GC9 is the First Geely Penned by Former Volvo Designer Peter Horbury

Chinese carmaker Geely Auto has released teaser photos of its upcoming GC9 flagship sedan, which will debut in November at the Guangzhou Auto Show.

The all-new model features Geely’s new design language and was developed by Peter Horbury, Volvo’s former styling boss who has been leading Geely’s design department since 2012.

Based on the KC Concept unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2013, the GC9 sedan promises to be Geely’s “most ambitious vehicle to date in terms of design, technology, safety and driving dynamics,” according to the press release.

The GC9 is the first vehicle to be developed by Horbury under his role as Chief Designer at Geely Auto, with the design language debuted on this model to be rolled out onto a new generation of Geely vehicles which are being designed simultaneously in Sweden, Barcelona, California, Hangzhou and Shanghai. I don’t know about you, but the GC9’s grille reminds me of Volvo’s 2011 Concept Universe, designed under the leadership of Peter Horbury, who at the time was Volvo’s design boss.

For the GC9, designers took inspiration from the side profile of jet fighters and supercars, as well as the stance of cheetahs at high speed. The interior is inspired by ancient Chinese stone bridges which were integrated into the dashboard and central area “to define smooth clear lines to separate key content areas via gentle curving lines that meet Peter’s goal of creating a light yet elegant interior.”

The GC9’s Chinese heritage is also shown by the dark wood and stitching lines down the center of the seat which reflect a traditional Chinese gown. No details were offered about the car’s powertrain, but we’ll hear about that when the GC9 sedan debuts at the Guangzhou Auto Show (November 20-29).

Story references: Geely Auto via Autoblog

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