The Olympics are right around the corner, and VW seem to be getting on with rolling out a range of Olympic cars for use within the games (ferrying officials around)
China Car Times is actually wondering if VW will release this car for sales with the Olympic branding attached, the Chinese really are going Olympic crazy and buying a fair share of Olympic merchandise! Also - what will happen to all of these cars after the Olympics are over, sell them at rock bottom prices? We hope so!
Wonder if the “olympic edition” VWs would just be decals on the exterior. If so, I would be thinking just a little (or maybe alot) of time with a hairdryer should be enough to convert it back to a standard VW?
Don’t the black plates mean they have to registered with a foreign company to escape certain tax brackets? My understanding was that those plates were only for imported cars (someone will correct me if I’m wrong). If they are diplomatic plates then they can only be sold to diplomats or the taxes need to be paid for the regular folks to get hold of them.
I’m sure in the next few weeks we will be able to buy those flash decals for every known vehicle made in China from the local markets…
Black = foreign registered company, or a Chinese JV with a foreign co.
Blue = Private ownership, or owned by a Chinese co
Yellow = registered as a bus (I think) sometimes with the initial Xue to represent a school bus
Diplomatic plates are black with either Shi for embassy, or Ling for consulates.
WJ white plates (carbon fiber style numbering)= Armed police
Military plates are white, and have a red word giving either their purpose (air, army, navy). If its the army, then they have their military region attached in red.
I think its like this anyway, anyone feel free to chip in and correct.
The Olympic committee would be foreign, and thus have black plates!
Thanks for that, most of the ones I see down here are blue, white and black in that order. Living 5 mins from an army base means I need to be more vigilant when crossing the roads because those guys are F^#^*#&* lunatics who follow no road rules whatsoever.
Thats because they dont have to by law! Although in recent years public outrage has forced the armed forces to follow the rules of the road as regular motorists have to do.
I remember Vauxhall selling Olympic Astra’s back in 1988 for the Seoul Olympics. Don’t see why VW shouldn’t do the same for the Beijing games.
What was the connection between the Vauxhall Astra and the Seoul Olympics? Or would that be the Daewoo!
With all the guff about a green Olympics and the pollution concerns why wouldn’t they be using Electric or Hybrid vehicles ?
Because electric vehicles are not allowed on teh roads, and hybrid vehicles are daft expensive! Plus VW have been in China for years, and are a brand the peoples can easily identify with.
I think a Jap brand supporting the olympics in such a big way maybe a little too much for the PRC’s people at this early stage!
I thought they were using the Chang’an Jie Xun hybrid as the official Olympic car!
oh yes - I forgot about that car - Chinas first homegrown hybrid!
Whats the end price tag on one though?
The Olympics is VERY important to the Chinese government. Please note I said the government. Most people I know don’t care at all.
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The Olympics MUST be perfect. There will be a lot of press here looking for anything that goes wrong. Chang’an cars can go wrong.
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Oh, yeah, but then why are they using VWs?!?