New Toyota Corolla (for American market)

Media wags at the motor show here were openly referring to the redesigned Toyota Corolla as the "mini Camry."

One insider maintained the new compact had actually been toned down a bit from the original concept because it looked too darn much like its big brother.

Regardless, the new Corolla made its world debut not in Tokyo, Detroit or Los Angeles, but at China's premier auto event. The car will be produced next year at Toyota's joint venture with FAW; it won't hit the States until early 2008, according to U.S. suppliers familiar with the automaker's production plans.

The Corolla that was displayed at the Beijing show differed markedly from the European Corolla replacement, dubbed the Auris, that was shown in Paris two months ago. The latter model, in fact, is quite distinctive, but apparently is earmarked exclusively for European markets.

In China, the new Corolla will get a twin-cam 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated at 134 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Toyota is looking to the Corolla, the Camry and a raft of other vehicles it produces in partnership with FAW and Guangzhou Auto to help boost its sales in China to 400,000 units next year and 1 million by 2010.