB motoring organisations are always looking forward to spill some fresh chinese blood, so they went out to test the BS6 in their own test centre in Germany.

Unfortunately the result is really, really bad. I expected it to perform better. The car is totally crushed (obviously) because it's too weak. It's quite possible that the Chery A5 performs better.

http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft_leistungen/motorwelt/m_archiv/slideshow/brilliance/Slide_01.asp?ComponentID=186689&SourcePageID=0

Click the "weiter" for the next picture.

http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft_leistungen/motorwelt/m_archiv/Pressemeldungen/Brilliance.asp?ComponentID=187105&SourcePageID=20057&location=32

The details:
64km/h 40% offset test at NCAP specs
Originally 2stars, but 1 star removed because of the even worse side crash test.
Brilliance employees were present at the test and were given a lot of advice.

mememe

06-21-2007, 04:36 AM

damn

I always thought that Brilliance is doing much better than Chery because of all those investment and tech that they put in. Well It seems like Brilliance still has a lot of works to do eh.

martin_krpan

06-21-2007, 06:14 AM

German Autobild also published an article about disastrous crash results of BS6:
http://www.autobild.de/aktuell/meldungen/artikel.php?artikel_id=14437

I'm suprised. I expected better results due to cooperation with BMW. The decision to export this car to Europe was a mistake.

oo4load

06-21-2007, 07:32 AM

Well at least the AutoBild item states that Brilliance and ADAC have teamed up to improve the safety.

BringIt

06-21-2007, 08:50 AM

mg-zs

06-21-2007, 02:52 PM

The best thing is they already thought it would be bad.
Thats says enough i think :D

AXLE

06-22-2007, 12:02 AM

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2143/brilliancebs9.jpg

:nono:

oo4load

06-22-2007, 03:19 AM

Why wasn't an internal crash test done prior to exporting? I fail to see how they can decide to export this car had the test came out with bad results.

The people who made the decision to export to EU should be shot. What morons...

Well, they did :) "Brilliance zum Crashtest: "Die Bewertung bestätigt die internen Brilliance-Tests, die in der Summe nicht zufriedenstellend sind."

Brilliance about the crashtest: "The score confirms internal Brilliance tests, which are not satisfactory". We know it's crap, but we sell it anyway.

oo4load

06-22-2007, 05:46 AM

Always wanted to know what difference 8km/h makes? Well, a lot :)

C-NCAP works with 56km/h. EU-Legislation works with 56km/h.

http://i8.tinypic.com/4z1a4bo.jpg

EURONCAP = 64km/h

http://i11.tinypic.com/4zc5uo2.jpg

It may seem like a safe car in test A, but fail test B. If we'd start a new test, with speeds of 72km/h, all current 'safe cars' would probably fail. That this car failed the NCAP test doesn't mean it's an 'unsafe car', it just means it's "not safe in a crash above 56km/h against a car of equal or more weight."

mg-zs

06-22-2007, 12:52 PM

So you saying buy it and never drive faster then 64km/h:D

AGR

06-22-2007, 03:11 PM

Click on the video on the Auto Bild site

Click Here (http://www.autobild.de/aktuell/meldungen/artikel.php?artikel_id=14437)

oo4load

06-22-2007, 03:49 PM

So you saying buy it and never drive faster then 64km/h:D

I'm saying cars can't be categorised as 'safe' or 'unsafe' just because of 1 specific test at a specific speed. These safety campaigns have brainwashed us into believing that 5star cars are "safe". But the truth is the result at 72km/h would be the similar to the BS6 at 64.

My '94 Hyundai Scoupe did reasonably well in the US full width frontal test which was standard at the time... It's all a matter of perspective.

Know why a 2004 Corrola scores excellent in the EU side crash but poor in the US side crash? Because the US test trolley weighs 1500KG instead of 950KG, and is appx 40cm higher.

