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China’s state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) pulled the wraps off its latest concept car at the Detroit auto show, and it’s electric. Dubbed Enverge, the battery-electric SUV wears svelte bodywork and sports traditional concept-car design cues such as butterfly doors, small cameras in place of exterior mirrors, and a massive digital dashboard display. GAC claims the Enverge can travel more than 370 miles on a single charge thanks to a 71-kWh battery pack.
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The concept is a promising look at what’s to come from the company, which officially announced plans to enter the U.S. market before the end of the decade. This isn’t just talk, either, as GAC will be attending the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in March to drum up support for a dealer network. While GAC sells its vehicles under the Trumpchi nameplate in China, the company said that it will forgo that name in the United States and instead will sell its cars under a market-specific brand name that is yet to be determined.
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One of the first models that GAC plans to sell in the U.S. market will be the GS8 crossover SUV. Equipped with three rows of seating, the GS8 is designed to compete with the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Toyota Highlander. The crossover is motivated by a turbocharged inline-four engine that mates to a six-speed automatic transmission.
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- GAC at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show
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What other vehicles GAC will bring to the States remains to be seen. However, given that the company also unveiled its new GA4 compact sedan in Detroit, it’s possible that this model could serve as an initial U.S. offering as well. In any case, GAC expressed confidence in its ability to successfully craft a vehicle that meets all U.S. safety standards and consumer demands. Look for U.S. sales of GAC vehicles to begin in 2019.
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