The world debut of the GS4 is among a trio of vehicles shown by Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
GAC
Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd., GAC for short, is back in the Motor City after a year's hiatus, determined to make its mark on the world stage at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. To accomplish this, the Chinese manufacturer is offering show goers a glimpse of its lineup with three models on display.
GS4
GAC may have sold a million vehicles in China in 2014, but to say that the brand is unknown to American buyers is an understatement. So it decided to make a splash – albeit a smaller one since its display is not on the show floor – by giving its first compact crossover its world debut in Detroit.
The GAC GS4, although hardly a styling tour-de-force (despite its "light sculpture 2.0" and "flying dynamics" family design), is certainly handsome enough that it would look at home in any American driveway. Under the hood is a 1.3-liter inline-4 mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Production in China will begin sometime this spring and, according to a company representative, retail pricing will start south of $17,000.
GA6
GAC describes the GA6 as "a model developed on a brand new platform for the higher end market. It is dynamic in styling, representing the heights of the Chinese original design."
WITSTAR Concept
Making its North American premiere is the GAC WITSTAR Concept. Based on a sedan platform and powered by a hybrid drivetrain, the WITSTAR has a top speed of 100 miles per hour and a naught to 31 mph time of 4.5 seconds. Its all-electric range is 62 miles with an overall range of 375 miles, while its combined fuel economy is listed at better than 117.6 miles per gallon.
The manufacturer states that its "avant-garde design… reflects GAC Group's direction in making future smart vehicles."
We just like the inclusion of an aquarium between the rear seats.