4*real*Made_in_China

06-22-2007, 06:56 PM

FROM: Autoblog

China's Brilliance BS6 is a recent entry into the European market, positioned as a premium-style import sedan at a budget price. Well, after seeing the videos of the car undergoing crash testing using Euro NCAP guidelines at the ADAC (Germany's AAA, essentially) test center, one thing's certain: buyers get what they pay for. The BS6, as currently constructed, appears to a complete piece of crap. The horrifying 40 mph offset frontal crash test video shows damage that can be described as catastrophic at best. The A-pillar collapses and folds up like a cheap suitcase, forcing the driver's door to pop largely out of its frame, while the lower portion of the car buckles like it's made of recycled pop cans. We wouldn't want to be the driver's legs...or any other part of him for that matter. To open the mangled door afterwards, the ADAC techs needed to use a huge crowbar to get it to budge. ADAC notes that the pedals intruded a foot and a half (32 cm) into the driver's space, while the IP moved in almost 8 inches (20 cm). Needless to say, the BS6 failed the test, garnering just 1 star.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/brilliance1.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/brilliance2.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/brilliance4.jpg

The side-impact video's no picnic, either, as the driver's upper body takes the impact so hard, the injuries sustained would likely prove fatal. For all the crowing about Chinese cars and how they're an inevitability, if this is the kind of safety that they'll bring with them, have fun finding buyers. Back in April, Brilliance's head honcho said that this very model, the BS6, would be imported to the US either later this year or in 2008. You know what? Keep it.

After seeing the car's stellar crash performance in Deutschland, we wouldn't be caught dead in one. The good news for Europeans is that this disastrous test result might be enough to halt sales. That's what happened after the Jiangling Motors' Landwind SUV failed the same test in even more spectacular fashion in late 2005 (listen to the ADAC guys crack up after they see the Landwind result in that second link).

Until Chinese automakers get very serious about making and exporting cars that meet commonly-accepted occupant protection standards, the idea of them having any impact whatsoever in the safety-conscious United States market is laughable.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/brilliance5.jpg

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F06LjugtIUo

BTW, I know this was already posted, but this is part of our
new "News story posting" policy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9RbZyrJQ4g

Tiggo

06-22-2007, 07:51 PM

I thought it could have been better but...well those engineers have to make it better.

mg-zs

06-23-2007, 02:09 PM

Why not post here :rolleyes:
http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2684

Raul

06-25-2007, 06:23 AM

Oh dear :nono: What a disappointment. It clearly looks like the car was made to pass Chinese C-NCAP tests but nothing more. This is another setback for Chinese manufacturers hoping to export cars to Western markets. I hope they can re-design the car completely and make another go next year.

cryptonx

06-25-2007, 06:58 AM

MG_ZS is right :D

they are going to improve the car by putting a speed-limiter to 63km/h so ur always SAFE :D

lol

martin_krpan

07-04-2007, 04:20 PM

Belgian dealer Karel Cardoen decided not to import BS6 due to catastrophic result of crash test. You want to know more?
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/02/belgian-dealer-axes-brilliance-bs6/

ash

07-05-2007, 01:00 AM

im sure there are good results to for these bs6 ....just cuz propaganda against chinese cars, these tests are always in our faces

mememe

07-05-2007, 10:49 AM

Belgian dealer Karel Cardoen decided not to import BS6 due to catastrophic result of crash test. You want to know more?
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/02/belgian-dealer-axes-brilliance-bs6/

Read that blogs and you will see that those european/japanese cars in the mid 90s are no better, take a good look at the mitsubishi galant.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=7
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=7&id=1
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=7&id=4

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=84
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=84&id=1

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=119
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/image.ashx?rh=119&id=1

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=39
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/controls/image.ashx?rh=39&id=1&s=120

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/bmw_3_series_1997/15.aspx
http://www.euroncap.com//carimages/15.jpg

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/mercedes_benz_c_class_1997/18.aspx
http://www.euroncap.com//carimages/18.jpg

BringIt

07-05-2007, 11:47 AM

im sure there are good results to for these bs6 ....just cuz propaganda against chinese cars, these tests are always in our faces
The Western media is known to smear China every chance it gets. There never any positive stories about China, always negative. To add salt to injury, the stories always insinuate that the Chinese government is behind it... :nono:

The China-phobia they are trying to create is designed to keep China down. White men is evil, believe it.

flc2006

07-07-2007, 10:43 AM

They need to strengthen the crumple zones and side impact door beams right away if they wanna be successful in Europe and the united states, they should make stability control & front side impact airbags with front and rear curtain airbags standard.

imoto

08-16-2007, 09:52 AM

The Western media is known to smear China every chance it gets. There never any positive stories about China, always negative. To add salt to injury, the stories always insinuate that the Chinese government is behind it... :nono:

The China-phobia they are trying to create is designed to keep China down. White men is evil, believe it.

