Brilliance BS4 Splendor Sedan

a pictorial representation of the result.. which indicates that only the feet are highlighted as red, i.e. high chances of getting hurt, otherwise the remaining body is quite safe.. ADAC said that the BS4 got zero stars because it has no ESP.. strange isn't it :S

below is a very interesting read:

As per Euro NCAP procedures, a 40% offset frontal impact test at 64 km/h (40 mph) and a 50 km/h (35 mph) side impact tests were performed. As it can be clearly seen in the image above and the videos, the crumple zone is as it should be, and the passenger compartment appears to be intact. The doors are also still in good shape, and could be easily opened by a possible rescue crew. The main problems on this test were the bad positioning of the steering wheel and the high risk of injury of the driver's foot due to a weak floorboard and "sharp" pedals. ADAC gave the BS4 9 out of 16 points for the frontal impact; equivalent to 3 stars.

On the side impact test, the side airbags and a strong B-pillar helped the BS 4 achieve a 4 star rating, earning 13 out of 18 points. Because of seat belt's sizes, the impossibility to turn off the passenger airbag, and the "inadequate" warnings regarding transporting backwards baby seats on the passenger seat, the BS4 was given 3 stars for child safety (35 points out of 49).

Overall rating: 'Zero stars'
In spite of this, the car was given zero out of five possible stars, because of "new, more stringent guidelines". According to ADAC, the BS4 is "significantly safer than the BS 6," and "better, but not enough." A very interesting paragraph reads:

"By the old standards, the BS 6 tested in 2007 earned one single star. The BS4 would have achieved at least three stars by those standards. But the development of passenger safety technology in the past 2 years has advanced. And it is against these higher standards that the BS 4 has now to be measured, and the rating is: Zero Stars. Because of the lack of ESP, the BS4 loses its theoretical three stars again and remains starless in the crash test site. And rightly so: a car without ESP is not acceptable by today's standards."

Basically, what can be understood is that the lack of ESP (or ESC - Electronic Stability Control) obliterates the 3, almost 4 stars rating and brings it to exactly zero stars. At least that's what ADAC claims.

ESP in 2009 Euro NCAP
First, neither this test nor the BS6 test was officially ordered by Euro NCAP. Yet ADAC claims the score complies with the new rating scheme. However, according to Euro NCAP, ESC (or ESP) testing is still in its infancy. Hence, to encourage automakers to increase fitment, 3 points are awarded for a car with standard fit ESC. Mandatory ESC fitment is not expected until 2011, or possibly even later. The lack of ESC may decrease the final star rating, but it is not in any way reason to zero the rating. A good example is the Citroen C3 Picasso: evaluated according to 2009 standards, this car scored 4 stars adult safety (29 pts), 3 stars child safety (37 pts), and 2 star pedestrian safety (16 pts). The C3 Picasso obtained 0 points for ESC since it's not standard fit. Yet, the final star ranking was 4 stars! (4+3+2 = 4?). How?

source: Brilliance BS4 (i3 China)1

With fresh forms from the pen of the celebrated Italian designer Pininfarina will hold the Chinese manufacturer Brilliance at the second attempt on the German market. Asked that the 25 October for the 124 German traders rolling Brilliance BS4 sedan, the mid-crash disaster can forget the larger BS6. Therefore, the 4.65-meter-long sedan offers in the basic variant for relatively cheap € 15 990 not only comfort details such as air conditioning, but also four airbags as standard. Electronic stability control is lacking, however. The baptism of fire in the EuroNCAP crash test, the BS4 Although not yet completed, according to internal tests, the Chinese expect, but at least a three-star results.

The engine range of the BS4 initially includes two four-cylinder gasoline engine of a collaboration with Mitsubishi and performance levels of 74 kW/100 hp and 100 kW/136 hp. A 125 kW/170 hp 1.8-liter turbo unit to complete the engine range of 2009 - a diesel is not available. For this to LPG versions will be offered from next year.

Yet the image of Chinese cars is a negative connotation. But as before, Japanese and Koreans also love the challenge and so the Chinese Brilliance starts again in Germany, the toughest car market in the world. This will not only help this time an advertising partnership with the football club Borussia Dortmund, but also Italian design, including cooperation with FEV Engine Technology Ltd., Aachen, will emerge from the later Euro 5-compatible petrol engine. Mitsubishi Large lettering on the blocks of the current engines and development of Porsche in the suspension tuning to provide further confidence. Indeed, the Brilliance BS4 first tests showed quite agile and dynamic.

