Explaining the Chinese Car Industry and Chinese Cars
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No word on the engine spec yet, but it seems that Chang’an motors might have actually constructed a sports Ben Ben. It could just be a regular Ben Ben with a $250USD body kit on it and some $100 wheels (yes, they are that cheap) We hope it goes into production though, some Chinese hot hatches would be great! Perhaps one day we can re-write the Chinese Hot Hatch article and stick this Ben Ben in
According to the Business Standard, Chery may well be taking its ’small compact cars’ (aka, Chery QQ) to the Indian market.
Chery Automobiles, China’s largest car-maker, is likely to team up with Delhi-based International Cars & Motors Ltd (ICML), makers of Sonalika tractors, to introduce a small car in India next year. L D Mittal, chairman, ICML, said his company was negotiating with several car manufacturers to introduce the right kind of compact car. He did not deny that Chery was one of them. “We are planning to launch a premium hatchback in the Rs 3-4 lakh price range, which is the fastest-growing car segment in India,” Mittal told Business Standard. Chery, with factories in Iran, Russia, Malaysia, Egypt and Pakistan, is keen on a footprint in India in its bid to become a large Asian car-maker. “Chery has a bouquet of small cars that suits the Indian market. It dominates the compact and hatchback segment in China and specialises in the small-car technology currently in demand in India,” a source said. Industry sources said ICML is planning to manufacture Chery products at competitive prices from its tax-free production facility at Amb in Himachal Pradesh. “The 24 per cent excise break will translate into a major price gain for the ICML-Chery marriage. We are also in constant touch with ICML for any potential ancillary supplies for new products,” a component manufacturer said.
So there you go, Indian CCT readers! Perhaps you’ll finally get your hands on a QQ, which to be fair do look a lot better than the Indian offerings (old Suzki Altos)
From the Shanghai Daily:
CHONGQING Changan Automobile Co said first-quarter profit fell 14 percent as competition caused the company’s profit margin to narrow.
Net income fell to 161.2 million yuan (US$20.9 million), or 0.1 yuan per share, by international accounting standards, from 186.4 million yuan, or 0.12 yuan, a year earlier, the Chongqing-based company said in a Shenzhen stock exchange statement yesterday.
Sales rose to 6.6 billion yuan from 5.9 billion yuan. Chongqing Changan is a partner of Ford Motor Co.
update: Poll is over.
The Rover name is dead and buried in the corporate portfolio of Ford motor company, but Rover lives on in the form of Nanjing MG and SAIC’s Roewe (specifically the 750) but who will come out victorious in the end, will it be Nanjing MG with the whole of Longbridge behind it, or will it be Roewe with their modern, stylish new designs? We’ll let CCT readers forsee the championing brand via our poll.
To take part simply click your choice, SAIC or Nanjing MG, in the poll which is to the right hand side of this text (and either down or up a bit, depending on the day)
Wow! Despite the overly negative press (we think its a conspiracy!) about Chinese automobiles, it seems exports are doing quite well.
CHINA’S vehicle exports surged 59.3 percent in the first quarter this year to 99,800 units, according to a statement posted on the Website of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers yesterday.
Meanwhile, export volume for the first two months also jumped over 50 percent, the official body added, as Chinese auto makers aggressively sell their cars in overseas markets. The booming quarterly exports continued to expand from last year, when exports doubled to 342,400 units and generated value of US$3.1 billion, up 96.6 percent from 2005.
Following on from yesterdays rumble in the Shanghai Auto Show, we have this:
SHANGHAI: A group of foreign and domestic auto parts suppliers said Friday they intend to sue the Shanghai government for causing their companies to miss out on this week’s auto show in China’s financial hub.
The exhibitors say they paid hefty fees to appear at the huge trade show but that government organisers moved the more than 100 companies to an entirely separate auto exhibition in the remote Nanhui section of the city.
The companies told AFP that the switch happened even after they received official notices confirming their slots in the main show.
