4 Chinese Cars That Are Actually Pretty Cool

There are certain countries that dominate petrolhead discourse online for various reasons. Sometimes it's because they are huge manufacturers of cars. Other times it's a matter of quality, not quantity.

Italy, for example, is home to a number of beloved cars both modern and classic that have millions of fans around the world, but they're hardly a giant when it comes to manufacturing numbers.

So, what about China? Well, they are officially the world's biggest motor vehicle manufacturer, but you're very unlikely to find many car fans talking much about their favourite Chinese vehicles, whether that's online or in real life. China has developed an unfavourable reputation for cars that are cheap, copycats, and even worse; unsafe.

This, however, is very slowly changing. Chinese car brands and manufacturers have come a long way, and there are now models available that other countries may even be jealous of. So, up steps the topic for this weeks Rear View Prints blog! We've taken a look at some Chinese cars and rounded up 4 of our favourites.

We'd love to hear from any fans of cars from China in the comments, so please make sure you sound off in the comments section to make yourselves heard!

Nio EP9

As far as coolness goes as a concept, the NIO EP9 ticks a lot of boxes. It looks sleek, beautiful, and wouldn't be out of place in some type of awesome futuristic sci-fi film, which is rare for an electric car. Oh, right! Did we say it's an electric car? For our money, it's probably the best looking electric car ever made, though we are sure Tesla fans will have something to say about that.

This beast also gets a deserved tag of 'hypercar' for feats that include a tasty Nürburgring time of 6 minutes 45.9 seconds. Knowing all this, you can imagine it's not very accessible price-wise, carrying a hefty tag of 2.5 million. Plenty of time to save up until 2030, then.

Lynk & Co 01

The Lynk & Co 01 is very much a car of the future in more ways than one. Its design is awesome and fits perfectly into the modern mini SUV market, rivaling some of the best looking cars around in that category. It features a 10.2 media screen and voice control technology, sending us well on our way to living out Knight Rider fantasies.

Finally, it pilots a brand new way of purchasing through a subscription model. While it won't reach the North American market, it is being offered up in some European countries as of 2019.

Brilliance V3

The Brilliance V3 is a handsome subcompact crossover SUV. It's the best selling Brilliance car since its debut in 2015 and is popular for good reason. It's often referred to as the 'poor man's BMW i3' which could be considered a compliment at this point, given the history of people's issues with Chinese cars.

Its biggest selling point is the price; available for a rough exchange rate of just under 10,000. Not bad considering most comparable vehicles elsewhere in the world can sell for almost three or four times that.

Image: chinamobil.ru

Changan Raeton CC

The final car on our list is the elegant looking Changan Raeton CC. Much like the Brilliance V3, the Changan Raeton CC's strength lies in its seemingly exceptional value for money. For around the 11k mark you can get yourself a fully loaded model complete with a high tech infotainment system and a beautifully designed interior.

Looks wise, the Lexus inspired grille tops off a sporty type design that manages not to feel cheap and derivative, unlike a lot of other Chinese cars out there.

Thanks again for taking the time to check into our Rear View Prints blog. Make sure you check out all the cool car art and designs available on our main shopfront website.

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Until next time, folks!