English: Place: Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Chinese name: 吉利优利欧 (jílì yōulìōu) Year of launch: 2003 (Haoqing: 1998)

Today Geely is China's largest independent carmaker and one of the most well-known since it took control over Swedish carmaker Volvo in 2010. With recent launches including the Borui, Boyue, Emgrand GS and Emgrand GL, not to mention the 'premium' Lynk & Co 01 and 03 models, and after buying a controlling stake in Proton and Lotus, Geely shows it is the Chinese carmaker to watch. Geely was founded by Li Shifu in 1986 as a refrigerator maker with money borrowed from family and car production started in 1998. In 2013 Li Shifu was the 63rd richest person in mainland China.

Geely Automobile started in 1998 with copies of the popular Xiali by Tianjin-FAW, a licensed copy of the Daihatsu Charade G100. The 豪情 Haoqing (HQ) was offered in hatchback and stationcar (SRV) body styles. In 2003 it was followed by the 美日 Merrie (MR) and 优利欧 Uliou (MR as well), a hatchback and liftback with a larger boot and sedan respectively. The older models can still be regularly seen in two- and third-tier cities, as well as rural places.

The 优利欧 Uliou is a really interesting one. It literally means 'better than Xiali (夏利) and [Buick] Sail (赛欧).