“After we paid, we found on the agreements that the address had been changed,” said Zhu Fanglang, manager of Taiyu Company, a car parts maker from Taiwan.
“After we went to that place, we found there was no audience at all and it was so far from the auto show exhibition centre.”
Zhu, whose company paid 12,800 yuan (1,650 US dollars) to take part in the Shanghai auto show, said they had been tricked into taking part in a different auto show.
Furious car parts exhibitors packed up and stormed out on Wednesday after the organisers and the government refused to listen to their grievances.
“The organiser didn’t give us a reply,” said a furious Zhu, who said companies would sue.
“They just sent lower-level persons to talk to us and some of them even threatened us and said there was no way we’re going to get our money back.”
An official surnamed Guo at the Shanghai Auto Parts Show, where the companies ended up, insisted nothing illegal had been done.
“As far as we’re concerned our exhibition’s business contract is completely legal,” said Guo.
But another exhibitor rejected that claim. “Our notice clearly said that our place would be in D or E hall, but the location in Nanhui definitely does not have such halls,” said Li Lin, a domestic car part supplier.
It seems one foreign investor (Arabic guy?) at Brilliance/Zhonghua was not happy with the agreement and went to desperate lengths to bring the case to public attention. The full story, is unknown to China Car Times but these pictures speak for themselves:
‘Brilliance cheat foreign investors!’
Here come the plod, and security.
The crowds go wild! Police knocked out of action!
A press orgy!
The full story comes out! (click for a big picture)
China had a record 87,000 ‘mass incidents’ in 2006 - a mass incident is just like this, a protest, a person who feels let down by the system and has begun raging against the machine with a placard.
The Chinese auto industry news in brief:
Roewe W2
According to the Chinese motoring press, the Roewe W2 that was recently unveiled at the Shanghai Auto show will be put into production by the end of year. Also, the W2 will NOT be a replacement for the 750, but will rather sit below the 750 in the Roewe product range, kind of like a Focus and Mondeo relationship. The price tag is also being set at lower than 200,000rmb so Roewe are definitely heading into Ford Focus territory.
Mazda 2 going into production in China
The Mazda 2 will be going into production in the second half of 2007 in the brand spanking new Chang’an Ford Mazda factory that is based in Nanjing City (near the Nanjing MG factory!)
BYD F6
The BYD F6, the mid size saloon from BYD (which looks rather like a Chinese Camry) will also go into production later this year, and will probably go on the market in either late 07 or early 08 (after the Chinese New Year, perhaps?)
We were looking for something that was big - big enough to throw a few mountain bikes in and disappear for the weekend with a few friends, and a few crates of beer. Our search took us online to Taobao, the Chinese clone of Ebay, and what do we find? An all American made 1996 Dodge Ram 350 5.2l V8 van. Being stinky sophisticated Euros, we doen’t really know much about these Dodge Yank tanks monsters, but what we do know is, its a steal at 39,999rmb.
Now the problem is, where would park this monster if we bought it - its longer than the official parking spot provided to us by the apartment complex nazis management.
China Car Times hails from the UK, yes, Gods own little island paradise. We (were) quite used to seeing hot hatches flying all over the place driven by young lads who usually have bad skin, and a penchant for low quality cider. The death mobile hot hatch of choice had to have any/all of the following properties:
Since moving to China some years ago, we discovered that China doesnt really have a hot hatch scene, but all of that is slowly changing: modified Mitsubishi Lancers are everywhere, QQ’s with gravity defying demonic spoilers hanging off the rear windshield and armadas of Wagon R’s cruise the streets at night with blue neon under car strip lighting. You may be thinking ‘What a bunch of wankers’, but fear not, some Chinese companies are actually starting to kick start the hot hatch revolution in the mainland with some classy motors, rather than the usual rust bucket self modified contraptions.
Continue reading ‘Chinese Hot Hatches - Whats China Putting Out?’
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