Our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

In 2013, Qoros launched at the Geneva auto show?and I wrote back then that the brand could permanently change the perception of Chinese cars. I believe it has: Former Mini chief designer Gert Hildebrand came up with a unique, consistently applied styling language, and the cars were engineered with input from heavyweights like Magna Steyr, AVL List, Mahle, Bosch, and Continental. In Euro NCAP crash testing, the Qoros 3 scored brilliantly, demolishing the prejudice that Chinese cars are unsafe and technologically inferior.
On the Chinese marketplace, Qoros?a joint venture of Chery and an Israeli investor?hasn’t fared well; sales and production numbers are significantly below capacity. But its formula?a near-premium Chinese car with German technology?is interesting enough to be copied by newcomer Borgward, a subsidiary of Beiqi Foton that has resurrected a long-forgotten German nameplate.
I recently spent several days with a Qoros 3 hatch and a Qoros 3 sedan; the cars are registered in Munich, where the brand keeps a company presence and a design studio. How did these vehicles hold up on challenging roads and the autobahn"

Quite well, in fact. The interiors are roomy, with plenty of rear-seat room?a requirement in China?but what really impressed me ...