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Beijing 2010: Geely Emgrand GT plug-in hybrid coupe

The Geely Emgrand GT is another example of the automaker's apparent seriousness about being considered a top-flight player in the industry. This coupe features classic sports car proportions and aside from the overdone grille, it looks quite attractive. The GT comes from Geely's new top-level Emgrand sub-brand and boasts some impressive specs. It's reportedly a plug-in hybrid with a 2.4-liter inline-four that churns out 160 horsepower and 165 pound-feet on its own.

That output is supplemented by a pair of 27.5-kilowatt hub motors that give the GT all-wheel-drive capability. Those motors each add 132 foot-pounds of torque as well. It's not clear, however, which axle is being driven by the combustion engine and which gets the motors. The Emgrand GT is targeted for a 2014 introduction.

Beijing 2010: Dongfeng shows off whitewalled, hand-crafted "Hummer"

"Hand-crafted" can be something of a double edged sword in the car business. Rolls-Royces and Aston Martins are hand-made treasures that show off their artisans' decades of experience. The attention to detail is obsessive.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are machines that look like they were haphazardly slapped together by some drunken hack in a toolshed. This Dongfeng "Hummer" falls solidly into the latter category.

The Beijing Motor Show presented our first opportunity to see one up close. Now, love 'em or hate 'em, a real H1 has that genuine military-industrial chic going for it. This vehicle, however, was a hot mess of the first order. The tires had painted-on whitewalls that looked as if they were applied by someone with a five-minute deadline, a paintbrush, and a gallon jug of Wite-Out. Truly, it's something very special to behold.

Beijing 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan

Along with a refreshed Phaeton, Volkswagen also pulled the satin off a refreshed Tiguan here in Beijing. Like the flagship, the Tiguan has adopted the new corporate horizontal bar grille that we've seen on other recent VWs, including the Mk VI Golf. As near as we can tell, not much else has changed. The new look serves the Tiguan well, giving its face a lower, wider appearance. We're guessing the refresh will hit U.S. shores this fall when the 2011 models arrive.

Beijing 2010: 2011 BMW 535Li ready for chauffeur duty

The Audi A8 L W12 isn't the only long-wheelbase saloon to debut at this year's Beijing Motor Show. BMW has a stretched version of the all-new 2011 5 Series that'll be built and sold exclusively in China. The limo-like Fiver is a full 5.5 inches longer than the standard 5 Series sedan, all of which accounts for additional rear legroom. New rear seat amenities like an entertainment system, adjustable sunblinds and a folding table are on hand, as well.

Spec-wise, the long-wheelbase BMW 5 Series isn't much different than the models sold in other markets. Three six-cylinder engines are available and eight-speed automatic transmissions are standard across the board. It may not be as over-the-top as Herr Audi, but we'd gladly go for a ride in the back of this upscale Bimmer any day.

Beijing 2010: Geely Gleagle GS

The first time we saw something that could roughly be equated to a sport coupe from Geely was a few years ago at the Detroit Auto Show. That red car had some enormous panel gaps and dubious styling. My, how times change. The star of Geely's new midrange Gleagle brand (we're pretty sure it doesn't come across as oddly in Chinese as it does in English) was the GS coupe.

Similar in size to Scion Tc, the GS is powered by a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline four producing 127 horsepower. It can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual clutch unit. If any Chinese automaker is going to make it to the U.S., Geely seems the most likely and its purchase of Volvo could even give it access to a sales network.

Beijing 2010: First Auto Works Red Flag limo is fit for government work

Beijing-based First Auto Works has long been the provider of the official transportation for the hierarchy of the People's Republic of China. Back in the 1950s, FAW started off building a localized version of the standard Soviet parade car, and over the past half century, they have evolved. FAW has also built licensed stretched sedans based on Audi and Lincoln vehicles.

Here at the Beijing Motor Show, FAW is showing off a new limo that is a modern interpretation those original models from the 1950s, but with a greenhouse and door array that looks more like a contemporary Rolls-Royce Phantom. We couldn't find any press materials written in English, but we have reason to believe that this machine is powered by a V12 engine that looks suspiciously like the one from the BMW 7 Series V12 of the late-1980s.

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