Slide over Hyundai”the next automotive upstart that takes the wheel in the U.S. will probably be Chinese. In Detroit this week, a small company called Geely (pronounced Jee-lee) will be the first Chinese automaker to display a car at the North American International Auto Show. Unveiling the compact sedan, whose name translates as Free Cruiser, is a bit of a stunt since Geely may be a couple of years away from shipping products to the U.S. Yet the company has big plans, aiming to export 1.3 million vehicles worldwide, including small sedans for less than $10,000 and a sports car, the Beauty Leopard, which sells for $15,125 in China. Other Chinese manufacturers, with varying levels of sophistication, are developing export models too, notably Chery, which is being promoted by Malcolm Bricklin, a New York City entrepreneur who made his fortune importing Subarus and his name importing the ill-fated Yugo. “What you’re seeing is the first stage,” says Mike Hanley, global director of Ernst & Young’s automotive practice. “Everybody recognizes that Chinese cars will end up in North America. It’s a matter of time.”