Geely presented an assortment of 11 concept cars at Auto China in Beijing this year - from a small electric car to a limousine and including sports cars, off-road jeeps, pickups and SUVs. It was an elaborate effort to test customer perception to Chinese automaker's various proposals as the company searches for a consistent design direction for its Englon, Gleagle and Emgrand sub-brands.

On the showstand, most of the local media's attention was on the Gleagle GS - an entry-level 2+2-seater fitting into the ‘Global Eagle' range. Geely claims the GS was created to appeal to Chinese youth, but it is evident that the designers were equally naïve in the creation of the design: there are some basic proportion mistakes, such as the front fender reaching its highest point before the center of the front wheel; the shoulder line creates a busy hollow double curvature along the body side; and the front and rear fender lips accentuate the heaviness of the car's body side. The fact that the roof/pillar curvature - made on a single constant section and in a continuous radius - lacks tension, that the DLO and beltline have minimal plan shape and the virtual lack of any tumblehome further detracts from the exterior design.

Unlike the exterior, surprisingly significant care was given to the interior surface and feature details. The IP is well-proportioned, the center console fits a multi-function screen, and the dash has a fine sporty flow through the door panels. Even the color choice is in tune with the concept: a subtle red that gives it a sense of occasion. The only elements that let down the interior are the grain and emboss chosen in leather and plastic, otherwise it is comparable to that of any established manufacturer.

Though Geely has made substantial strides in both material and quality perception, the design of the Gleagle GS was an opportunity missed. The car's lack of attention to detail and overall failure to adhere to typical design rules regarding proportions and details unfortunately let down what could have easily been an interesting new entry-level small coupe design from the Chinese automaker.

At first sight, there appears considerable overlap with this latest model and the Roewe 550, but the 350 uses an all-new smaller platform developed by parent company SAIC, with a new 1.5-liter engine, a generous 2650mm wheelbase and overall length of 4521 mm — roughly 100mm shorter than the 550. As such, it's targeted directly at the core of the Chinese compact sedan market, especially the best-selling Lavida and Bora models from VW. With such a huge population and the fast-changing market demands in China, the Shanghai-based company is wise to follow VW and add a second compact sedan to their line-up.

Styling follows existing Roewe themes with the most obvious differences from the 550 including a less coupe-like DLO and a stronger shoulder bone line with a subtle twist in the top surface. In side view, the placement of the door handles on the bone section gives some similarities to a BMW 3 Series, but overall, the design quality seems closer to mainstream domestic Chinese models such as the new BYD G3 than on  par with anything with European premium pretensions. There's a new grille design with a single wavy bar and a center Roewe emblem, but much of the remainder of the exterior detailing and graphics seems lackluster.

Sitting in the car confirms the good package, especially rear seat space. The specification is fine too, with an impressive InkaNet 3G multimedia system on top models, including gesture screen control, as on the i-Phone. The high contrast color scheme established with the 750 continues, with a black upper IP and door tops and stone beige color for the remaining interior environment. And while the forms used in the styling are not as 'stiff' and hard as the 550, the detail refinement is again poor, especially in the center console area between the front seats finished with cheap cubic-printed wood, and the attention to tactile quality doesn't reach the standards set by the VW Lavida.

This concept from Chana was one of two featured on the stand. Designed by their European studio in Turin, the concept sends a confusing message in some views, such as rear ¾. It feels like a very orthodox D-segment hatchback — think Mazda 6 — dressed in an aero/rally party frock, but in essence, it's a preview of the forthcoming hatchback version of the popular Chana Z-Shine D-Segment sedan, which was launched in 2008 and is a key model for Chana's sales in China.

The glasshouse and pillar treatments are the most interesting area of the design: it's yet another another concept where the C-pillar floats away from the glasshouse, like a Ferrari 599 or Hyundai iFlow (also shown at Beijing) and the A-pillar follows the Opel Flextreme GT/E design where body color stops short of the beltline, instead turning outwards into a slim 'door mirror' or rather, a support for the rear view cameras and DI lamps.

The C201 was presented as a see-through milled model, with no interior. According to design chief Luciano d'Ambrosio, the matte green-gold body color was a very late decision, which possibly explained why the green tinged tail lamps appeared odd, a bit of an afterthought. There's a traditional use of carbon fiber for many body aero parts including the front splitter and rear diffuser and those odd rear wheel spats, whose design seemed to add yet another layer of fussiness to the design. There's an 'aero wave' motif used throughout the design, for instance on door handles, C-pillar, headlamps, solar roof graphics, rear diffuser and the sunken section on the hood top for the radiator air outlet. Continuing the aero theme was the extensive use of body decals such as 'no step', 'push', and 'check A' too.

Overall, the mix of smooth aero-look, plug-in hybrid powertrain and old-school race or rally car ingredients seemed baffling and it wasn't clear what was the message for Chana as a brand or their future design direction.