Guangzhou Auto has applied for patent on a new subcompact sedan, design-wise based on the Guangzhou Auto E-jet concept car that debuted on the Guangzhou Auto Show in December last year. Chinese media reports that the new subcompact will be based on a new ‘JC22’ platform that is being developed with Chery Auto.

The E-jet concept.

Guangzhou Auto and Chery Auto signed a cooperation agreement in November 2011. The new platform will also underpin the eventual successor of the current Chery A3. What that means for the line-up of Guangzhou Auto is not entirely clear. The soon-to-be-launched Guangzhou Auto Trimpchi GA3 is a subcompact sedan as well and is about the same size as the Chery A3.

It might be a sporty variant of the GA3, for positioning between the Trumpchi GA3 and Trumpchi GA5. GA4 maybe? We will keep you posted…