Qoros' big expectations for its new sporty SUV in China

Young Chinese automaker Qoros released its Qoros 5 SUV at the Guangzhou auto show, pinning its hopes on the model to boost lackluster sales.

Before its debut, the joint venture between China's Chery Automobile and Israel Corp had three models in the auto market, with sales totaling around 1,400 units in October.

Sun Xiaodong, Qoros' sales chief, said he hopes the monthly sales of the SUV will hit 3,000 units after its market debut in March.

SUVs are the fastest-growing segment in China despite sluggishness in the overall market.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China sold 4.08 million SUVs from January to September, a 46.7-percent surge year-on-year.

Qoros' new C-class SUV boasts a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and generates top torque of 230 Nm. It is priced between 150,000 yuan ($23,517) and 220,000 yuan, higher than many medium- and large-sized SUVs made in China.

Many critics have argued that Qoros is pricing its SUV out of the market, but the automaker insists that the car is of a better quality than most models in the segment, including international brands.

"Carmaking involves about 2,000 to 2,500 steps. Most Chinese companies go about 800 to 1,000 steps... but we at Qoros follow the 2,500-step process," said Qoros CEO Phil Murtaugh.

"We don't take shortcuts. We produce good cars. Even some Western companies take shortcuts."

He said many international brands are taking the Qoros 5 SUV seriously, adding that Hyundai, Ford and Volkswagen engineers examined the model during the Guangzhou auto show.

The car is the first model that Qoros has released since it repositioned the brand in August. In years past, it had labeled itself an international brand but was blamed for being aloof from customers.

Since then, the company has made it clear that it is a Chinese brand that delivers products of international standard. It specified that its target customers are "a group who express independence and whom evolve ahead of the crowd and gain recognition".

"We are on the right path now," said Murtaugh.

He said traffic in Qoros showrooms from June through October was six times what it was in the first half of the year - October had 75-percent higher traffic than in June. Its sales from January to October have more than doubled from the same period last year.

Murtaugh said Qoros will enrich its portfolio with an electric SUV in January as new-energy vehicles gain momentum in China.

Qoros is expanding its sales network. It now has 70 dealerships in the country. That figure is slated to swell to 100 by the end of the year and 150 by the end of 2016, said Sun. It is also working with Internet companies to sell cars online.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/23/2015 page18)