Currently reading: Geely Emgrand KC: Shanghai motor show 2013

New four-door saloon set to crown Geely's premium Emgrand brand

Volvo parent company Geely used the Shanghai motor show as the backdrop for the unveiling of this smart-looking sedan concept called the Emgrand KC.

The new four-door is based on the same platform, and uses the same mechanical package, as the existing Volvo S80. It is planned to crown Geely’s upmarket Emgrand brand when a production version appears in 2015.

Likely to take the name Emgrand EC9, it is aimed at providing Chinese car buyers with an up-market alternative to traditional European sedans such as the Audi A6, BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-class.

The Emgrand KC measures 4960mm in length and rides on a 2880mm wheelbase. The new sedan’s contemporary lines are credited to ex-Volvo design boss, Peter Horbury, who assumed responsibility for Geely’s design operations last November.

There is no word on what drivetrains the production version of the Emgrand KC will offer, but talk in Shanghai suggests it may use both naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions of a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine being developed by Geely.

It's also possible that it may be offered as a hybrid, using elements of the system developed by Volvo – a set-up that is also tipped for the new S80, along with just about every future Volvo model.

The Emgrand KC is the first in a series of new Emgrand models that are planned to be based on existing Volvo models. Also under development is a new SUV that will sit on the platform and use the mechanical package of the soon-to-be-replaced Volvo XC90.

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Peter Cavellini 23 April 2013

a question.......

Will Chinese cars have to have European names?, because the home Country names are bit naff for Euro tastes, i mean, imagine some of ours,the Ford Buttie,Renault Masiff,BMW Hosen,not appealing or say anything about the car that's relevant,do they?