Though First Automobile Works - better known as FAW - was positioned in the E1 Hall along with the so called 'second-tier' Chinese manufacturers at Auto China 2008 their presence was dominating, with seven new concept and production models revealed at the show.

The B50 was presented by FAW-brand Besturn, but the C-segment sedan -originally known as the B131 - was presented as a rendering that differs slightly to the final vehicle's design. This created some confusion among the media, some of whom searched for the B131 long after the actual vehicle was presented at FAW's lavish press conference.

Sharing its underpinning with the Mazda 6, the B50 looks to jump right into the mix of D-segment offerings, battling it out against the likes of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord (both cars expect to sell about 300,000 vehicles combined in China this year) in China's fastest growing market, in which domestic manufacturers have not had much success so far.

The overall styling of the B50, with the profile showing a hint of Chevrolet Epica, is simple and well resolved. There is a clear indication that the designers at FAW understood the current trend of the family sedan, witnessed by pulling back and raising the deck point back far enough to create a semi coupe-like profile. Its main styling is defined by a robust 'Ford-like' wheelarches and a two-step bodyside character line. Though there aren't any styling cues which are out of place, the detailing themes which pull the design together cannot be found either, creating a safe but indistinguishable car. What promised to be a competent design is further let down by the weak rocker panel and nonchalant front and rear details.

In a segment that competes against the Camry and Accord, Besturn looks like it will have a tough uphill climb. The B50 will go on sale from second half of 2008, fitted with 1.6-liter engine. A hybrid powertrain will follow.

Up until now, Shanghai Auto's sub brand, Roewe, has had to deal with criticism regarding the current design of the 750, which resembles a number of different vehicles - from the design of its emblem to its overall styling. But at Auto China 2008 Roewe had the last laugh with the release of the new 550.

Ever since the photos of the 550 were shown online, it instantly became one of the most anticipated new cars of the show, and indeed was the eye catcher at Shanghai Automotive's stand, which included number of brands including Ssangyong and MG, which it recently purchased from Nanjing Auto.

Seemingly based on the Roewe W2 concept presented at Shanghai last year, the Roewe 550 is a bona-fide production vehicle, with a simple yet refined design. Visually, all of the styling parts working in unison: the profile and proportion of the Roewe 550 is the main reason for its styling success. Closer to sedan coupe-like proportions - like the B50 - and with a high beltline to DLO ratio, even without a dominating styling theme its design is competent. Creating a solid stance by using a strong rocker panel to offset a rather narrow shoulder volume and with the single surface treatment of the front and rear surfaces and double 'bulge' type headlamps (reminiscent of the Jaguar XF) the 550 has been given European styling cues, not surprising since the design was led by British designers in SAIC's design studio in the UK.

The interior design of the 550, with a horizontal architecture showing visual cohesion and featuring wood grain finishing for a luxurious feel, is a great improvement. But its design is generally a bit 'stiff' and 'hard' compared to the exterior, and it lacks detail refinement.

Although there are more than a few styling details which may cause the design to lose its freshness rather quickly, that cannot take away any of the merit it has earned amongst the doubters who never imagined the Chinese market would demand such sophistication so swiftly.

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Roewe W2 concept - Shanghai 2007

Volkswagen's SAIC partnership has yielded the Lavida, meaning 'the life' in Spanish, unveiled at Auto China 2008. While the Lavida is dubbed the 'Mini Phaeton' by the Chinese press, it is much smaller and won't break the bank to purchase. But its exterior design certainly has a lot of similarities to its larger German sibling.

The overall design concept of the Lavida specifically targets the Chinese market, where automobiles are more about status symbols and ways to show off wealth than simply a mode of transport. So the styling solution shows deliberate familial resemblence to the VW flagship, even though the Lavida shares its platform with the VW Jetta and is only 100mm longer. The main body surfaces were kept restrained, with refinement given the top priority. With the horizontal 'Phaeton' three-bar grille, lower air intake, and details such as projection lens headlamps and chrome-plated bumper strips, the Lavida's exterior design and detailing demonstrates a number of luxury vehicle styling cues. The similarities to the Phaeton continue at the rear, where the tail lamp boundaries and bumper chrome molding - with rear parking sensors - complete a well detailed vehicle.

With such a huge population, diverse standards of living and the fast-changing market demands in China, the Wolfsburg-based company was wise to add another compact sedan in a vehicle portfolio which already includes the Passat, Sagitar, Bora and the Magotan, as well as older Jetta, Santana, Santana 3000 and Santana Vista models. A new sister model, the VW Bora, was also launched today.

The Lavida is a vehicle that might turn some people's heads outside of China, but for the market they have targeted it is right on point and should be a success for a company that calls China their second home.