The Geely CD is a two-door coupé that Geely built from 2009 to 2011. In China it was called Zhongguolong, or Chinese Dragon, and its Latin name is simply the initials of that translation. It was one of five Geely models shown together at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005, and its engine came from a Toyota design.
Geely CD at a glance
| Maker | Geely Automobile, China |
|---|---|
| Production | 2009–2011 |
| Body | two-door coupé |
| Chinese name | Zhongguolong, “Chinese Dragon” |
| Name origin | CD: initials of the translation |
| Designed with | help from Daewoo |
| Shown at Frankfurt | 2005, with four other Geely models |
| Engine | 1.5 litre, 94 hp (70 kW) at 6,000 rpm |
| Engine origin | based on a Toyota design |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Geely CD.
History of the Geely CD
Frankfurt 2005
Geely arrived at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005 with a stand of five cars, and the CD was one of them. Showing a coupé in Germany was a statement about ambition rather than sales: the company was still a small Chinese maker building licensed and reverse-engineered cars, and a two-door with its own name was meant to show that it could do something else. The body was developed with help from Daewoo, whose engineers had experience of small cars for export markets.
The Chinese Dragon
The car went on sale at home in 2009 under the name Zhongguolong, Chinese Dragon, with CD as the Latin abbreviation. It kept the shape shown in Frankfurt: a short two-door body with a low roofline, aimed at buyers who wanted something more distinctive than a compact saloon but could not afford an imported coupé.
Engineering and the end
Under the bonnet sat a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine rated at 94 hp (70 kW) at 6,000 rpm. It was based on a Toyota design, one of several Japanese-derived engines Geely used in that period while it developed its own. The CD stayed in production for only two years and was dropped in 2011, when Geely concentrated on the saloons and hatchbacks that made up the bulk of its sales and reorganised its range into the Emgrand, Gleagle and Englon brands.
Design and features
- Coupé body: a two-door in a range otherwise made of saloons and hatchbacks.
- Daewoo involvement: the design was developed with help from the Korean company.
- Toyota-based engine: a 1.5-litre unit of 94 hp (70 kW).
- Show-car pedigree: first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005.
Geely CD versions
- CD (2009–2011): the production coupé, sold in China as the Zhongguolong.
- Frankfurt show car (2005): the version displayed alongside four other Geely models.
- Zhongguolong: the Chinese-market name, from which the letters CD are taken.
The CD shared its Frankfurt stand with the Geely CK saloon, and it sat alongside the Geely FC in the range of the time. More cars are in the Geely collection.
Sources
- Geely CD, English Wikipedia: production years, name, design help, engine
