New Chinese Carmaker Qoros Set for 2013 Geneva Motor Show Debut

Qoros, a play on the word "chorus," is already almost six years old, and unlike other start-ups we've watched over the years, appears to have spent that time working on a properly vetted automobile with the help of industry-standard suppliers.

Although the image above hints at three different vehicles, it's the C-segment sedan up front that will come first. The "elegantly proportioned" C11, a four-door planned for sale "to discerning young buyers in China and Europe" next year, was caught in camouflage this summer while testing in Europe. Designed by Gert Volker Hildebrand, who led the design for the return of Mini, it is said to have interior space above its class, "a strong focus on state-of-the-art technology," and "will be engineered to receive maximum ratings on Euro NCAP safety tests."

A 150,000-unit factory is currently being built, and once the C11 is launched Qoros envisions that the modular architecture supporting it will allow a new model to be introduced "almost every half year." That would explain the crossover-looking vehicles behind the sedan, and the hybrid and electric variants to be included among the range.