Geely has confirmed that its B-segment crossover, codenamed SX11, will be called the Bin Yue – continuing the naming convention set by both the larger Boyue and the Bin Rui sedan. The news was revealed by a post on Facebook, in which the Chinese carmaker also announced a competition to name the new model for international markets, with the winner headed to China for a “VIP Bin Yue Experience Tour.”
The car has already been revealed last week, wearing a sportier, more angular design than on previous Geely models. At the front, the brand’s signature concentric “expanding cosmos” grille and sweptback headlights remain, but there’s a new chrome grille surround that also goes around the headlights. Beneath these sit a trio of aggressive air intakes.
Along the sides, there’s a prominent front fender bulge – another of Geely’s styling cues – that bleeds into the scalloped flanks, while blacked-out D-pillars and a C-pillar kink, similar in design to the Boyue, give it a “floating roof” look. The rear sports trapezoidal tail lights with sweeping light guides, broad chrome trim that joins the lamp units together, a large slotted spoiler and twin integrated exhaust exits.
The interior ditches Geely’s usual gently-curving dashboard design for something that’s again a little more angular. The horizontal dashboard features rectangular air vents and a freestanding widescreen display, while a passenger grab handle sweeps around the climate controls. There’s also a digital instrument display like on the Boyue, plus a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a stubby electronic gearlever.
The Bin Yue will ride on Geely’s new B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA), and autohome.com.cn previously reported that the car will measure 4,330 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,609 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,600 mm. That puts it between the Vision X3 and Vision SUV models, and makes it a full size smaller than the C-segment Boyue.
Geely has confirmed that the Bin Yue will be powered by a 1.5 litre turbocharged and direct-injected three-cylinder petrol engine, developed in partnership with Volvo and producing 161 hp and 255 Nm of torque. It’s expected to get a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission also jointly developed with the Swedish carmaker, and is quoted to go from zero to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.
Will the Bin Yue come to Malaysia as a Proton? Well, Geely has already dropped hints that the national carmaker will utilise the BMA platform, saying that it will be used by Geely’s foreign brands and that it will be built in Southeast Asia. It is designed to accommodate all the latest active safety technologies, future Level 2 and Level 3 autonomous driving features and Geely’s latest petrol engines.
Proton is introducing its first SUV based on the Boyue soon, so it would make sense for the company to build on its soft-roader portfolio with the Bin Yue, especially in a value-driven market where B-segment SUVs rule the roost. Of course, anything can happen – we’ll just have to wait and see.