Frankfurt Review: Chinese Brilliance BS3 Coupe

Despite the recent catastrophic crash-test results of the BS6 from ADAC, Brilliance made its appereance at the Frankfurt Show. The Chinese carmaker had a nice stand in Hall 8.0 were it exhibited its full European vehicle line-up. The most interesting model and the one that grasped most visitors' attention was the compact coupe, BS3. The 4.48-meter long coupe is equipped with a 170 Hp, 1.8-litre turbo engine that allows it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.7 seconds; the top speed is 210 km/h or 130 mph.

If you're asking for our opinion, the first thing that popped up in our head was that we were looking at the Chinese alternative to the Hyundai Coupe (Tiburon). It doesn't look that bad but it certainly doesn't look great either. What really disappointed us though were the low-grade plastics and the mediocre quality of the cabin. Unless it drives like a Ford Focus and costs as much as Dacia, don't expect to be seeing a lot of these in Europe when it goes on sale next year. -Press release and high-res images after the jump

Press Release

BC3: The trendy city coupe

Brilliance JinBei is adding a sporty coupe to its model line-up with the BC3 show car. The 4.48 meter long, 1.81 meter wide, and 1.39 meter high powerhouse stands low and wide on its 18-inch alloy wheels. A 125 kW (170 HP), 1.8 litre turbo gasoline engine propels it from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.7 seconds; the top speed is 210 km/h. This engine, which was entirely developed in-house, is also used in the BS4 compact sedan. The BC3 comes with a choice of a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The precisely-tuned chassis of the two-door coupe meets the needs of sporty drivers.

Metallic paint, power steering, and alloy wheels are standard equipment in the BC3, along with automatic climate control, leather interior, parking assist, backup radar, power sunroof, power windows, and a CD sound station with high-quality speakers. The driver's seat provides good sideways support and is adjustable six ways. In the cockpit, chromed instruments provide the driver with essential information.

The coupe is equipped with numerous safety systems. It comes with front and side airbags, three-point seatbelts with pretensioners, ABS, electronic brake boosters, an electronic differential lock, and disc brakes.

The powerful, dynamic design of the BC3 was independently developed by Brilliance: The front view is defined by the extended hood and the clear glass headlights which extend far to the sides. The vehicle appears even wider and lower due to its deep front spoiler. The side view is also typical for a coupe. It underscores the distinctive character and is dominated by a long wheelbase, the passenger compartment which is set far to the rear with strongly angled A-columns, low windows, and the roof line which gently slopes to the rear. The design of the two-door coupe is rounded out by taillights that wrap far around the corners and give it a dynamic-sporty appearance from the rear.