Geely launches in Australia in February

[TheInterceptor]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/98121/ge...a-in-february/

Australian importer John Hughes will launch the Geely brand in Australia next month, when the first shipment of Geely MK sedans arrives in Western Australia.



Chinese Automotive Distributors will ensure the Geely MK will be Australia’s equal cheapest car with an $11,990 driveaway price, with power and space to rival the entire light car segment.



Powered by a 1.5 litre, four cylinder, petrol engine, the MK produces 69kW and 128Nm, so while weighing more than its rivals, the Barina Spark and Suzuki Alto, it has a better power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratio than both. It will only be available in manual to begin with.

Geely Sales Manager, Scott Chivers, told CarAdvice that while the first shipment will be manual, there will be an automatic Geely coming in the following months.



The Geely MK has a larger boot than its rivals, at 450 litres, meaning it will accomodate a much larger payload, while fuel consumption is higher than comparably priced cars, at around 6.3-litres/100km. Coupled with its 45 litre tank, it has a theoretical range of over 700km.

The colours available are black, white, grey, red and silver with metallics costing $395 extra.

Initally, the car will be sold in Western Australia only, as it will not be launched with electronic stability control. Chivers told CarAdvice that when the model receives an upgrade and automatic later in the year, ESC will be included. Only then can it be sold in the Eastern states, as Victoria’s mandatory ESC regulations would prevent the car being sold there right now.

It will come with ABS and dual front airbags as standard, as well as an MP3 compatible, four speaker CD/stereo, air conditioning and power steering.

Interesting....

[Ford_The_Win]

Mmm, just look at those quality finishes.. Such on-road presence...superb handling..and overall, safety...

Still, tight wads will buy them.

[Nikked]

Great, more broken english owners manuals...


Looks a bit like a barina. I wonder how is quality is compared to a Great Wall?

[Dezza]

I think I just vomited a little... then a lot when I saw the dashboard

[TheZHLANE]

Will this car be a deathtrap?

[DoreSlamR]

Welcome to the future of the Australian car market....

Low cost, Chinese imports.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

Welcome to the future of the Australian car market....

Low cost, Chinese imports.

That's how all of Australia's other markets have gone, what's stopping the car market? Go to Costco, buy broccoli imported from China and fruit from South Africa, get into your Geely, drive home and watch Two & a Half Men!

[jaskel]

oh i cant think of anything more annoying that having to llook in the middle to see my speed...YUK!

[fmc351]

So they now make them in RHD and ReftHD.

[MexicanBatman]

hahaha deathtraps for perth

LOL

[XRtowcar]

And plenty of people not planning to have an accident will buy them.

[pertuan]

I don't really understand where the hostility towards this car is coming from. Yes its low price and lower quality and most cars we get here but every company has to start somewhere. Hyundai was there some 15-20 years ago. Look at their cars now... excellent styling and good performance with positive technological outlooks. You can't expect to just start a car business and get Rolls Royce quality from day dot.

[DoreSlamR]

Originally Posted by pertuan

I don't really understand where the hostility towards this car is coming from. Yes its low price and lower quality and most cars we get here but every company has to start somewhere. Hyundai was there some 15-20 years ago. Look at their cars now... excellent styling and good performance with positive technological outlooks. You can't expect to just start a car business and get Rolls Royce quality from day dot.

Go back further, when "Jap crap" arrived, same deal really...

China is gonna flood the Aussie car market in years to come, maybe they'll improve their build quality over time, maybe they won't, either way they'll sell because to most a car is just a thing to get them from A to B.

I'm hesitant to say it but it'll probably kill the Australian built car market entirely.

[Spudz27]

This car will be a killer

[TheInterceptor]

I do remember viewing a crash test of a Geely, wasn't sure if it were this one...Scored one star iirc?

Is this the budget car at its finest? Abs, airbags etc...alot more than GWM's.

[Iggypoppin']

Flame me if you will, that dash looks a little EL, AU...the car itself is not to my taste at all..safety obviously isn't on the cards either..it's cheap for a reason I guess!

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Flame me if you will, that dash looks a little EL, AU...the car itself is not to my taste at all..safety obviously isn't on the cards either..it's cheap for a reason I guess!

AU steering wheel and maybe air con dials, yaris dash with that rediculous cluster location...

The yaris setup is

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

Go back further, when "Jap crap" arrived, same deal really...

China is gonna flood the Aussie car market in years to come, maybe they'll improve their build quality over time, maybe they won't, either way they'll sell because to most a car is just a thing to get them from A to B.

I'm hesitant to say it but it'll probably kill the Australian built car market entirely.

Even though it wasnt the norm, the Japs were building 2lt I6 triple carb, 4 wheel disc cars in the 60's though, I think it was the S54's. They were also running 5 speeds in the Prince Skylines while we were still chucking 4, and god forbid, 3 speed manuals in. Not to mention the R380's.

I agree the Chinese will improve, but thats probably not all that hard as they couldnt really do worse.


The Chinese cars dont stand up well to crash tests so far. And I havent heard of them doing anything outstanding, unlike the Japanese. Not that I would necessarily hear if they did, so Id happily be corrected if Ive missed something.

