Geely Coupe concept

This was one of the most unique Chinese brand debuts of the show. Whilst from some angles the 'Beautiful Leopard' (to translate its Chinese name) is far from beautiful, it is quite a dramatic and appealing design.

Its long front overhang and forward leaning stance, from its short DLO and relatively upright windshield, give it a proportional quality similar to some of the seventies Lancia coupes - the Beta and the Monte Carlo. This similarity comes also from being more compact than most contemporary European designs.

The flat face of the car has six headlamps set into a large, unattractive matt grey surface, in the centre of which are circular holes that form the grille along with a simple chrome rim. This face, along with the unusual proportions and the striking surface that emerges up out of the rear fender to wrap around the wheel arch and form the trunk deck, make the car a very distinct design.

Like all of the Chinese brand concepts, the Geely coupe appears to be quite close to a final production design and from what we could see through locked doors, has a rather old-fashioned interior.

Buick Riviera concept

In many ways, the Buick Riviera concept is quite a landmark design. Despite being created in China by a Chinese design team at GM PATAC, this car was not heralded as a "Chinese show car", but as: "not East, not West... It's Buick".

In its domestic US market, Buick has been one of the least successful GM brands in recent years. But the brand is quite popular in China. Giving the Chinese design studio the responsibility to develop the Riviera - one of Buick's most illustrious model nameplates - and present it as the new direction for the Asian and North American market brand, underscores the significance GM places on the Chinese market.

The concept is a classic four-seat coupe in the idiom of Rivieras past. It is handsome, very well resolved, and was well-received by the design community.

Some of the more interesting elements to the design include front lamps that bleed back across the top of the fender, almost to the base of the A-pillars; running lights incorporated in the trailing edge of the large exhaust outlet; and a white-translucent door applique that lights up in a jade colour.

Car Design News spoke with the lead designer for the concept, Michael Cao, who explained how the design team "wanted the interior to feel really relaxing: to have no start and no end to the curves [inside the car]".

Design Review coming soon...

Roewe W2 concept

Roewe is the brand SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) created for the 750E sedan they now produce, having bought the rights to the Rover 75 design after MG Rover went bankrupt in 2005.

Although nearly as large as the 750E, the W2 concept is quite different in image, having a much more sports sedan flavour. Like many other Shanghai show debuts this year, the front features a 'drop-eye' lamp graphic that we first saw on the 1999 BMW Z9 concept, and a slightly busy face.

The most notable design element of the car is its sharply defined shoulder which innovatively pulls down through the rear light. Below this shallow shoulder is a sheer side surface, which, combined with its good stance, gives the car an athletic feel. Iy is the antithesis to the full volume flanks and robust feel of the 750E.

From what we could see through closed doors, the interior was quite a conservative production design - far less appealing that the lightly revised Rover 75 interior of the 750E.

The W2 is an appealing design, but with Roewe majored heavily on its mix of British and Chinese background, it would be a missed opportunity not to develop some on the best elements of the 750E design for any new production Roewe.