Even in my country (start with Si*******), the government controlled media will go on a mass hysterical orgy of reporting whenever there is something negative to report about China. But you will never read any critical reports about my country from our own mass media. Don't even mention investigative reporting. It will never happen in my country. So we are bombarded with official propaganda everyday.

mememe

09-09-2007, 06:04 AM

hmmm let me guess, is it singapore ?

xjym2002

09-12-2007, 04:35 AM

A couple of Chinese reports said so.

No English version found.

Someone who knows German or Spanish here please try a search.

www_sinaimg_cn/qc/news/2007-09-12/U644P33T2D309409F9DT20070912094809.jpg
www_sinaimg_cn/qc/ul/2007/0912/U644P33DT20070912094734.jpg
www_sinaimg_cn/qc/ul/2007/0912/U644P33DT20070912094745.jpg

Please change the '_' to dot, I'm not allowed to post URLs :(

Joest

09-12-2007, 05:37 PM

Do you have the URL of the report?

xjym2002

09-13-2007, 01:51 AM

www。china。com。cn/tech/txt/2007-09/13/content_8868937.htm

Google has more results than yesterday.

bidione

09-13-2007, 12:21 PM

Check out there European website. They have photos and even two videos of the improved crashtest for viewing and downloading:

www*brilliance-motors*eu/index*php?option=com_specialcontent&task=view&id=374&Itemid=233&lan=eu_en

--> replace * with . Also please remove the space between 3 and 7 (this seems to be created automatically by this forum software and I found no way to post the correct URL here. Maybe somebody who is allowed to post URLs can go there an post the correct URL here - thanks). Alternatively just go to brilliance-motors.eu, select "other European countries" for the English version of the site and go to the press-section to see the videos.

Also in the press-section of this website you'll find the official press-statement published during IAA Frankfurt Motorshow last Tuesday.

mememe

09-13-2007, 06:42 PM

http://www.aastocks.com/eng/News/newstext.asp?source=AFX&item=AFX2007812170455

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=122625

http://news.euro-truck.biz/autoblog/brilliant-recovery-brilliance-bs6-garners-3-stars-in-spain-crash-test-2/

This news is on the spanish newsagency as well but you have to subscribe to view it.

mememe

09-13-2007, 07:23 PM

And this is the video I found

http://www.autojunk.nl/clips/view/133007

Raul

09-14-2007, 01:54 PM

Wow, what a result! Just 79 days after that ADAC test in Germany. Very fast progress. Well done Brilliance :thumb:

outofin

09-14-2007, 06:30 PM

What needs to be done to improve better safety? Will using stronger steel do, or it requires some serious re-design?

gr8

09-16-2007, 12:58 AM

thats good in 79 days brilliance went from fail to 3 stars, in another 79 days they may make it up to 5 stars, thats brilliant!! :)

gr8

09-16-2007, 01:05 AM

What needs to be done to improve better safety? Will using stronger steel do, or it requires some serious re-design?

well im taking mechancial engineering rite now, and from what i know using stronger steel would work as long as "stronger" means a higher strength to weight ratio. since weight has alot to do with the crash. and i heard that sometimes the front of the car cant use too strong steel cause it wont "crumple". its the crumpling that saves your neck, not the rigitity of the car.

jikki

09-16-2007, 11:19 AM

step by step,please recognize that china will only export good cars to euro it won't be foolish to destroy it's reputation,it will prepare more and more for that day...

as soon as the day is coming, please don't cry...:)

fhrblig

09-16-2007, 12:50 PM

fhrblig

09-16-2007, 12:57 PM

I drive a 1998 Buick LeSabre, which wasn't tested by IIHS. It did get 4 stars in the NHTSA crash tests for driver and passenger and 3 stars in side-impact tests.

mememe

09-16-2007, 01:44 PM

I don't know when this was aired, but I don't think it was very long ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJnYEUwa8pA

They are comparing a Toyota Avensis (5-star Euro-NCAP rated) with a Proton Impian (3-star), and then a Ford Fiesta (4-star). I'm not trying to downplay the incredible improvement by Brilliance in such a short period of time but I'd honestly still be reluctant to drive something rated less than 4-stars in Euro-NCAP or less than 'acceptable' in IIHS (US) testing. I know I wouldn't want to have been in the Proton with my foot on the brake when that crash happened.