[block58]

Look at the fantastic fit and finish on the airbag cover, in fact, look at the whole interior and tell me that isn't a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.

You can say how Japanese and Korean cars used to be crap, and how they have gone to become something a lot better. But these Chinese cars are still at the beginning of that timeline, and are still pieces of junk.

There are a few better options out there (Micra, Spark, Alto, ...) which are in a similar price range, which begs the question: who would actually buy one of these?

[bungarra]

Maybe this will be thier luxury version import

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...-It-China.html

[AussieAV]

Found these two crash test videos for the MK, done in August 2008. An improvement on the older horror videos we've seen, but I still wouldn't want to be in one (especially in a side on impact).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3xkya4HxvI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUaF...eature=related

The Chinese will know that safety is a major hurdle to export markets. There is no way they aren't going to address the issues and bring the standards up.

[TS5019]

[kpcart]

People will buy these, just like they bought Jap cars when they came out 40 years ago, and just like they bought Korean cars when they bought them 20 years ago. Jap cars have since become great, and Korean cars are now becoming great. The Koreans have employed ex-audi engineers and others to make there cars better, Im sure China will go the same way.
People will buy these because they are cheap, they are already buying those Great Wall utes, you see many around. What i dont get is why dont they just buy a good second hand car instead of a crap new car?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by kpcart

People will buy these, just like they bought Jap cars when they came out 40 years ago, and just like they bought Korean cars when they bought them 20 years ago. Jap cars have since become great, and Korean cars are now becoming great. The Koreans have employed ex-audi engineers and others to make there cars better, Im sure China will go the same way.
People will buy these because they are cheap, they are already buying those Great Wall utes, you see many around. What i dont get is why dont they just buy a good second hand car instead of a crap new car?

I don't think they will sell as well as some people are suggesting. Yes, they are cheap, but not cheap enough to justify that dodge interior, dodge safety and dodge resale. Lets not forget the 'stigma' associated with these cars.

Being the cheapest on the market is good, but bad as well. I read last week that the Tata Nano is hardly moving off the showroom floor (sales down 85% of projections), yet the next cheapest car (which is almost twice the price) has been going gang busters.

According to the article these cars are up against the like of the Spark and Alto. Both are MUCH MUCH better than the Geely and for not much more money.

Who in their right mind would not spend the extra $500-$1000 to get a more recognised brand with better model history that is backed by a more reputable company?

I think they need to be a scrape over $10k drive away to be a real threat.

Hell, even the Proton S16 looks like a more desirable care compared to the Geely, and that is also $11,990 drive away.

[flappist]

The early chinese computers were unreliable piles of junk but they were cheap.

Now almost all basic computer equipment is made there and carries all the big names.
Where was your TV, fridge, whatever made?

The Chinses are not stupid, they will copy whatever they need to and employ engineers do design new technology, just like the Koreans, just like the Japanese.......

As far as aethstetic value, it was only about 10 years ago that the AU falcon was almost universally lambasted as the ugliest car in the world, now many different new cars are similar in shape and NOBODY would buy a square boxy looking car like a XY or XD.

If you want to keep Ford Falcon alive and Australian buy a NEW one not a second hand one because it is cheaper.
If you have $40k to spend and buy a NEW XR6 as opposed to a second hand XR8 you are helping keep Ford going because if people don't keep buying new Falcons then one day there will only be secondhand ones and that would be a tragedy.

See many Valiants anymore?

[bigsta]

this car is and looks like crap.

So who would buy one when you can buy a Korean made barina for the same $$$ and get alot more features and safety for your $


It wont mean the end for the locals at all

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by bigsta

this car is and looks like crap.

So who would buy one when you can buy a Korean made barina for the same $$$ and get alot more features and safety for your $


It wont mean the end for the locals at all

I dont think that was the claim, as in this one alone will kill off local cars. But the next handful of years (say 10-15) of them might.


Chrysler
Mitsubishi
Nissan

The brands may still exist, but they arent making them here anymore.

[NC_Lane]

from what I can see, for the likes of China/Chinese brands, Australia is negligible market, compared to its self, and the rest of Asia where most of these cars are targeted to.

Having lived in Asia, unfortunately Australian/American cars have as low a perception among the locals as Chinese cars. Jap / Euro cars rule in these regions.

Where ours and the American can industry is going down, these Chinese cars are gaining market share, making more money and then having more to invest in R&D where as we are getting less and less.

This is the same as what happened with electronics, where they start driving the other players out, or the others bring in their manufacturing to China.

Its a sad fact, but we really are a small fish in a very big sea...

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by flappist

The Chinses are not stupid, they will copy whatever they need to and employ engineers do design new technology, just like the Koreans, just like the Japanese.......
?

This, they will progress faster the the Japanese aswell.

[HUNTER8]

"Initally, the car will be sold in Western Australia only, as it will not be launched with electronic stability control. Chivers told CarAdvice that when the model receives an upgrade and automatic later in the year, ESC will be included. Only then can it be sold in the Eastern states, as Victoria’s mandatory ESC regulations would prevent the car being sold there right now."

How ridiculous is that?
Can be sold in WA but not Vic?
So you can buy it in WA and drive it to Vic on your holidays?
Or do we assume that if you bought it in WA it would have fallen apart by the time you hit Vic?