If you've never heard of Quros, you're not alone. But if all goes according to the new automaker's plan, you'll know the name and have the option to drive one very soon.
Set to officially unveil in the coming weeks at the Geneva Motor Show, automaker Qoros is looking to succeed where other Chinese automakers have failed: in Europe and North America.
Most Chinese brands only export to developing markets, but with a team of designers and engineers reportedly joining the company from brands like BMW, Volkswagen, Opel and Jaguar Land Rover, people in the auto world are giving Qoros unprecedented attention for a Chinese automaker.
The company has a background of investors behind it that's noteworthy for their diversity. Qoros is 50 percent owned by Israel Corp., an Israeli investment group, and half owned by Chery Automobile, a Chinese automaker fully owned by the Chinese government, which has led some to some interesting speculation about the new cars.
"I can't speak for what a Chinese-Israeli mashup like Qoros will become, but I can say that Chery builds some of the worst cars on the planet, ranging from barely adequate to utter garbage. I drove two of them while on assignment in South Africa," said auto writer Clifford Atiyeh in a piece for MSN Autos.
At Geneva, Qoros will show three cars, its 3 Sedan production model and models called the 3 Cross Hybrid and 3 Estate Concept Versatile. The company considers the later two models concept cars, though they appear to be production ready.
The 3 Sedan will be available with a four-cylinder 1.6 liter engine that delivers 126 horsepower. A turbocharged version of the 3 Sedan will offer 156 horsepower.
Specifications of the concept cars have not yet been released.
A state-of-the-art production facility in Changshu in China's eastern Jiangsu province is prepared to build 150,000 Qoros vehicles a year, with a potential maximum output of 450,000 cars, according to the Qoros website.
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