2009 Brilliance M3

Brilliance
Brilliance
The 2009 Brilliance M3 was the most prominently displayed of four vehicles on Chinese automaker Brilliance's stand. All four vehicles are currently on sale in China, and, per Brilliance, represent what the company could be exporting to the U.S. some day soon.

CG Says...
It's hard to say where Chinese makers really are in terms of bringing product to the U.S. Compared with the product displayed by Geeley in Detroit three years ago, the Brilliance family of cars seems positively well built. But a quick YouTube review of recent Brilliance crash tests indicates otherwise. The Chinese are definitely coming, but not nearly as soon as some people think.
A compact coupe, the Brilliance M3 comes standard with a turbocharged 168-horsepower 1.8-liter engine. Available features run pretty much along North American needs, and include a premium audio system, power sunroof, and leather seating.

Also shown were the M1 midsize sedan, and its upscale sibling, the M2. Both use the same turbocharged engine as the M3. Also shown was the subcompact FRV 4-door hatchback. The FRV comes standard with a 106-horsepower 1.6-liter engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.

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