There’s a reason why the camouflage on this tester
spied on European soil by one of Carscoops’ readers reminds of BMW prototypes.
As it turns out, it’s not a Mercedes-Benz GLB, as we originally thought, but a
Brilliance V7 crossover. For those of you not familiar with the brand name, Brilliance is one
of the BMW Group’s Chinese partners.
In fact, the German carmaker took
advantage of China’s change of heart in regards to foreign companies owning a
majority stake in joint ventures amid the trade disputes between China and the
USA. The Chinese government gave BMW permission to acquire more than 50 percent
in its joint venture with Brilliance, with the Germans said to up their
ownership to at least 75 percent.
These images were sent
in by Per Orslien and show the seven-seat crossover being transported on the
back of trailer traveling towards the Swedish boarder.
We’re not sure why the Brilliance V7 is being tested
in Europe, as it made its Chinese auto show debut in production trim this past
April (see photos below), but aside from BMW having its own engineers make some
final touches and/or observations, there’s always the possibility of the
Germans looking to offer the car in other markets outside of China.
