File:Brilliance Splendor.jpg

English: Place: Foshan, Guangdong Province

Chinese name: 中华骏捷 (zhōnghuá jùnjié) Year of launch: 2005

Zhonghua, better known as Brilliance, was established in 1992 and started making passenger cars in 2000 with the Zhonghua Zunchi (Brilliance Grandeur), a beautiful sedan styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and without a doubt the most impressive Chinese car when it was launched. It was restyled in 2004 by Pininfarina, when it received a new front end and some minor changes on the back. It was followed in 2005 by the Zhonghua Junjie (Brilliance Splendor), a smaller sedan designed by Pininfarina as well. The Splendor is basically the same car, but with a chopped off front and rear end. It otherwise shares its platforms, doors, roof and 2790 mm wheelbase with its larger sibling. 2006 saw the launch of the Zhonghua Kubao (Brilliance Coupe), followed by the FRV in 2007, which entered production one year later as Junjie FRV (and Junjie FSV sedan). Brilliance was among the largest local carmakers and the company had great ambitions and entered the European market with the Brilliance BS4 (Splendor), BS6 (Grandeur) and the BS2 (FRV) and BC3 (Coupe), although the latter ones never made it. Brilliance had hoped to sell almost 160,000 cars over a five-year period throughout Europe, but it sold just 954 units until 2010, when Brilliance pulled the plug out of its European operations.

The Brilliance Splendor (Chinese name: Zhonghua Junjie, Brilliance BS4 in Europe) came in saloon and wagon body styles, the latter one was also offered in rugged and raised Cross version.