As one of the fastest-growing carmakers on the planet, the Chinese automotive industry has taken an unusual approach to staging international auto shows. Like Geneva and Detroit, it has a major exhibition every year, but like the biennial events in places like Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo, China alternates its big one between Shanghai and Beijing. This year it's Beijing's turn.

The show is a chance for not only the local makers to strut their stuff, but for other global players on hand to show both production and concept cars for both China and international markets.

The most talked about concept at Beijing is the Geely Tiger, which is also known as the Geely GT. This 2-door show car was shown without the Geely badge, leading to some speculation that the automaker has an eye to creating an upscale brand similar to Lexus or Infiniti and that the Tiger would be its flagship model. In any event, this V-6-powered 2+2 is evidence that the Chinese are catching up quickly to the rest of the world and may be a formidable player even in luxury segments.

Relying heavily on its Shanghai design studio, General Motors developed the Buick Invicta show car, which not only hints at what a future LaCrosse midsize sedan might look like, but it also underscores the importance of the Chinese market. Buick actually sells more cars there than it does in the United States. The Invicta brings back an old Buick name from the 1950s and puts it on the flanks of an ultramodern 5-passenger sedan.

Crossovers are the hottest segment in the industry today, and the Audi Q5 made its world debut at Beijing, which shows the universal appeal of these types of vehicles. While the Q5 shares some styling cues with the larger Q7, it has a healthy dollop of station wagon styling, thanks to its thinner pillars and large glass area. The Q5 is intended as a replacement for the Allroad Quattro in Audi's lineup.

Audi wasn't alone with a world debut of a production model. Its Stuttgart-based rival introduced the Mercedes-Benz GLK. This answer to the Q5 in the compact crossover segment has a more truck-oriented design theme. It is boxier, with sharp edges and offers V-6 power in both 2- and all-wheel-drive versions.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) is a multifaceted concern with ties to GM. It also owns the tooling to the Rover 75, which it continues to build today as the Roewe 750. But like Geely, SAIC hopes to expand beyond the Chinese mainland. The new Roewe 550 is a handsome, midsize family sedan that may be the answer to those hopes. Built on a new platform, the 550 is powered by a turbocharged 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine, which provides good performance and fuel economy.

1. Geely Tiger GT

2. 2009 Audi Q5

3. 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK

4. Buick Invicta Concept

5. 2009 Roewe 550

Geely Tiger GT

Meet the Geely headliner from the Beijing show.

Looking to flex its muscle at its home show, Geely brought no fewer than 23 concepts to the Beijing show. But the headliner for this bevy of dream cars was the GT, which stands for Geely Tiger — the putative successor to the current Leopard coupe in the company's lineup. This large 2-door coupe features swoopy styling that Geely hopes will set it apart from its Chinese rivals.

The dropped front snout of the car features a split grille that has holes rather than traditional slats or mesh. The headlamps are nestled in fenders defined by sharp character lines that sweep upward and then back down into the doors. The rear haunches have a similar curve to them with large taillamps that come to a point just above the center line of the rear wheels. The greenhouse features two small rear quarter windows for the rear passengers in this 2+2 coupe.

The rear-drive Tiger GT is powered by a 3.5-litre V-6 producing some 225 bhp and 340 lb.-ft. of torque. Geely says the car is equipped with a multilink suspension and that it rides on 19-in. wheels and tires.

2009 Audi Q5

This global debut underscores the importance German automakers place on the growing Chinese market.

The global debut of the 2009 Audi Q5 crossover, a model developed primarily with the U.S. market in mind, underscores the importance German automakers place on the growing Chinese market.

Although Audi says the Q5 has sedanlike styling, its looks are clearly inspired by the much larger Q7, with its signature single -frame grille opening and strong character lines. Thinner pillars and a slightly lower beltline, however, make the Q5 look a bit more like a station wagon than an SUV. It looks like a slightly beefier version of the Allroad Quattro, the vehicle it replaces in Audi's lineup.

