While these brands and their accomplished assault on the mainstream segments cannot be disputed, I’ve more doubts about their move upmarket.
If you’re after an affordable family car, you’re probably prepared to reposition your perceptions or make some compromises to reduce your running costs or overall monthly bills. Badge loyalty – at least in this part of the market – isn’t what it once was, and the Chinese are making hay.
Yet I’m not convinced the same is true in the high-end or sports car space. If you’re spending serious sums on a car, the likelihood is you’re after something with a bit of history or heritage – and probably, a dash of charisma, too.
So it will be interesting to see how these new brands fare in these choppy, uncharted waters. We’ve seen plenty of premium manufacturers attempt to challenge the European elite, and with the possible exception of Lexus, they’ve all but failed. Only time will tell how many people are prepared to tell their mate down the pub that they’ve splashed a six-figure sum on a Denza or big bucks on an MG…
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