Euro NCAP crash test

Although Geely will not enter the UK market until the end of 2012, the Chinese manufactured Geely Emgrand EC7 has just undergone its Euro NCAP safety testing and has been awarded four stars. The other car models picking up four stars at the same time, were the Jaguar XF, Renault Fluence ZE, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Fiat Panda and MG6 so the Emgrand EC7 is in good company.

When the Emgrand EC7 arrives in the UK it will come with the choice of two body styles, four door saloons and five-door hatchbacks, with a choice of 1.5- or 1.8-litre petrol engines, with an automatic version for the 1.8-litre versions. The car will be priced competitively from around £10,000 and all models will come with  a five-year, 100,000 miles warranty.

Geely Auto UK is in the process of  recruiting its dealer network in readiness for sales to begin by the end of next year and the Euro NCAP results are a major step forward for the brand.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s Secretary General said,”These results mark a milestone for the Chinese automotive industry. It is a clear sign that Chinese car makers are building on recent experiences and rapidly investing in better vehicle safety. Even with the upcoming increased demands, five stars are expected to be within reach soon”.

Ford has announced the sale of its Volvo subsidiary to Chinese car-maker Geely for about 2 billion US dollars (approx £1.25bn).

With Ford having also sold Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover over the past three years that leaves the Detroit based car maker with three core brands, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury.

The deal is likely to be completed in the first quarter of 2010.