Changan Motors e301 Crossover Concept Heading For Shanghai Unveiling

You may recognize Chinese manufacturer Chang'an Motors' name from the company's various joint ventures with Ford, Mazda and Suzuki. Also known as ChangAn, the company should garner much more name recognition shortly when its wild e301 crossover concept debuts at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 22.

Apart from these preview images, we don't have any information about the e301 yet, but the design already has people talking. Looking like a cross between a Lancia Stratos and an Isuzu VehiCross with a bit of classic Bertone weirdness thrown in, Chang'an's e301 also features double-hinged gullwing doors and an asymmetrical passenger cabin. The big, low-profile tires look like performance off-road tires, but are surprisingly narrow on closer inspection, which suggests that the chassis may not be as exotic as the bodywork. We don't know if any of the design quirks are functional or if they're just for the sake of standing out, and we can't wait to find out.

Chang'an is playing it very close to the vest with details about the e301, and it's no upstart in the automotive game. In addition to its joint ventures, it has been building its own vehicles since 2005. The e301 is scheduled to be unveiled with full details at next weeks' Shanghai Auto Show.