History
The origins of today's modern Brilliance can be traced to a state-owned auto factory which, under the guiding hand of the infamous Yang Rong, became a leading Chinese maker of minibuses between 1991, the year Yang invested in the company, and 2002, when he fled into exile.
In 2003 BMW and Brilliance signed a deal for the production of BMW-branded sedans in China. Its models are, alongside FAW Group Audis, Beijing Benz Mercedes Benzes, and Lexuses, some of the only Western luxury cars to have gained popularity in the Chinese market.
Alongside many Chinese automakers looking to enter the US market Brilliance postponed such plans in 2008 but has briefly sold in Europe. Sales in several European countries stopped in 2010.
In 2009 the company was the eighth-largest automaker in China. That year it sold over 150,000 passenger cars and nearly 80,000 minibuses.
In 2010 Brilliance was one of the top ten most-productive carmakers in China coming in ninth and selling a half million units.
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