Archive for March, 2011
VW and PSA both considering sub-brands
The march of the sub-brand continues in China with both VW and PSA considering to launch their own models according to this report by the Wall Street Journal. The VW sub brand has all but been confirmed according to our sources and will be created under the FAW joint venture, of course renderings of their [...]
VW Golf Variant to be imported into China
The market for wagons in China is still small, but it seems that VW are eager to exploit the niche with a series of new products. They kicked off exploration of the wagon market with the introduction of the Passat Variant earlier this year and will follow it up with the importation of the Golf [...]
240bhp Mondeo 2.0T launched in China
The market for turbo powered sedans in China is heating up at considerable speed, VW were the first to offer their 2.0T which later became the TSI range, GM entered the market with 2.0T and 1.6T engines for their Buick and Chevrolet range but Ford have topped them all with the introduction of the 240BHP [...]
GM to produce SUV in China next year
American automotive companies are famed for their SUV’s, so why is that they have completely failed to make one in China? Ford imports its American made Edge into China, as does GM with its Michigan made Buick Enclave and of course we have Jeep’s that are made all across North America and imported into China. [...]
BYD is at Geneva Auto Show with two cars
BYD has gone back to Geneva to show its electric and hybrid wares to a European audience, last year BYD premiered the E6 electric crossover to an impressed crowd and has returned to the stage to show off its BYD S6DM SUV. The hybrid SUV is the same one that was displayed in Detroit at [...]
BYD wins approval for new joint venture with Daimler
BYD have gained final approval from the central government to set up a joint venture with Daimler to produce a series of luxury electric cars in China. The first car is reported to be codenamed GOLF and is currently at the R&D stage, an eventual market launch of 2013 is being quoted so far. German [...]
Chery has good chance to be local partner of Subaru
The PR executive with Fuji Heavy Industry, parent of Subaru, said that Subaru’s production plan in China still needs time for discussion, and the final decision will be announced at the end of this March. According to the reports of Nikkei News, Japan’s Fuji Heavy Industry will join hands with Chinese automaker Chery to open [...]
SouEast launches minivan to target rural buyers
SouEast have been struggling to find their feet since in the Chinese market since the market heated up considerably in 2006 and 2007, prior to this they were happy to producing older Mitsubishi models, in 2009 Mitsubishi ramped up its partnership with SouEast which saw the introduction of the latest generation of Lancer and will [...]
Hatwai’s ‘Cayenne’ gets Chinese name
Hawtai’s Cayenne was first unveiled in early 2010 at the Beijing Auto Show not too far from Hawtai’s HQ in downtown Beijing and took the automotive world by surprise, and most likely Porsche too. The SUV was quickly named the ‘mini Cayenne’ by Chinese media and subsequently became quite popular within China. The SUV was [...]
Zotye to produce own version of Fiat Palio
When Fiat retired from China after its split up with Nanjing Auto, it vowed to come back to the world’s largest car market with a bang. Fiat mulled on the sidelines for two years and flirted with multiple car makers in the Chinese market before signing up with Guangzhou Auto in Southern China, but prior [...]
Subaru angers China with Italian Mao advert
Subaru are on the verge of sealing a deal with China’s Chery Motors that should see them producing the Forrester in Chery’s new factory in Dalian, but a new advertisement for Subaru’s Trezia model in Italy may well delay any official seal for the joint venture. The Italian advertisement which reportedly translates as saying “a [...]
BYD denies job cuts, admits ‘personnel adjustment’
In response to the rumors about its massive layoff and price reduction, BYD’s spokesperson Wang Jianjun told National Business Daily on February 28 that they did not cut jobs, and they were still recruiting He explained that BYD did transfer some staff from its mature sales network, or A network, to new sales network, or [...]
SAIC announces Maxus brand – LDV is back from the dead
Judging by recent events, SAIC are eager to recreate British Leyland with the creation of Reowe and then buying MG and also LDV from the UK. LDV has been renamed Maxxs and will carry the Chinese name Da Tong (大通). Da Tong’s main purpose is to create a series of products that are able to [...]
GM’s OnStar Service gets 200,000 subscribers
The business of providing telematics to Chinese drivers is hotting up, GM was obviously the first with its OnStar service but also Toyota, Honda and Nissan are similar services to their network which will pile the competition onto GM’s service – which itself has already gained 200,000 customers. Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co., Ltd., the Chinese [...]
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