In an effort to sell their wares to Western markets,
Geely and their subsidiary
Volvo have teamed up to build a subcompact global car aimed at offerings from
Ford,
Honda et al.
The subcompact would be exclusive to Geely, and would go after competitors such as the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta,
Toyota Yaris and
Volkswagen Polo. Arrival on Western shores would be a few years away according to Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson.
Geely and Volvo are developing the platform at their joint research and development center in Sweden, the second such project to be developed there. The main goal for this project is engineering a subcompact that would meet Western safety and quality standards, thus enabling Geely to gain traction in the market.
The Sino-Swedish automaker is also developing a compact platform for both of its brands to use, and is expected to hit the market in around four years. German supplier Brose Group will supply components for the compact, along with mechanical components for Geelys own lineup, through an alliance made between Geely and Brose this month.