In March 2013, a 1.6-liter turbocharged midsized sedan called Qoros 3 debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland, grabbing the attention of a few reporters looking for something new in addition to models from big-name brands like Volkswagen and Peugeot.

The annual event, billed as the barometer of the global automobile industry, was primarily a stage for established giants from across the world, especially Europe, where modern vehicles were invented.

The Qoros 3, however, was not the first Chinese model to appear at the exhibition famed among car aficionados.

Chinese carmaker Brilliance Auto unveiled three models there in 2007, but the flagship of the three, the BS6, won only two stars of the five-starred European New Car Assessment Program, reinforcing the stereotype that the Chinese could not produce quality vehicles.

A year later came BYD, which was back then a nobody, with its F3. The plug-in hybrid that resembled Toyota's Corolla did not impress visitors at the Geneva International Motor Show either.

Compared with Brilliance and BYD, Qoros, a joint venture between Chinese carmaker Chery and Israel Corporation, was treated more seriously.

The Qoros 3 had a modern design in the eyes of the Europeans and was solidly built — the sedan was the first Chinese model ever to win a five-star rating in the stringent Euro NCAP.

But European car reviewers were more skeptical than optimistic about its prospects.

"It'll charge around 20,000 euros for the 3, its mid-size saloon, figuring that product quality alone is going to be enough for buyers to look beyond the badge. Which seems...brave," said Matthew Jones in a BBC Top Gear report.

"Unlike the Chinese, us Euro types aren't used to being bombarded with dozens of new brands, and loyalty takes at least a few generations to garner, even if the products are dirt cheap," he added.