I understand what you said and to be honest, there is no hard feelings about what you said, yes 3 stars is a pass but still unacceptable in Europe, but I mean there is one factor that we have to take into consideration is the age of brilliance, brilliance is a brand new established company, they only starts to produce cars recently, therefore I think 3 stars is OK (still not good enough) for them at the moment.But having said that I believe to be a serious contender in Europe as well as international stage, Brilliance still has a lot of works to do and they shouldn't be celebrating too big. And I hope other Chinese carmakers can learn from Brilliance and even do better than brilliance themselves.Quality is what counts these days, price is not really a big matter.

xjym2002

09-17-2007, 03:42 AM

I just don't understand why Brilliance didn't sell their best and newest car Junjie (BS4 maybe) first in Europe. The company's domestic sale boomed from last year because of the Junjie.

erik (laofan), cmvdc

09-17-2007, 04:59 AM

Less than three stars: (since 2000):
Chrysler Voyager 2007 (1 star), Chevrolet Aveo 2006 (1 star), Fiat Seicento 2000 (1 star), Chevrolet Matiz 2005 (2 star), Kia Carnival 2003 (2 star), Citroen Saxo 2000 (2 star), Lancia Ypsilon 2000 (2 star), Nissan Micra 2000 (2 star).
Three stars (and I leave 2000 en 2001, the list would be too long!):
Chevrolet Kalos 2006, Kia Cerato 2006, Dacia Logan 2005, Fiat Panda 2004, KIA Picanto 2004, Fiat Doblo 2004, Renault Twingo 2003, Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin 2003, Proton Impian 2002, Chrysler PT Cruiser 2002, Landrover Freelander 2002, Jeep Cherokee 2002, Opel Frontera 2002, Suzuki Grand Vitara 2002.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

fhrblig

09-17-2007, 11:41 AM

Erik, with all due respect, the only car that you've listed that's even close to the same size category as the Brilliance BS6 is the Proton Impian. And yes, the Voyager's crash test was unacceptable, but if you're going to give the BS6 a pass because they've redesigned it, then you have to do the same for Voyager which was just redesigned and has yet to be tested. The Caravan/Voyager/Town & Country/forthcoming VW vans are up against vans that have stellar test scores and if they score less than four stars when they are tested, then they deserve criticism. You also listed the previous generation Kia Carnival/Sedona. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the CURRENT (on sale NOW) version win "Top Safety Pick" after its IIHS test, and four stars from Euro NCAP? In fact, out of all the cars you've listed, the only ones currently on sale are a couple of Daewoo-based Chevrolet superminis. Are those in the same size class as the BS6? No. If you can point out some midsize or compact sedans that are on sale now in their current form (like the BS6 is right now) that perform the same or worse than the BS6, please do so. I will listen.

BringIt

09-18-2007, 10:48 AM

I don't see why people are so hung up on crash tests - I'm sorry, I just don't buy a car to crash it. Being a good and safe driver and properly maintain your car trumps all other factors when it comes to safety.

I know it sounds weird, but if safety is all that important, then don't drive. Just stay home. You get 100 stars for staying home. Don't even go outside, because walking will get you 0.0003 stars. Running gets 0.0002 stars. Riding a bike? 0.0000001 stars. Don't get me going on roller skates...

