Archive for December, 2010
Ford Edge launched in China, priced from 360,000rmb
Ford launched the Ford Edge in China yesterday, marking the second time that Ford have launched a US produced model in the Chinese market after the Ford Maverick. The Edge has launched with a 3.5L V6 engine that will firmly put it into the arena with the Chinese made Toyota Highlander and also Chinese made [...]
Dongfeng-Luxgen formally announce JV partnership
Taiwan’s Yulong motors has formally signed a joint venture partnership with mainland auto maker Dongfeng, making this Dongfeng’s 6th joint venture partnership after successful partnerships with Honda, Kia, Nissan, and also Peugeot and Citroen. Dongfeng Auto and Luxgen will have a 50:50 partnership which will be called Dongfeng-Luxgen Auto Company and will have a total [...]
Shanghai-VW has bribery accusations thrown its way
From CBU Auto: HANGHAI – Top executives of Shanghai-Volkswagen are suspect of corruption involving ¥142 million ($20.88 million), reports Jingji Guancha Bao or Economic Observer.According to a letter signed by five senior executives who work under the Shanghai Automotive Industry (Group) Corp. (SAIC) circulating on the Internet since September, several former and current executives of [...]
BYD planning to kick start US business with K9 electric bus
BYD’s plans for the US market were delayed earlier this year due to BYD’s plans to make their flagship EV model more roomier in the rear as the E6′s battery pack was reportedly taking up far too much room (we say reportedly, as we’ve never seen one), however earlier this year BYD bought the Hunan [...]
Yang Rong to help Chinese car makers produce low cost hybrids
From Reuters: Hybrid Kinetic Group (1188.HK), controlled by Chinese exiled tycoon Yang Rong, plans to produce low-cost auto parts in China, allowing local automakers to sell clean-technology vehicles at conventional car prices, its chief executive officer said on Monday. This marks a shift from Yang’s original plan of making 3 million clean-energy vehicles a year [...]
New cars coming soon to China
The Guangzhou Auto Show is just over a week away and is expected to be smaller in terms of international visitors due to the proximity to Christmas, although this is unlikely to affect local visitors from attending. Beijing and Shanghai Auto Shows are considered the biggest in China, but Guangzhou Auto Show serves as an [...]
AutoExpress makes up its own MG7
Last week it was reported that the forthcoming Roewe 750 will be Buick Regal (Opel Insignia) based, this week the UK magazine Auto Express made up its own render of any forthcoming MG7 that will also be based on the Regal platform. Behold: A Buick Regal with an MG7 front end (left). Rumor has it [...]
Suzuki closing Beijing representative office, facing stiff market in China
Over the past two years Suzuki by all means should have been riding the China wave with its small car line up that mostly consists of sub 1.6L cars – cars that were (and probably still will be) in high demand in the Chinese market from 2008 onwards. Instead they have failed to meet the [...]
Beijing car sales hit 20,000 units last week alone
The city of Beijing is a sprawling metropolis with terrible congestion, thanks to the recently cooler than usual weather and the central government planning to cancel low sales on sub 1.6L cars as well as Beijing City Government’s plans to introduce various anti-car policies, Beijing citizen’s have been rushing to buy cars enmasse with 20,000 [...]
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-12-12
New China Car Times under construction, check it out now! # Will anyone from Europe or the US actually attend the Guangzhou Auto Show this year? Seems too close to Christmas! # AshAsh came to China at 18 on a whim and never left. Some 10 years later he collected a degree and a family [...]
GWM Florid launches in Dubai…
It’s hard to imagine a GWM Florid in downtown Dubai where super cars and gigantic SUV’s are the order of the day, but perhaps in a post 2009 economic climate even the rowdiest of Sheik’s are having to downsize to keep their country afloat in turbulent waters. From Khajlee Times: A Chinese hatchback that is [...]
VW sells 1.82 million cars in China in 2010
VW appears to be betting the house on the Chinese market for 2011 and is hoping to beat Toyota to the world’s top automaker by 2018, but haven’t VW learned anything by watching the former top auto maker, GM, and subsequently Toyota, fail miserably once they reach that point? There’s nothing hot in being top [...]
GM China keeping GM USA alive
From NPR: Two years ago, General Motors was on the brink of bankruptcy. But the U.S. government stepped in and took control. Since then, as part of its restructuring, GM shed thousands of jobs and billions in debt. And last month, the company took the first step in shedding its “Government Motors” image by launching [...]
Volvo relying on future Chengdu base
From Bloomberg: Volvo Cars, the Swedish carmaker acquired by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., is leaning toward starting production in the city of Chengdu to boost sales in the country, according to a Volvo board member. The board agreed at a meeting in Gothenburg yesterday that taking over an existing Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. [...]
The skeleton in the closet – Why I’m not bullish on the Chinese market
Chinese automotive consultants from both the West and China have gotten themselves into a circle jerk over the Chinese car industry sales. This year is heading for 18 million sales, and if you believe the optimists then next year will approach 25 million and the year after 35 million and companies will continue to operate [...]
Skoda planning expansion in China
From Bloomberg: Skoda Auto AS, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG, said it will post record sales this year, fueled by sales growth in China, India and Russia and further expansion in Eastern Europe. Sales in the first 11 months rose 12.3 percent to 702,400 vehicles, the company said in an e-mailed statement. That’s more [...]
Zhengtong gaining ground after shaky IPO
From Reuters: ZhengTong Auto Services Holdings Ltd (1728.HK), a Chinese luxury car dealer, backed by high profile investors including the Soros group recovered after shaky market debut on Friday, with investors betting on strong demand for luxury cars in China. Shares in ZhengTong gained as much as 4.4 percent to HK$7.62, compared with an IPO [...]
SUV sales in November
November SUV sales As reported earlier, SUV sales in November saw strong sales, the below 5 models account for 42% of all SUV sales in November and had total sales of over 55,200 units. Greatwall Hover 14,100 Honda CRV – 13,900 Toyota RAV4 – 9500 VW Tiguan – 9200 Hyundai IX35 – 8500 GWM maybe [...]
Novembers sales figures in review
According to CAAM statistics, passenger car sales reached 1.39 million vehicles in November, an 11.30% increase over October and a 29.7% increase over November 2009′s sales. Sedans and hatchbacks took 933,900 sales in total with an in 11.82% increase over Octobers sales whilst 23.83% increase of over November 2009 sales. MPV sales reached 42,100 with [...]
MPV sales in November
FAW’s Xenia was the strongest seller in November amongst the MPV’s, although Dongfeng’s JoyEar seems to be making a comeback since its lackluster launch in early 2009. FAW Xenia – 6816 JAC Rein – 6567 Dongfeng Joyear – 5601 Honda Oddysey – 4152 Dongfeng Shuai Ke – 2755 Interestingly still, the MPV market seems to [...]
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