Archive for January, 2009
Geely gunning for Volvo
Can Geely pluck Volvo from the top of the pie? Our sources say’s its 90% possible.
Volvo sale set to get Chinese bidders?
Volvo is up for sale in February, but who will buy it? Which one of China’s car markers has the readies for a big ticket purchase?
UK’s Which? Car reviews the MGTF LE 500
UK’s Which? Car Magazine reviews the British built MGTF LE500.
CCT Roadtrip: Leaving Nanjing, haulin’ to Hangzhou
Nanjing isnt the greatest city in the world to drive in, in fact its truly awful. Streets are narrow, and jam packed with traffic. Traffic of all kinds surrounds you at every moment, gigantic cement mixers delivering concrete life to the latest construction project, motorbikes blast past with their 125cc’s of fury, and little [...]
Will Chery launch these in ’09?
With Chery’s ’08 sales figures being slightly down on the previous years its probably come to Chery management’s attention that their model line up is in need of a slight makeover to keep up with the competition. Chery brought forth the Faira range, but what else might they launch in ’09? The Chery Eastar is [...]
Lexus GS450h arrives in China, a snip at 898,000rmb.
The Lexus GS450h, the hybrid sports sedan has landed in the PRC, but it comes with a hefty price tag of 898,000rmb. We can guarantee that CCT wont be driving this particular model anytime soon. As with all Lexus models, the GS450H comes complete with a whole host of electrical gadgets that are supposed to [...]
CCT Roadtrip: Live from Nanjing
I found myself in odd situation this week, after a spectacular fall from a wall and subsequently dislocating my shoulder for the third time, I found myself with a week off work and nothing to do, well actually two weeks if you include the Spring Festival holiday. CCT never stops for anything, and it was [...]
SAIC and Proton in talks?
Rumors on the Malaysian Motor Trader forum say that SAIC and Proton are in talks over a model swap. The rumors state that SAIC could be giving Proton access to the Roewe 750 platform (which is in turn the Rover 75 platform) which would form the basis of the new Proton Perdana for the Malaysian [...]
European company seeks Taiwan manager
A new section for CCT – CCT Jobs: The Title: General Manager, European Car Dealership Reporting Structure: Director, Car Group Position Location: Tapei, Taiwan Click continue reading to see more AshAsh came to China at 18 on a whim and never left. Some 10 years later he collected a degree and a family along the [...]
Haima working on 2.0T engines
Haima, Hainan Islands own developed brand, has improved its game in 2008 with the launch of a new Mazda 3 like sedan, and also a new bubble shaped hatchback. 2009 will see Haima focus on technology rather than bringing out new designs, Haima are reportedly working on a new 1.8 VVT engine, and also turbo [...]
Skoda to increase sales by 50%
Whilst other car makers in China are cautiously cutting their ’09 sales plans, Skoda are boosting their sales plans several fold to satisfy demand for the bargain brand. Skoda launched themselves into China in 2007, and have seen their sales explode as the motors flew off the forecourt. Skoda sold an impressive 59284 cars in [...]
Fiat have feelings for Guangzhou Auto, no JV with Zotye
Fiats top man in China was quoted in a newspaper interview with Guangzhou Daily that Fiat maybe close to entering a JV partnership with Guangzhou Auto as mentioned before on CCT, which would see the relaunch of Fiat in China with domestically made Fiat vehicles, rather than expensive imported models. However, any rumors of a [...]
Brilliance sold 289,500 cars in 08
Brilliance, the Shenyang based automotive upstart, sold an impressive 289,500 vehicles in 2008, which brought in over 40 billion RMB for them over the course of the year. Brilliance says that end sales were affected by the global economic condition towards the end of ’08, but is on track to increase sales to half a [...]
BAW set to invest billions in ’09
BAW maybe more famous for its military jeeps than any other car its ever made, it seems that there is a soft spot for the terribly bad BJ2020 Jeep in every ex-pats heart, including CCT’s. It steers like an iron bathtub on 17inch tyres, high speed cornering is life threatening, that is of course if [...]
Geely working on multiple new energy cars
Geely are busy working away on new energy cars according to todays media reports from various outlets. Geely doesnt appear ready to put all of its eggs in one basket, and join forces with either side of opposing new energy camps, and by those new energy camps we mean the hydrogen camp V’s the hybrid [...]
Citroen Quattre (C4) sedan in the making
The Citroen Quattre is essentially a slightly redesigned Citroen C4 for the Chinese market, big changes to the car would be a lack of a full glass roof, and the lack of VTS models. The C4 moniker was dropped in favor of the Quattre name, due to the Chinese dislike of the number 4, which [...]
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