Top 10 Chinese Cars and most favourite cars of 2011 ~ Latest Autos

To Americans, looking at coverage of the Beijing and Shanghai Auto Shows used to be like watching a foreign film without subtitles. It was somewhat interesting, frequently weird and much was lost in non-translation. Thanks to the strong Chinese economy, both the auto show and the country’s automotive landscape are changing. Renowned international players are common (Chinese yuppies love the Buick Regal, still in production there), plus the nation is exporting its homegrown brands to Europe. Not surprisingly, sights are set on Chinese cars entering the U.S. in the next decade or so. China has already exhibited at U.S. auto shows, and despite falling short of our country’s safety standards thus far, it’s too early to dismiss the possibilities of Chinese cars on American roads. Don’t laugh -- there was a time when nobody thought Japan could do it, either.

For the sake of discussion, let’s say this could happen. Since there’s no telling how the cars will look, let’s get a baseline with current and near-future models from the People’s Republic and hypothesize: If China began exporting cars to America right now, which 10 models would stand the greatest chances of success here? Well, here are our guesses on the top 10 Chinese cars that would make it stateside, ranked on probable suitability.

Number 10

Great Wall Hover-TT

Great Wall Motor Company has several models whose names are a little suspect, like the Pegasus, Sailor and Wingle. If the Hover-TT is a less puzzling name, the vehicle itself is curious enough on its own. Think of it as an everyday limo. And while it wouldn’t have the cachet to be coveted by many private owners, this could quickly become a favorite of hotels and limo fleets.

Number 9

Geely HQ

The Geely website explains their HQ wagon as perfect for “some body want lager space.” Whether they really mean “larger space” or just more room to haul beer home, we’re all for it. In sharp contrast to the Geely GT you’ll see shortly, the HQ’s look recalls a Honda Civic wagon of the mid-‘80s. Performance is likely to be just as non-exhilarating. Three engines are available, and two of them are three-cylinder units. Only the top choice, a 1.3-liter, 86-horsepower four-banger, would stand a chance here.

Number 8

JAC A108

In case you haven’t noticed, Chinese car designs can be an acquired taste -- not necessarily polarizing, but frequently bland. JAC is coming on strong in the home market thanks, in part, to help from Pininfarina. Yes, that Pininfarina. Admittedly, it doesn’t look like it came from Ferrari’s go-to design house. It looks kind of like a Dodge Neon, in fact. However, just as non-SRT Neons are best remembered as cheap rental cars, the A108 could fill a similar niche.

Number 7

BYD F8

In a market with more than its share of sedans and wagons, the BYD F8 stands apart as a compact convertible. OK, there’s no chance it’ll ever be featured in our manly cars articles, but for a college girl and her friends? Sure, that’s possible. All three trim levels of the F8 include impressive convenience and safety features as standard, including rain-sensitive wipers, automatic air conditioning and power folding hardtop.

Number 6

Lifan 620

Astute readers may recognize the Lifan name, though in America, the imported vehicles are limited to scooters, motorcycles and ATVs. Over in its home market, the almost-midsize 620 is set to debut as one of the more refined choices available at a reasonable price. Recent spy photos suggest the 620’s crash-worthiness hasn’t been overlooked -- presuming, of course, the bashed prototype nailed something larger than a squirrel.

Number 5

SAIC Roewe 550

If there’s a vague familiarity in the name and design of the new Roewe 550, you might be linking it with the extinct Rover brand -- and you’d be right. After Rover rolled over, SAIC landed the tooling to continue making them, only not as Rovers (Ford bought the name). Rover thus became Roewe, the 75 model became the 750 and the 550 is the new smaller sibling. The look is decidedly de-Englished from the models it follows, but the 550 has an agreeable if unremarkable style about it.

Number 4

MG TF

The revival of the TF designation resulted in a strong-selling British convertible until a few years ago, when the MG Rover Group ceased to be. When Nanjing resuscitated production in China, skeptics thought it would be an MG in name only. As it turns out, the continuation of the TF is honorable. Even as talks of Ardmore, Oklahoma, being added as a production site have stalled, the two-seat, mid-engine TF does justice to its heritage and would be a fun addition to America’s roads.

Number 3

Chery QQ3

Looking like a Chinese interpretation of a Honda Fit or a Daewoo Matiz (and it wouldn’t be the company’s first instance of derived inspiration), the strong-selling Chery QQ3 may be basic, but it beats walking, and is even marginally faster. As a city car, the shortcomings of the 0.8 (yes, zero-point-eight)-liter or 1.1-liter engines are negligible when you’re stuck in traffic, anyway. If and when Chinese cars arrive here, with or without Bricklin’s help, Chery will probably be among the first. And if the car looks a little familiar, just remember that it’s their form of flattery.

Number 2

Brilliance Junjie Wagon

Just as they came up with the lines for the JAC A108 covered earlier, Pininfarina has also developed something a little more characteristic of its style, the Brilliance Junjie Wagon. Debuted at the Beijing Auto Show and based on the Junjie sedan (also a Pininfarina effort), the grocery getter looks more than a little Teutonic in nature. That’s probably no accident, since Brilliance has a partnership with BMW to build 3- and 5-Series cars in China. In the wake of the sibling BS6’s embarrassing European crash test episode, Brilliance seems to have stepped up their focus on safety, making the Junjie Wagon even more attractive.

Number 1

Geely Tiger GT

China: Performance car hotbed? You wouldn’t think so, but Geely is at least delivering the look with its Tiger GT (for “Geely Tiger,” yes, but it is also a GT by nature). Looking more Japanese than Chinese -- note the very Mazda-like grille -- and in no way a subcompact, neither of the 2+2’s rear passengers would get what you’d call a window seat. Only small triangular quarter windows give them a sense of the world going by. Not that it would be going by in a great blur. Perhaps hobbling the big cat somewhat is the reported 225-horsepower, 340 lb-ft., 3.5-liter V6. Still, the design is appealing.

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