BEIJING — Geely's new Panda baby car has been the subject of much teasing and laughter on Internet blogs in and outside China. In contrast, the automaker's upcoming Tiger coupe concept, slated to debut in mid-April at the Beijing auto show, is generating considerably more respect from Internet scribblers.
First leaked by Autoblog China, images of the vehicle, also known as the Geely GT, show a slick sports car that already is drawing comparisons to Ferrari and Maserati — and even Maybach. This is, of course, before any details about the car's powertrain or chassis have been revealed.
On the lighter side, more than one European blog is referring to the Tiger as the "Chinese Batmobile" (in local languages).
The automaker's production plans are uncertain, but Geely currently is selling the second generation of its Beauty Leopard coupe, also known in China as the Mybo. It apparently plans to position the Tiger well above the Beauty Leopard in terms of price, and is showing the concept with a new logo embedded in the hood — perhaps a teaser for a new high-end sub brand.
Geely, which missed the previous Beijing auto show in 2006, appears to be pulling out all stops for the 2008 event with plans to exhibit nearly two dozen vehicles, including the Tiger, the Panda and a five-door version of the King Kong, as well as several new models from its sister brand, Maple.
What this means to you: Do we detect a wild-animal theme running through Geely's car names? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
First leaked by Autoblog China, images of the vehicle, also known as the Geely GT, show a slick sports car that already is drawing comparisons to Ferrari and Maserati — and even Maybach. This is, of course, before any details about the car's powertrain or chassis have been revealed.
On the lighter side, more than one European blog is referring to the Tiger as the "Chinese Batmobile" (in local languages).
The automaker's production plans are uncertain, but Geely currently is selling the second generation of its Beauty Leopard coupe, also known in China as the Mybo. It apparently plans to position the Tiger well above the Beauty Leopard in terms of price, and is showing the concept with a new logo embedded in the hood — perhaps a teaser for a new high-end sub brand.
Geely, which missed the previous Beijing auto show in 2006, appears to be pulling out all stops for the 2008 event with plans to exhibit nearly two dozen vehicles, including the Tiger, the Panda and a five-door version of the King Kong, as well as several new models from its sister brand, Maple.
What this means to you: Do we detect a wild-animal theme running through Geely's car names? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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