The all-wheel-drive Q5 was introduced with a choice of a V-6 or two 4-cylinder engines. The V-6 is a 3.0-litre turbodiesel, while the fours include gasoline 2.0-litre turbo and supercharged engines, or a 2.0-litre direct-injection diesel. When the Q5 bows later this year in the U.S, we can expect a 3.2-litre V-6 making 265 bhp. It will be equipped with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and the front/rear torque split will be 40/60 percent. European models will offer a 2.0-litre direct-injection gas engine and a diesel. Slightly larger than the VW Tiguan, the Q5 shares no components with the VW but instead is based on Audi's new A4/A5 architecture that includes a longitudinally mounted engine. With prices starting in the $30,000–$40,000 range, the 5-passenger Q5 is expected to compete with other upscale crossovers like the Acura RDX, Infiniti EX and BMW X3.

2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK

Meet the German automaker's first compact SUV designed primarily for the American market.

Slated for a January launch in the U.S. as a 2010 model, the Mercedes-Benz GLK is the German automaker's first compact SUV designed primarily for the American market. The GLK is powered by a 3.5-litre V-6 making 268 bhp and will come in either rear - or 4Matic all wheel-drive. Riding on a 108.5-in. wheelbase, the GLK has angular lines that give it the look of a traditional truck-based SUV inspired by the larger G-Class Gelaendewagen.

Measuring 178.3 in. in overall length, the GLK stands 66.9 in. tall and is 72.4 inches wide. Mercedes has loaded the vehicle with many amenities found in its luxury cars, including dual-zone climate control, adjustable steering, power seats, front and side airbags and a 5-in. in-dash LCD display. A rear-seat entertainment system with two 8-in. headrest-mounted screens is available as an option.

When equipped with 4Matic all-wheel drive, the GLK splits torque 45/55 front to rear under normal conditions, while the multidisc clutch in the center differential will send traction to the wheels with the most traction under icy conditions. Weighing 4036 lb., the GLK is capable of 0–100 km/h acceleration of 6.5 seconds, according to factory numbers, while delivering 9.7 km/l on the EPA highway cycle.

Buick Invicta Concept

Exploring what a future LaCrosse midsize sedan might look like.

This collaboration between GM design in Detroit and Shanghai explores what a future LaCrosse midsize sedan might look like. Riding on a 114.5-in. wheelbase, the Invicta concept is powered by a turbocharged direct-injected 2.0-litre four making 250 bhp and 220 lb.-ft. of torque. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The design language on the Invicta is pure Buick, from its large, shield-shaped waterfall grille to the ventiports, which have been moved from the fenders onto the hood. The 4-door sedan has sharp, yet flowing character lines, including one that describes the classic Buick sweep spear cue on the car's flanks. The high beltline and low greenhouse give the Invicta a muscular stance.

The exterior's flowing lines are carried over to the interior, where the door panels, dashboard and center console are melded in a seamless wraparound design that gives the front seating area a dual-cockpit look. The cabin has an upscale feel thanks to wood and aluminum accents and LED ambient lighting.

The 5-passenger Invicta measures 194.2 in. in overall length, rides on 20-in. wheels and tires and has a fully independent suspension with 4-wheel disc brakes. The Invicta name was originally introduced by Buick in 1959 and used until the 1962 model year.

2009 Roewe 550

The 550 is much more contemporary-looking than its larger sibling.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) acquired the tooling to the Rover 75 and has been building the car as the Roewe 750, renamed because BMW had sold the rights to the Rover name to Ford, which was looking to protect its investment in Land Rover.

Now SAIC has added to the Roewe range with the 550, a slightly smaller sedan powered by a turbocharged 1.8-litre gasoline-powered inline-4. The 550 rides on a 106.4-in. wheelbase and measures 182.0 in. in overall length. This front-drive sedan was first thought to be based on the old short-wheelbase platform of the Rover 75 (the Roewe 750 is based on the long-wheelbase version), but apparently SAIC has developed an all-new platform for this entry to go along with the new sheet metal. The 550 is much more contemporary-looking than its larger sibling, with clean body sides, fluted headlamps and a compact horizontal grille as opposed to the larger vertical grille found on the 750.