The 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, commonly known as the Beijing Auto Show, will kick off on April 23 in Beijing.

The biennial auto carnival has become a marked event for the industry calendar. This year's fair will prove more remarkable than ever as all major brands from home and abroad are showing up with a full array of world-class debuts.

A total of 1,125 models are expected on stage during the 10-day exhibition, including 120 global debuts, with 36 from transnational companies and 84 from domestic automakers.

Here, China.org.cn guides you through the top 15 world debuts at the upcoming 2012 Beijing Auto Show (in no particular order).

   Fiat Viaggio   廣汽菲亞特Viaggio（菲翔）

 

Fiat Viaggio [xcar.com.cn]

Fiat will show off Viaggio, an all new 4-door, 5-seat compact sedan being built by GAC-Fiat joint venture's world-class plant in Changsha, Hunan Province. The car is described as the outcome of "the first Fiat-Chrysler twin project."

Viaggio, with its Chinese name Fei Xiang (Flying), will roll off the production line in June and hit the market this fall. The primary annual output is set at 140,000 units and will later be raised to 250,000 units.

Viaggio looks very much like the rebadged Dodge Dart unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January. Like Dodge Dart, the model is also based on Fiat's CUSW (Compact U.S. Wide) architecture which originally underpinned the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. It features turbocharged 1.4L T-Jet engines in two variants: 120 hp and 150 hp.

The car is expected to be priced between 110,000 yuan and 170,000 yuan (US$17,500-US$27,000).