The starting event of 2021 and the first in over a year is finally upon us! Hosted in China’s largest city, Auto Shanghai represents a massive and yet expansive market crucial to most automanufacturers today. As the world’s largest vehicle market, this show is a chance for any manufacturer to make a compelling good impression on the general public, in order to stand a chance amongst the tough and substantial competition.
Press days run from April 21st to April 28th. You must reveal your cars on or before the press days.
PRE- and POST-SHOW
Teasers and Pre-show reveals are highly encouraged. As always, we welcome the world’s automotive press to join us in covering the event.
Our full schedule for the upcoming year can be found here.
An economy car powered by a Turbocharged 2 Liter Inline 3 designed by the great engineers at Union Engineering that allows it to move deceptively fast, and to reach a, rumored 173 MPH. For those looking to safely transport their family from work to school, and for those looking for their next project car, UMC is proud to present it’s best work, the Virage.
Debuting at Auto Shanghai and designed by SurrealCereal, the Virage is planned to ship out in multiple variations and to carry Union Motor Cars’ Hatchback banner in the car market for years to come. A tuned turbo Inline 3, a NA Inline 3, and a 5.7 Liter OHV V8 special edition, meant to pay tribute to a certain engine beloved by tuners worldwide, are planned engines for this vehicle. A rally kit has also been confirmed, with each being hand made, though whether this will be an option available for 2021 or beyond is yet to be seen.
The Virage Eco leaves me scratching my head - the exterior seems so dated and simplistic that it’s more appropriate for something from the mid-'00s, and a 2-litre three-cylinder engine is way too unrefined for such a car. But most ridiculously of all, the optional engine is a 5.7-litre pushrod V8 that doesn’t seem to make much sense in what is ostensibly meant to be a small family hatchback.
I will say this about the exterior: it looked alot worse maybe 20 minutes before I posted it, exteriors aren’t my strong suit at all, I’m hoping to get better with time.
A tiny little I3 powering a modern day hatchback? Yeah it’s weird. I’ve been told that it’s very torque-y sooo I kinda just let it slide? I figured if the engine did it’s job, and was simple, inexpensive, and didn’t guzzle gas, that it should be alright.
The OHV is meant to be a joking nod to the Chevy LS which despite being swapped in just about every project car in existence, probably has no business being in a Hatchback.
What I’m trying to say is, thanks for the feedback and you’re completely right, the car is bizarre to put it lightly.
The thing is, a 2 litre inline 3 is not tiny, it is huge for a 3 cylinder and would probably feel coarse and unrefined compared to a similar size four.
