Chery Alpha 7 And Beta 5 Concepts To Go On Show In Shanghai

Chery has whipped the covers off its Alpha 7 and Beta 5 concept cars just days ahead of their expected debut at the Shanghai auto show. 

The Alpha 7 is a small sedan that's expected to be called the A4 when it eventually enters production.

Powered by a 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engine, the Alpha 7 concept takes drive to the front wheels via a six-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission and rides on MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension.

A 94kW naturally-aspirated 1.6 petrol with a CVT transmission is expected to be offered in the production car.

Key features of the Alpha 7 include keyless entry, a push-button starter, electronic parking brake and climate control, as well as a cloud-based infotainment system that allows the car to be locked, unlocked and started via a smartphone app. 

The Beta 5 was also previewed this week, and showcased an edgy design language with prominent LED daytime running lamps and a bold, distinctive front end.

Details on the Beta 5 are still scarce, but current speculation says the production car will launch in 2015 and utilise both a 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated petrol and a 1.6 litre supercharged engine, with 96kW and 112kW respectively.

As for whether there's potential for either car to come to Australian showrooms, it's too early to say. 

The current range of Chery offerings comprise the J1 and J3 small hatchbacks, plus the J11 SUV.