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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-04 10:12

Chinese automaker Brilliance Auto, also known as Huachen, will have a big success in Europe as it keeps improving its car quality to meet the demands of local consumers, the brand's European importer said Tuesday.

"I'm so convinced that we will have a big success in the future. That is only a matter of time, and not a time of years, but of months," said Hans-Ulrich Sachs, managing partner of HSO Motors Europe.

Sachs said ahead of the 79th Geneva International Motor Show that he has had good cooperation with the Shenyang-based auto company for more than four years.

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"I see month by month the improvement of car quality, and I see how my partners in China get closer to the markets, and closer to the European demands," said the 56-year-old car industry executive, who successfully introduced Korean cars into Europe 17 years ago.

Despite the drop of car sales due to the ongoing financial crisis, all the world's major auto manufacturers are attending the annual Geneva show, and they will present more than 130 new models in world and European premieres, organizers said.

Brilliance Auto, which began to target the European market three years ago, has been attending the Geneva show since 2007.

This year it is showing four models, including a sporty BS4 station wagon.

"We are very happy to be here for the third time. The size of our booth has doubled compared with last year's," Sachs said.

"And we're quite happy that we have a European premiere here in Geneva with this lovely BS4 wagon. I'm very sure this car will have a big success in Europe," he added.

According to Sachs, HSO Motors Europe and its distributors sold roughly 1,000 Brilliance cars in Europe last year, far lower than the original target, largely due to the restrictions of new European regulations.

He expressed hope that Brilliance could get a so-called single type of the EU approval at the end of April and then the Chinese cars can be sold across Europe without any limitations.

"In 2009, we think we can sell 6,000 cars, and for 2010, we will sell even more, far more than 10,000 units," he said.

Sachs said the financial crisis is having "a very negative impact" for overall car sales in the world and no brand could make an exception.

But he believed that Brilliance would be "the winner in the future of markets" thanks to its right approaches, good quality and good price.

Sachs also cautioned governments not to have too much support for the car industry in the current crisis because that could lead to protectionism.

"I hope and I wish that all governments worldwide could find the right way to support the industry without protectionism, to enhance the global trading, trading for cars," he said.

"We think only open borders can give everybody a real chance to sell products, like for us, to sell fantastic Chinese products, Chinese cars in Europe," he added.

The Geneva Motor Show opened exclusively to media on Tuesday. It will open to the public on Thursday and last until March 15.