New Geely KX11 SUV revealed
Chinese car-maker unveils its take on the Volvo XC40 that could be sold Down UnderGeely has pulled the drapes off an all-new SUV that could potentially become its best-selling model in export markets like Australia.
Releasing full pictures of the car it plans to reveal this April at the Shanghai auto show, China's biggest car-maker has yet to release full details, or even the name, of its all-new SUV, except to say it is being developed under the 'KX11' codename.
Based on the same CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) as the Polestar 2 and the Volvo XC40, plus the Lynk & Co 03 sedan, the KX11 appears to be closest in looks to the Swedish car-maker's XC40, at least up front, with the two featuring a similar concave front grille and headlight design.
There are lots of differences, of course; the Geely SUV gets its own surfacing along its flanks, with a more pronounced shoulder line, while the BMW X1 rival misses out on the Swede's weird C-pillar treatment and gets more conventional-shaped glass.
The first pics suggest the 2021 Geely KX11 could be longer than the XC40, with a stretched wheelbase. At the rear of the car there's an LED light bar that stretches across the bootlid but, overall, the design looks like it is tailored for European tastes.
Set to be on sale by the third quarter of 2021, the Geely KX11 will be offered with a 175kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but the flagship model will be a plug-in hybrid that blends a 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder with an electric motor to produce 190kW.
A pure-electric version is also highly likely, with the Chinese brand set to borrow the dual motors and 78kWh lithium-ion battery used in the Volvo XC40 Recharge.
If so, the battery-powered KX11 should produce 300kW/660Nm – easily enough for a 0-100km/h dash of just 4.9 seconds while providing for a decent range of more than 400km.
If the electric version is confirmed, the KX11 could come to Australia as part of Geely's grand plans to launch a pure-electric sub-brand Down Under.
Originally, the Chinese car-maker, which also owns Lotus, said it would launch in 2021 with its Geometry EV brand.
It's now believed those plans might have been paused in the wake of the global pandemic.
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