The first official live pics of the new Beijing Aut0 Shenbao D50, looking sleek in virgin white. The Beijing Auto Shenbao D50 (formerly known as the C50E, formerly known as the D150) will debut on the 2014 Beijing Auto Show later this month and launch on the China car market soon thereafter.

The Beijing Auto Shenbao D50 is the second car in the Shenbao range. It will be positioned below the Shenbao D60 that will launch in August and the Shenbao D-Series that was launched last year. We suspect the name of the latter will soon be changed to ‘Shenbao D70’.

The Shenbao D50 will be powered by a Mitsubishi-sourced 1.5 liter petrol engine with 110hp and 147nm, mated to a 5-speed manual or CVT. The engine is manufactured in China by Shenyang Mitsubishi. Beijing Auto is also working on a 1.5 turbo with 153hp and 225nm, which will join the line-up late this year. Size: 4582/1794/1486mm, wheelbase is 2650mm.

Beijing Auto says the C50E is based on their new M-trix platform,which is based on the platform of the old Saab 9-3. Beijing Auto Industry Corporation (BAIC), the mother of Beijing Auto, bought the platform from GM in 2009. However, Chinese automotive media clearly indicate the exact origins of the platform are ‘unclear’, and we have long suspected that the C50E is actually based on the platform of the last-generation Hyundai Elantra that is still in production in China at Beijing-Hyundai, a joint venture between BAIC and Hyundai Motors.

The 1.5 liter four-cylinder. No fancy engine cover for the Shenbao D50.