The verdict? Read for yourself. Translated the article. -CW
The Brilliance BS 6 is the first Chinese car on the German market. The technological assistance and knowhow came from Munich though.
The Brilliance BS 6 marks the start of the Chinese automotive expansion. Known as Zhonghua ("China") in China, the BS 6 was renamed for Europe but is not entirely a Chinese car. It relied heavily on foreign knowhow from Munich: BMW. Since 2003, Brilliance has been cooperating with BMW in China. They produce 3 and 5-Series for the Chinese market in a factory in Shenyang.
Outside, nothing hints at the relationship with BMW. The conservativ styled Brilliance is a styling mixture using old Honda Accord and Lancia cues. The interior ergonomics are terrible. The buttons for operating the windows are out of reach and so are the blinker and wiper controls. Not good.
Safety wise, the Brilliance BS 6 does not meet the standards of German cars. ESP and side airbags are not available and despite the manufacturers safety advertisements, the Brilliance only got 2 /5 stars in the European NCAP tests. The suspension tuning supposedly involved help from Porsche - but we don't feel it. The Brilliance does not handle like a BMW at all either. During normal and relaxed driving, the car drives normally, but in corners, the situation changes drastically. The steering is lifeless and is slow to react. The brakes are weak and overheat quickly.
We wonder what the "6" means when there is a 122-hp 2.0 4-cylinder engine under the hood. The engine comes from Mitsubishi and is decent. Power is also pretty decent until 140 km/h when the Brilliance runs out of breath and accelerates at an agonizing pace.
The warranty for the Brilliance is three years - something we feel is much needed thanks in part to the poor build quality. The interior shows appalling workmanship. Poorly glued surfaces and a nasty chemical smell.
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