Seriously now - for the price of a BS6, you can either buy a brand new BS6, a smaller new car, or an older used car. I highly doubt the smaller new cars and older used cars are any safer than the BS6. So what is all the hoopla about?!????

fhrblig

09-18-2007, 11:04 AM

But when I shop for a car, I usually look for three of the following four things: safety, quality/reliability, whether it's fun-to-drive, and its fuel economy. If three of the four things are there, I can ignore the lack of the fourth. In fact, that's why I'm not happy with my current car. My Buick gets 29 mpg (great for a large car) and is pretty safe. But it isn't fun to drive and it's been unreliable. This is why safety should be a pretty big concern for the chinese auto industry; they're already fighting against poor quality, whether real or pre-supposed. Given the success by Brilliance in improving the BS6 in such a short period of time I'd say that's where their focus should be, for now.

erik (laofan), cmvdc

09-19-2007, 06:06 AM

Well, fhrblig, I think when you look at it from that angle (Brilliance nearly the only bigger car) you are right.

micodelija

09-22-2007, 05:48 PM

it's impossible to change so many things on car so fast, that raise doubt at adac test, because i read in report that car have over 70 changes,and when i was i china i alreday drive the model for which they told me that he had 3 stars and new interior,also another thing...if is the car homologated and acchive one star....they can't homologate another car for just 3 monts!!1

oo4load

09-23-2007, 05:11 AM

Maybe they used higher strength steel in the parts that gave way in the first test (a pillar and footwell). If you prevent the screen pillar from collapsing you've already made a big improvement.

micodelija

09-24-2007, 04:42 AM

yes, ok...but if they change anything...the weight(kg) of the car wount be the same, and if you change any part of the car it must be homolgated, i have the simmiler situation with Hover here in Croatia, we change the cargo box..and then we must do the homolgation as that and sold wehicles like that

oo4load

09-25-2007, 03:03 AM

The test has nothing to do with homologation. Test first, homologate later. It was critical to show a major improvement at/before the show. And maybe they were already panning the improvements?

xjym2002

09-27-2007, 12:07 AM

The president of Brilliance Auto said in ADAC test the score was 12 (or some other number), which is qualified as 2-star, but somehow ADAC announced 1-star eventually.

mgrovernut

10-01-2007, 03:57 PM

Shame the interior is a sloppy mess, the price too high, the brand is unknown and most new EU/ JAP cars now get 4 out of 5. Other than that it's a winnner.

rendezvous65

02-14-2008, 03:46 AM

Brilliance is hiring some suppliers and experts to ensure that the USA models make at least 4 stars. Doesn't seem likely but thats what they claim it will make in the USA. Supposedly China Car USA is wanting to make sure it's safe. They might bring these made for USA versions by the end of 08. Early 09 is when they will have full inventory. All models except the BS2.

mememe

02-14-2008, 06:18 PM

Well it eventually made it to 3 stars in just 79 days in the Euro Ncap, so I don't see why they cannot make it 4 stars in the US crash test in late 08 or early 09.

infinitime

02-19-2008, 08:46 PM

As a fan of Brilliance, I must say that the results of the initial crash tests were very disappointing.

What is even more disappointing though, is the excuses offered by many posters as to how "it is good enough", when compared against other cars with similarly poor crashtests, which are currently being sold in Europe.

Certainly, this can not be the right attitude in addressing the problem. There is no doubt that Brilliance has a considerable amount of work to do in order to meet current and future European/US standards. The key is to look at ways to actually do this, and not make up excuses for while a currently poorly-designed product is good enough. Why is it that the BMW's manufactured by Brilliance in the same factory have no problem meeting international standards?

I would certainly be interested in purchasing a Chinese car in the future, but would not consider it if it meant a significant compromise on quality, regardless of price.

Too often, Chinese products compete internationally on price alone, sometimes at the expense of quality. This is not the way to build a credible brand.

How often do we hear stories (often exaggerated stories) of superior quality control by Japanese and German companies? Clearly, Toyota and Honda are better at marketing their products, even if the claims of superior quality is not always true. However, what is true is that these companies understand that in order to compete internationally, they must strive to be the best... It is not enough to claim that there are weaker contenders in the same market.

A good example of this is Hyundai. In the 1980s, their products were mocked as being inferior by design. Through successive generations of hard work, the current offerings from this Korean company are on par with many of the best from Japan. Certainly, this was not done with a "good enough" attitude, but with a clear understanding that survival depends on striving for the best.

For a company name Zhonghua, which carries the very name of the country which it purports to represent, I would genuinely hope that they address their current deficiencies, rather than making excuses.

In this regard, I would say that both Roewe and Chery are doing a better job, as their current offerings come considerably closer to world standards for quality.