Top 10 new-gen cars unveiled at Beijing auto show

Shanghai, April 29 (Gasgoo.com) The following are the ten most popular new-generation cars unveiled at the 2008 Beijing auto show (April 20-28).

1. New Fit: Guangzhou Honda unveiled its all-new Fit at show and plan to sell later this year in China. This second-generation Honda Fit went on sale in Japan on October 26, 2007. Designed on Honda's "man maximum, machine minimum" philosophy, the new Fit is 20 mm wider and has a longer wheelbase (+50 mm) than its predecessor and the front pillar has been moved forward to create a more spacious interior. The displayed model features a 100 hp 1.3-litre i-VTEC or a 120 hp 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine.

2. New Teana: The 2008 Teana model, a production version of the Nissan Intima concept, is reported to be equipped with VQ25HR and VQ35HR engines mounted with 5-speed automatic transmission. The new Teana will sell in China and Japan in late 2008, in other Asian markets as well as Europe starting early 2009. In addition to getting a mass-market makeover, Nissan's new Teana will also be sporting a Teana badge.

3. New Fiesta: Ford revealed its all-new global small car, the Ford Fiesta, as a vibrant five-door hatch on April 20 at the Beijing auto show. The new Ford Fiesta has been remodeled for a new generation of customers as the first major product of Ford's new global product development process. The all-new Ford Fiesta will hold its global appeal because of its dynamic features created by the bold "kinetic design."

4. New Yaris: Toyota Yaris is one of Toyota's most successful models in term of sales. Guangzhou Toyota will produce the new Yaris. The new subcompact hatchback will come in two versions based on different displacement: a 1.3L engine and a 1.5L engine. And the model will go on sale in China, priced at 60,000 yuan ($8,580)-80,000 yuan.

5. New Mazda 6: The all-new Mazda 6 made its China debut at the Beijing auto show this month and will be locally made for the Chinese market later this year along with its predecessor. The new model range offers more space, performance and other improvements with fuel consumption down by up to 11% because of weight loss. The new Mazda 6 has been designated as one of the courtesy cars for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

6. New Bora: The new Bora, a mid-class sedan designed by FAW VW made its debut at the Beijing auto show. The New Bora will ideally blend into the urban environments of China. The new Bora measures 4,540mm long, 1,743mm wide and 1,467mm high. The New Bora is intended for Chinese families as a practical, high-end, versatile and dynamic companion for every day.

7. New Accord: Honda's new Accord model comes with either a four-or six-cylinder engine. The new Accord sedan is clearly an evolution of the current Accord. Although they don't share any body panels, the overall silhouette is the same, with the difference lying in the details. There's pumped up guards, wider body, more aggressively angular head- and tail-lights and a few more curves and slashes here and there.

8. New Excelle: The front of the new Buick Excelle had been redesigned to fit the brand's global family design, while interiors and handling had been upgraded to cater to Chinese customers. The model is to hit the market in May, in seven versions with 1.6L to 2.0L engines. This is the first remodeling of the Buick Excelle, which is one of the top-selling three sedans in China, with sales of more than 700,000 since it was launched in 2003.

9. New Aveo: The revamped Chevrolet Aveo hatchback is made by Shanghai GM and costs from 69,900 yuan (US$9,845) to 97,900 yuan. The all-new Chevrolet Aveo will be available with a highly fuel efficient 1.2-liter engine in the second quarter. The revamped Aveo is among the first batch of products after Shanghai GM announced its Drive-to-Green strategy in January to launch fuel economy and low emission engine technologies this year.

10. New Elanstra: The face-lifted 2009 Hyundai Elantra unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show has a completely redesigned front end compared to the U.S. model, inspired by the i30 and Elantra Touring models. Featuring a new front and rear fascia, including new headlights, grille and bumper, the upgrade gives the Elantra a more upscale look to boost its appeal in the Chinese market.