The as-yet unnamed sport-utility vehicle was designed by an international team headed by Peter Horbury. The British designer previously ran the design departments not only of Volvo but all of the brands under Ford's Premier Automotive Group (including Jaguar, Land Rover, and Aston Martin) before Ford divested itself from the brands and Geely took over in Gothenburg. Under his supervision, design work was said to have been carried out at Geely studios around the world, including California, Barcelona, Shanghai, and Sweden, melding Chinese and Western design influences. The company has also been ramping up its R&D program with thousands of new engineers in China and in Sweden.
With the new SUV, Geely aims to build on the success of the GC9 sedan, also designed by Horbury and released last year. Last month, the company reports, the GC9 outsold market leaders in China like the Kia K5/Optima and Buick LaCrosse to become the best-selling model in its market segment. That's an impressive feat to build on, particularly considering the enormity of the Chinese market. Local buyers can anticipate the arrival of the new SUV later this year.
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