With the eyes of many Americans focused on the Summer Olympics in Beijing, many Chinese automakers are focused on getting their product on American roads.

"It's definitely not a matter of 'if,' but 'when,'" Lonnie Miller, director of industry analysis for the automotive research company R.L. Polk and Co. in Southfield, Mich., told Forbes Autos. Miller said he expects the first Chinese-built vehicles to go on sale in the United States by 2010 at the earliest. "They will most likely be small, fuel efficient and inexpensive."

Chrysler recently signed a memorandum with Great Wall, which makes the Hover midsize SUV to explore a long-term business relationship, Forbes said. Great Wall is already successful in Eastern Europe and South America and is a leader in producing SUVs for China, Sachin Rustagi, editor of China Car Forums, told Forbes.

Brilliance, which makes the compact BS4, has said it would like to sell cars in North America within "about two years." Brilliance Auto was the first Chinese automaker to sell vehicles in the United Kingdom.

Last year 24 domestic Chinese automakers and 38 import brands sold more than 5.2 million vehicles in that country, according to J.D. Power and Associates in Westlake Village, Calif. The best-sellers are Honda, General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen.

J.D. Power said China exported nearly 185,000 passenger vehicles last year -- a 45 percent increase over 2006 -- with the majority of them going to developing markets like Russia, the Ukraine and Venezuela.

Chery Automotive is already set to produce a version of its A1 for Chrysler, to be sold in Mexico and South America as the Dodge Breeze. There are no plans to bring the Breeze to the United States, David Elshoff, a Chrysler spokesperson, told Forbes. He did say that Chrysler is working with Chinese partners to fill holes in its domestic lineup.

"We are eager to begin exporting small cars from China as soon as possible that will attract new customers in two segments in which our brands are underrepresented: very young buyers and entry-level buyers," Elshoff told Forbes. "It's generally understood that the only way to compete in the ultra-price-sensitive subcompact market requires the most low-cost manufacturing base."

Chinese Cars Likely To Come To U.S.

1. Brilliance BS4
2. BYD F3/F3R
3. Changfeng Liebao CS6
4. Chery A3
5. Geely FC-3
6. Great Wall Hover
7. MG TF
8. Roewe 550