The BS4 is quite spacious and comfortable on long stretches of motorway a sovereign glider. Therefore, the suspension tuning provides a successful compromise between comfort and sportiness, and good noise isolation. Only those who really wants to tackle quickly, will miss the dynamic of the European middle class. After all, Brilliance importer HSO Motors models VW Passat, Skoda Octavia, Renault Mégane and Audi A4 is one of the competitors. But to keep up because, among other things, the steering would be even more precise. And can the mileage and the consumption of the two tied acting, not a little temperamental match of gasoline BS4 with European competitors.

Surprisingly, the quality impression left by the sedan. The interior materials do not work as cheap as in other Chinese cars, the unpleasant odors were significantly reduced and almost everything is assembled properly. Until the high quality level of current Europeans or Japanese, but still missing a lot. Too cheap the plastics are still active to some strange combination of colors and some rough seams and material transitions. There are at least good facilities in the "Deluxe" version with air conditioning, electric sunroof, alloy wheels and parking aid.

Almost unrivaled affordability are the prices of the BS4: Up to 8000 €, the advantage is the competition. However, this perspective, taking into account the higher depreciation, difficult resale and the thin dealer network. This is the tough competition in the already crowded and highly competitive medium. However, Brilliance expects already for next year with up to 4000 approvals in Germany. Perhaps improve the chances of the Chinese, when complement other models on offer. Steps should be 2009, the BS4 wagon, the compact coupe to BS2 and a chic focal point of the showrooms. For 2010 are hybrid engines for 2011 and announced a mini-van.

source: Fahrbericht: 2008 Brilliance BS4 Test-Bericht – Bilder2

Brilliance BS4 review by Insideline, bit old now but a good read:
2008 Brilliance BS4 First Drive

While the long-promised Chinese car invasion makes for bold headlines, the fact remains that not a single one has set tire treads on U.S. soil. Of the five Chinese manufacturers that displayed vehicles at the recent Detroit auto show, none have offered concrete plans as to how and when they'll sell cars here.

In Europe, however, that day has already arrived. Chinese cars are here, and more are coming. And we've driven one of the most promising examples, the 2008 Brilliance BS4 sedan.

Less Than Brilliant Beginning
If the 2008 Brilliance BS4 rings a bell with you, it's probably not in a good way. Video footage of Brilliance's midsize BS6 sedan being crash tested in June 2007 by Germany's ADAC automobile club has spread across the Web like digital wildfire.

The tests indicated that the Brilliance BS6 offered abysmal crash protection. No surprise then, that the BS6 received one star out of five, ADAC's lowest possible rating.

Some might argue that this performance should have sunk Brilliance's plans for Europe. But the Shenyang-based company fought back, regrouped from the bloodbath of bad press and hired German engineering powerhouses to rectify the BS6's structural flaws. (Brilliance execs refuse to go on the record as to which engineering companies were involved, but testing was conducted at IDIADA Automotive Technology in Tarragona, Spain.)

Less than 90 days after the initial crash tests, a safer and stronger BS6 appeared on the Brilliance stand at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. The company expected the reworked version would ultimately receive a three-star crash rating in Europe.

A Brilliant Lineup
Even more important than the revamped BS6 on display in Frankfurt was the presence of three other models on the corporate stand. These included the BS2 hatchback, the lithe-looking BS3 coupe and the compact sport sedan we were ultimately invited to drive: the BS4.

The Brilliance BS4 is essentially a downsized version of the BS6 platform and it's available in two trim levels, Comfort and Deluxe. The BS4 Comfort comes standard with air-conditioning, an eight-speaker audio system with CD changer, power windows and cast aluminum wheels. The Deluxe model adds leather seat upholstery, automatic climate control, a power sunroof and a CD player with MP3 capability. Prices have still not been announced for the BS4, but we estimate a loaded BS4 in Deluxe trim will come in around $23,000.

HSO Importers Europe, Brilliance's distributor in Europe, is located in the German port city of Bremerhaven. Tucked in a side street behind bustling factories and towering warehouses, we nearly miss the unassuming two-story office building. Thankfully, a grayish-blue BS4 sedan parked outside — not to mention a couple BS6s — provide a hint that we're in the right place.

