Baojun is fast becoming a brand of its own instead of just a final resting place for unwanted old GM platforms. Here is all the evidence: The new Baojun 510 that debuted on the Guangzhou Auto Show is a daring new compact SUV with beautiful lines and brilliant lights.

Wheel arches are great, roof rails are usable, and that crease all over the side from the headlights to the rear lights is an eye catcher. The pillars are black, making for the fashionable ‘floating roof’ design. The C-D pillar is fully enclosed, there is no window there, just a black-painted panel.

The interior is nice as well, with orange seat, a flat bottomed steering wheel, lots of matte ‘metal’ edges, and a standing touch screen in the middle.

The spacey instrument panel.

Screen is an 8-incher, see it in action here. Love the switches under the vents. Clearly market cigarette lighter is another plus. Six-speed manual in this car.

The Baojun 510 will be launched on the Chinese car market early next year. It will be positioned below the Baojun 560.

Power will come from a 1.5 liter four with 111 and 147nm, mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, sending horses to the front wheels. A 1.5 turbo will be added to the lineup later.

Size: 4220/1740/1605, and wheelbase is 2550.

This pretty little SUV is going to be cheap; price is expected to start around 65.000 yuan and end around 80.000 yuan, positioning the 510 in one of the most competitive segments of the Chinese car market .

Baojun is an entry level brand under the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture, in which GM has a 43% stake. The other partners are SAIC (aka Shanghai Auto) and Wuling Automotive.

SAIC and GM are also tied up in the giant Shanghai-GM joint venture that makes Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac cars for the Chinese market.

Enough leg and headroom for a man making notes.

Rear lights with a spectacular shape. Bumper very racy but pipe tips are fake.

Baojun means ‘treasure horse’, the logo depicts a horse head. Great car, we hope it is not too daring for the Chinese market, but with all those wild youngsters around it might just as well become a hit.