GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Qoros GQ3 sedan

A couple of weeks ago we showed you teaser images of start-up Chinese brand Qoros’ first offering, and now the company has revealed the small GQ3 sedan in all its glory.

Conceived primarily for the Chinese and European markets, the GQ3 will make its world debut at March’s Geneva motor show and it goes on sale in China in the second half of 2013, with the first cars arriving in Europe later in the year. No news as yet regarding its Australian prospects (assuming there are any).

Qoros says all cars in its eventual line-up will have a three-character model name, with the first letter denoting the body style. ‘G’ is obviously the letter signifying sedan, but the company hasn’t revealed what letters will denote coupes, SUVs and so forth.

The middle letter – ‘Q’ – is a reference to the ‘master brand’ (ie Qoros), while the third digit – 3 in this case – signifies the size/segment in which the vehicle is positioned (clearly borrowed from BMW’s naming strategy).

There’s more than a hint of Kia Cerato in the GQ3’s exterior design, despite the company’s claim that the “GQ3’s styling introduces a brand identity that will make every future model instantly recognisable as a Qoros”.

That said, the compact Qoros is a handsome sedan that features a longish wheelbase and relatively short front and rear overhangs.

The GQ3’s stance benefits from its heavily tapered fastback roofline as well as the fact it measures 1839mm across the bows – making it one of the widest cars in its class.

Filling the wheel-arches are rims that measure up to 19 inches in diameter, with the standard alloys featuring a triple-split eight-spoke design, which will become another signature design element for the Qoros brand (eight is considered an auspicious number in China).

Qoros claims the quality and ergonomics of the spacious, feature-packed GQ3 cabin set new standards for cars produced in China and are “comparable with the best-selling cars in Europe”.

The sedan has allegedly been engineered to achieve maximum European and Chinese crash test ratings, thanks to what’s claimed to be a state-of-the-art safety structure, backed up by front, side and curtain airbags.

The GQ3 is merely the first offering from the Chinese car-maker, which is promising to roll out additional models at intervals of just six months.