According to Brilliance's corporate information, the BS4's exterior is the handiwork of Pininfarina — not unexpected, as both Japanese and Korean automakers have sought out Italian design houses to give their vehicles international appeal. Of course, other information from HSO Importers Europe also gives some credit for the BS4 to Italdesign, and the strangely snooze-tastic lines of the BS6 are also attributed to the firm.

No matter who designed it, the BS4 is far from being a jaw-dropping Italian sex machine. It measures 183.1 inches overall, 71.0 inches wide and 57.1 inches tall. This makes the BS4 about the size of a Mazda 6.

A Better Brilliance
The Chinese vehicles we've seen at auto shows usually have panel gaps big enough for a kitten to hide in, wavy body panels and crude interior plastics that make the interior of a 1:43 scale Matchbox car look luxurious. Fortunately this isn't quite the case with the BS4.

The fit of the exterior panels is good. The interior is a substantial step forward from the mishmash of hard plastics in the BS6. The major controls have a higher-quality feel, the plastics generally match in terms of color and fit and the seating position is comfortable. But there's room for improvement, as we can tell by the brittle action of the turn signal stalk, the swaths of ghastly plasti-wood on the dash and a warped lid for the glovebox.

The rear seat has decent room for two large people or three small ones. The trunk offers 15.1 cubic feet of luggage space, although the opening is small and the rear seatbacks don't fold down to expand the space.

Smooth Ride, Rough Gearbox
The streets of this port city on the North Sea are wide but bumpy. They don't abuse a car's suspension like the frost heaves of roads in Detroit, but we think the BS4 copes well with bumps and cobbles, and the 205/55R16 tires probably help. Occasionally we hear small pebbles pinging against the wheelwells, and we're told this preproduction model doesn't yet have inner fender liners.

Overall the BS4 feels as if it's pretty well planted on the road, and not as cushy as the soft-riding BS6. It's about what you'd expect ridewise from a car developed in a country where speeds are low (remember the first Korean cars?), and it fits in well with entry-level European econoboxes.

Too bad that the five-speed manual transmission feels more like what you'd find on the average riding lawn mower. The shift action is vague and the gears engage with a clunk, though naturally Brilliance promises this will be rectified for production models. Thankfully, a four-speed automatic is on the way for the Brilliance BS4 later this year.

Autobahn Power
There's a 136-horsepower 1.8-liter inline-4 from Mitsubishi under the hood of this compact sedan, but it doesn't pack much punch. Brilliance estimates the BS4 will accelerate to 60 mph in 13.0 seconds, which suggests this engine isn't up to the task of motivating 3,120 pounds.

Of course, nothing showcases a horsepower deficiency like tearing down an unrestricted stretch of autobahn. When you press the gas pedal to the floor, the BS4 slowly gathers pace and the four-cylinder's hum turns into a raspy growl. Imagine a Honda four-cylinder with a sore throat, and you're close to the sound a BS4 makes at 100 mph. Road and wind noise increase several octaves, too. Yet the BS4 doesn't embarrass itself, even at speeds that in America would win you the coziest cell in county jail. The speed tops out at 121 mph if you can wait that long.

Glancing in the rearview to make sure no one's behind, we dab the four-wheel disc brakes and the car quickly sheds speed to a more relaxed 70 mph. ABS is standard equipment, but there's as yet no sign of traction control, much less electronic stability control.

A 1.9-liter diesel and a turbocharged, 168-hp 1.8-liter inline-4 arrive later this year. Before upping the BS4's power, Brilliance's engineers will want to tweak the numb speed-sensitive power-assisted steering, as it lacks the dynamic edge promised by the BS4's image as a bargain sport sedan.

Big Bang for Brilliance
Brilliance was founded in 1990 and has become China's 16th-largest automaker. It had sales of $1.3 billion in 2006, largely on the strength of its auto parts business in China and the sales appeal of its commercial minibus. Brilliance is also BMW's partner in joint ventures within China, and builds the 3 Series and 5 Series there.

