HSO Motors – the official European importer for China’s Brilliance – has filed for bankruptcy. The Luxembourg-based company blamed the slow sales of Brilliance products in the European market for the company’s demise.
Established in 2007, HSO Motors has faced an uphill battle establishing the Brilliance name in the European market. Brilliance’s first European product – the BS6 sedan – received zero out of five stars in Germany’s ADAC crash test, setting the stage for an epic market flop.
Following a structural redesign – which resulted in a three star rating – Brilliance began selling its BS6 and BS4 sedans in the European market. However, European buyers were not quick to forget Brilliance’s previous safety recorded, resulting in just 4,000 total sales since 2007.
Despite HSO Motors’ demise, Brilliance will soldier on in the European market. Brilliance will take over HSO’s operations, ensuring buyers across the European Union will have access to the automaker’s cars. Brilliance even plans to add one more vehicle offering – the BS4 wagon – to its European lineup.
Brilliance – China’s eighth largest automaker – sold 285,000 vehicles last year.
