Changfeng Motor Company, China’s largest maker of SUVs, in 2007 becomes the country's first automaker to exhibit throughout the entire auto show. (Compatriot firm Geely showed its car only during the Press Preview last year.)

To mark this milestone, journalists were invited to what turned out to the auto show’s most unusual press event.

Auto show Joint Chairman Robert Thibodeau and local dignitaries exchanged gifts with Changfeng Chairman Li Jianxin in the type ceremony more usually seen at diplomatic events. Chairman Li then made a speech explaining Changfeng’s 5-year plan: Expand production to 300,000 units, seek out foreign partners whose “advanced technology we can absorb” and, thanks to China’s admission to the WTO, “face up to global competition."

That last point is code for raising standards to become competitive with the world’s leading automakers, and prepare to start exporting to western markets such as North America.

The event turned a bit bizarre as journalists were shown, to use Changfeng's own description, a “propaganda film." For a few minutes, stirring images of uniformed workers assembling cars, comically speeded-up vignettes of Changfeng products in action, and even a photo of Mao Tse-Tung filled giant video screens; and as the rousing strains of “Jerusalem” reached a crescendo, the voiceover romped through a blizzard of statistics and split infinitives, only to finally inform us that “the dragons are taking off and the cheetahs are leaping.”

Things came back down to earth with the unveiling of the Liebao CS6 SUV and Fiebao CT5 truck. There was a lot of interest in these vehicles: though they're partially based on time-expired Mitsubishi technology, Chinese engineers have made enough changes to make these vehicles their own. The styling isn't ground-breaking but it's good enough to be of interest and it's clearly a step forward of which Changfeng is justifiably proud.

There are five cars on the Changfeng stand, all of them more or less unusual, but the oddest by far is the Rhombic concept car. It's a lot less convincing than the production models. This car has four wheels, but they’re not quite where you’d expect them to be. There are two in middle of the car and one each in the front and rear.

The front and rear wheels are for steering and the central ones are for traction. The cabin is made entirely of organic material, which appears to mean it was crafted out of bamboo by amateur basket weavers who’ve never actually seen a car.

Although this first foray into American car culture might have been a little clumsy, Changfeng has some impressive achievements under its belt. In 1996 it was an obscure military equipment maker and today it’s a fully equipped vehicle manufacturer that even makes its own parts.

The cars on show in 2007 clearly don’t reach the standards necessary for success in western markets. But Changfeng knows that perfectly well, and they’re planning to fix it. On past evidence, it won’t be long before we’re attending a press briefing that has both authentic Chinese character and products with real credibility for western markets.

Things aren’t going to get easier for the Big Three.