Professor Hans Ulrich-Sachs, the former Volkswagen executive who is the chairman of HSO Motors Europe, tells us that 2008 represents what he refers to as "the big bang for Brilliance." Friendly and matter-of-fact, Sachs doesn't boast about expected sales figures or promise impossible deadlines. For now, he says the company is focused on introducing new models and establishing dealerships in Germany and throughout Europe.

By the middle of this year, the Brilliance BS6 sedan, BS4 sedan and BS3 coupe should be on the road. A small station wagon and the BS2 hatchback will arrive at the end of the year. As the volume leader of the brand, Sachs says that the compact BS2 hatchback will be especially important. There's talk of 15,000 sales in Europe this year and the company is targeting 100,000 sales within five years.

The BS2 had better be good, since the 2008 Brilliance BS4 lacks the complete array of safety features that even consumers interested in entry-level cars now demand. The lack of traction control or stability control needs to be addressed immediately. This is not only a matter of safety but also of marketing image, as Brilliance must counter stereotypes of poor Chinese quality.

Apparently Brilliance expects to begin exporting cars to the U.S. within two years, and it's already doing durability and crash tests. But Chinese car manufacturers (and the financial media that follow them so closely) would be wise to learn that making splashy headlines at auto shows is much easier than building cars that compete head to head with the world's best.

latest news: Brilliance/Zhonghua Auto | Brilliance officially stops exporting to Europe, no plans for resumption! | China Car Times1

Brilliance were one of the first Chinese automakers to hit the roads in Europe, they went alongside Landwind and found out that Europe is not the fair play ground that they had originally imagined. ADAC, a German motoring organisation carried out some rather unofficial crash testing on the Brilliance BS6 and ultimately destroyed any chance of it being sold in the EU in its current form, add onto the fact that Brilliance’s European distributer folded late last year leaving Brilliance out in the cold so to speak.

From Reuters:

Brilliance Auto, BMW’s partner in China, has halted its car exports to Europe after its in-house designed BS4 and BS6 met with a cool reception and there is no timetable for resumption, senior company executives said on Thursday.Cyclical Consumer GoodsThe executives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the company would look to start sales again in Europe with products that could meet new EU emissions standards sometime in the future.Brilliance had in 2006 secured a deal to ship 158,000 sedans to Europe over a five-year period, the largest auto order ever for a Chinese manufacturer from a developed market.But sales volume of its BS4 and BS6 sedans only amounted to a few thousand after the models scored poorly in crash tests.Brilliance executives also blamed the poor reception for the sedans in part on the difficulty of keeping up with changing European regulations.”We have stopped exports to Europe. For now, we have no timetable for resuming the business,” a senior Brilliance executive with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. He declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

It is no real loss to Brilliance at this stage, as the Chinese market is still very hot and the European market remains lukewarm at best. Brilliance have some real hurdles to cross over on their way back into Europe in the next few years however, but with more car building and R&D experience, as well as input from BMW they are likely to come back much stronger, and much wiser than before.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a rumor about Brilliance abandoning the European market spread online. The media jumped the gun on the story. Brilliance’s distributor in Europe, HSO Motors had declared bankruptcy a year earlier and it appeared that one of the first Chinese forays into the European market had not completely failed, in spite of claims that Brilliance wasn’t giving up just yet.

Without their importer, Brilliance will do it alone this time around. Autohaus Online reports that Brilliance is opening their European headquarters in Ginsheim, Germany under the name “Shenhua Europe GmbH”. Former Hyundai Europe manager Eberhard Niering is the CEO of the new company.

Shenhua Europe will take over operations, dealing with warranties, spare parts and managing dealers. Niering told Autohaus that “Brilliance would like to establish themselves in Europe with their products over the long term.” Now it will depend on Brilliance and their ability to supply competitive vehicles to achieve this goal.

source: Brilliance/Zhonghua Auto | Brilliance opens European headquarters, to resume activities | China Car Times

The 2010 Brilliance BS4 with a slightly reworked front & rear end displayed at Beijing Auto Show 2010..

Exterior

Interior

The new Brilliance BS4 Zhonghua Junjie was introduced on July 8. Up to seven car types with 1.6L, 1.8L, and 1.8T engines are available for customers with pirces ranging from 88,800 to 158,800 yuan (11.11 lac PKR to 19.87 lac PKR).

source: New Brilliance Zhonghua Junjie enters market - GlobalTimes1