Photos and preliminary details of the upcoming Geely SS11 have been posted on China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) website, which Chinese media are reporting to be the fourth-generation Emgrand sedan. According to reports, the new Emgrand is expected to go on sale later this year, although there’s no pricing just yet. The sedan will be powered by a 1.5 litre naturally-aspired four-cylinder petrol engine (designated JLC-4G15B) that makes 114 PS, which is a slight improvement over the current model’s 109 PS.
Design-wise, the budget-friendly Emgrand
carries over its predecessor’s front grille with vertical slats (referred to as
the Geely 4.0 straight waterfall), which is a cue also seen on recent Geely
models like the Preface, Xingyue L, the facelifted Borui and Emgrand S hatchback.
The grille is now flanked by headlamps that have a sleeker shape to them, while
the lower apron gets more prominent fog lamp sections compared to the-outgoing
model. Down the sides, there’s a strong character line that runs above the door
handles, linking the tips of the front and rear light clusters, joined by
another upswept line between the wheels. The C-pillars have also been reshaped
to be more upright, unlike the old car’s curvy design.
Around back, we find another element of
Geely’s current design approach in the taillights that are bridged by a trim
piece bearing the Geely script. The clusters themselves are more angular in
shape for a more modern and cohesive look, and further downwards, the apron has
been tidied up to only show a diffuser-like element, with the exhaust outlets
hidden away.
The redesigned exterior is accompanied by
new dimensions too, with the fourth-gen car said to measure 4,638 mm long,
1,820 mm wide and 1,460 mm tall, with a wheelbase spanning 2,650 mm. That makes
it longer (+6 mm) and wider (+31 mm) than the current Emgrand, while having a
height trimmed by 10 mm – the wheelbase is identical. It is rumoured the new
Emgrand rides on the BMA platform like the Binyue.
There are no good shots of the interior
just yet, but a leaked photo of a prototype shows a thoroughly revamped
dashboard that proudly houses a touchscreen. The rest of the cabin also
features a new steering wheel design, more contemporary centre console and
fewer buttons for a minimalistic look, similar to the Preface.
