Shanghai Auto Show 2013
Roundup of the Chinese show stars
By Shahzad Sheikh
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Honda Concept M
Concept M represents an MPV or people carrier developed mainly for China – currently it’s commercial vehicles, ie mini-buses, that dominate the people carrier market in China. Honda is hoping to change that.
Honda Crider
This is a new production car based on the Concept C shown in Beijing last year, again for the Chinese market. Apparently its design is based on the image of a dragon. Hmm…
Honda Jade
Based on the Concept S also at Beijing, this is also a production vehicle, and again for the Chinese market only. Apparently this one’s based on, you guessed it, an image of a jade stone! Wonder if it only comes in Jade green then?
To read about the new limited edition Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario launched at the show, click here
Ford Escort Concept
The Escort name is back! Well at least it might be for China. This concept car is aimed at the C-segment – small family cars – and is designed with the Chinese consumer in mind. Ford also debuted the new Mondeo for China, as well as showing off the Fiesta and Focus ST.
Nissan Friend-ME
Is that a please for company or the name of a new concept from Nissan. The latter. We think. The Friend-ME is a four-seat saloon custom-style around the preferences of the “Bālínghòu”, which is how around 240 million Chinese born in the 1980s are known. Specifically, Friend-ME addresses the social dynamics of Chinese men in their mid-20s.
Detroit Electric SP:01
Billed as the world’s fastest EV, the limited edtion, pure-electric production sports car, the Detroit Electric SP:01 gets its global debut. It’s capable of 0-100kph in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 249kph from a motor putting out the equivalent of 201bhp and 166lb ft of torque. The carbon-fibre bodywork and Lotus Elise based (well the company was re-launched in 2008 by Albert Lam – the former CEO of the Lotus Engineering Group) chassis weights only 1068kg. Apparently 35 of these have already been sold.
Lexus GS 300h
The Lexus GS 300h debuts with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with emissions below 110g/km. Sales start in late 2013, but it’s only slated for China, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Hyundai Mistra
The Hyundai Mistra concept is for China only and is targetted at young parents in their 20-30s and to ‘meet the diverse needs of the mainstream urban population’. It slots in between the Elantra and Sonata. That’s all we care to know of it.
