Hot News: Qoros Brand to Debut at Geneva Show 2013

Add Qoros Auto Co. Ltd. to the list of ambitious new Chinese automakers trying to make it big outside of China. Quoros will unveil its first car – a C-segment sedan – at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The automaker hopes to attract young Chinese and European drivers to its showrooms once the company begins selling its first vehicle. Eventually, Qoros plans to introduce hybrids and EVs, too.

Qoros will work with Magna Steyr, TRW, Continental, Bosch, Valeo, Microsoft, Iconmobile, and more to build a range of vehicles from a new modular architecture, which will allow the automaker to release new variants every six months. A European-inspired compact four-door sedan will be the first model produced with the automaker claiming interior space to rival that of larger cars.

 The company was founded in late 2007 as a joint venture between Chery Automobile and global industry holding company Israel Corporation. As a new automaker, Qoros wants to create a brand unrestrained by any legacy that could hold it back. The company says its name (pronounced Chorus) implies that its commitment to product and service quality will be delivered by a team coordinated like a well-orchestrated chorus.

“We have 100 percent control and ownership of our brand, our design and the use of technologies, without having to make compromises,” said Qoros Vice-Chairman Volker Steinwascher, in a release. “We are a new company without any legacy or previous history, which gives us a great advantage because we are starting from scratch with a clean sheet of paper.”

 Qoros mentions more than once that its cars will be engineered to receive the top ratings in Europe’s NCAP safety tests. After Geneva, Qoros will display its first car at the Shanghai Motor Show in April with Chinese and European sales to begin before the end of the year. If the name of the automaker sounds familiar, you may be thinking of Kia’s K9 flagship sedan, which will use the “Quoris” name. As for Qoros, the company is currently building its first assembly plant that will initially be capable of building 150,000 units a year and up to 450,000 units per year, if the company’s plans are carried out more successfully than we’ve seen from other Chinese and Indian automakers hoping to break into the European automotive market.

Thanks to: Motor Trend