Archive for June, 2011
Hong Qi’s C131 to launch at years end spotted out testing already
FAW are preparing to give the Hong Qi brand a major makeover for 2012, China’s oldest car brand is probably one of China’s most respected brands but FAW have let fall into a state of disrepair. FAW are planning four new high end models for the Hong Qi brand, one of which is the high [...]
Buick Lacrosse eAssist to launch in third quarter
GM are getting ready to launch their second mild hybrid in the Chinese market, the first of course being the last generation Buick Lacrosse which came in mild hybrid form for the Olympics and World Expo events in Beijing and Shanghai. According to reports the eAssist model will be priced just 20,000rmb more than the [...]
BAIC’s C30 sedan sighted out testing again
BAIC’s C30 MPV has already gone into production at BAIC’s brand new factory in Huzhou, and now it appears that the company are eager to roll out the sedan version of the C30. The sedan was on show at the Shanghai auto show where it was unveiled as the C302, and has since been spotted [...]
Chinese auto exports at all time time – but not a major auto exporter yet
Chinese automotive companies are not taking over the world yet despite their annual announcements to enter developed markets in Europe and the USA, but they are increasing their exports to developing markets. In May 2011 Chinese companies exported 72,100 cars which is an increase of 6.8% over April and 53% higher than May 2010 and [...]
Volvo’s China sales increase 82% in May
From China Daily: Swedish automaker Volvo saw its unit sales in China surged 82 percent in May thanks to its bond with Chinese owner Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The company sold 4,019 cars in China in May, its third largest market after the United States and Sweden, MarketWatch reported. Volvo has proven to be right [...]
Waste not want not – Shanghai VW’s self developed car to be based on Santana platform
The Chinese market is a strange place, the local partners to joint venture companies want the latest platforms and technology, but they are seldom keen to retire the older platforms to the history books, instead they run generation of car against another generation of car and somehow they both manage to sell quite well. See [...]
Lotus may have disputes with China’s Youngman Lotus over latter’s irregular advertising
UK’s Lotus will enter the Chinese market on June 15 this year, but its Chinese name is Lu Te Si (“路特斯” – a transliteration of Lotus) rather than the well-known Lian Hua (“莲花” – Chinese for Lotus Flower), because China’s Youngman Lotus has used the famous brand to market its cars first, and Lotus does [...]
FAW-Volkswagen’s Foshan plant approved, to make 7th generation Golf
A Foshan official confirmed that FAW-Volkswagen’s Foshan project has been approved by the National Development and Reform Council (NDRC). Sources say that the approval has nothing to do with the recent launch of the company’s self-owned Kaili brand. The birth of the Kaili brand only proves they are capable of making electric vehicles and developing [...]
Nissan Murano confirmed for China, to be known as Lou Lan
The Murano has been rumored to be arriving in the Chinese market for several months but now it appears that the large SUV really is preparing for the Chinese market with an introduction of a Chinese name. The Murano was unofficially known as the Mei Lun Nu in Chinese mainland automotive media following the Murano’s [...]
Part Jeep part Kia Soul, ZhongXing’s future crossover concept
Zhongxing Auto, aka ZX Auto, are now world famous thanks to their trucks being the new modern light cavalry brigade for the Libyan Rebels fighting against Gadaffi, but ZX realize that as the price of gasoline rises sales of chassis based trucks and SUV’s drop in correlation. Therefore ZX Auto are going down the crossover [...]
Opel’s plans for China laid bare
Opel are planning to have a major surge in the Chinese market in the next few months, the German brand was initially brought into the Chinese market by their American owners GM but the best of the Opel product line up has already made it into production in China under the Buick brand. The lure [...]
Geely to put its mark on Volvo
From the WSJ: When Volvo Car Corp. debuted its newest design recently, it turned heads with an edgy look that departed from the staid style that has been its hallmark. The upscale sedan has sleek curves and pale purple LEDs in its grille in a bid to plant the Swedish company more firmly in the [...]
Next generation Mazda3 spotted out in China
The Mazda3 has had a long life in the Chinese market, the car was launched in 2008 in sedan form as a locally produced vehicle, however Mazda neglected to give it a makeover since its launch. For 2011/12 Mazda are planning to launch the next generation vehicle into the Chinese market as a sedan only, [...]
China car market slows in May
At 2pm today CAAM (China Association of Automobile Manufacturers) will hold its official press conference and will likely announce that sales are down in May, confirming the statistics that are coming out of Tianjin’s CATARC (China Automotive Technology and Research Center). Why the big fuss every month? CATARC measures license plates registrations were as CAAM [...]
Next generation CRV sighted in China
Does this look like a CRV to you? According to Chinese media reports this homeless looking box on wheels is the next generation and its testing on Chinese roads right now. The CRV is a major seller for Honda in China and it is no suprise to learn that they are eager to get the [...]
Fiat 500 to launch in September, possibly priced at 190,000rmb and rising
The Fiat 500 will be introduced into the Chinese market in September this year according to media reports and early estimates on pricing are expected to be around 190,000rmb and rising. Fiat maybe planning to chase the MINI market by introducing yet another cult mini car into the Chinese market, Fiat so far are relying [...]
Ford posts 14% sales increase in May
Ford sold over 45,162 cars in May 2010 according to a press release issued by Ford in Shanghai, a 14% increase over Ford’s sales in May 2010 whilst sales for the first five months of the year in China reached 230,058 units. The Ford Focus and Mondeo models continued to be the bread and butter [...]
Toyota EZ MPV to launch on June 21st
Guangzhou Toyota are planning to launch the EZ MPV in the Chinese market on June 21st according to media reports, the compact MPV will targeted against other family use MPV’s such as the Mazda 5 and the highly popular VW Touran. June 21st will see the launch party happening in Beijing, but the car will [...]
Riich G6 with a 3.0L V6 spotted out
Is the new Riich G6 the biggest engined production Chinese car to date? Of course FAW produced the Hong Qi Limo which was rocking a domestically made V12 engine, but that car was only made to limited order and the below G6 is likely to see mass production in the next few months. The 3.0L [...]
BYD to roll out EV models across China
The sales region of BYD’s new energy vehicles will expand from Shenzhen to the pilot cities like Shanghai, Changchun, Hangzhou and Hefei from the second half of this year. In the past year, BYD sold more than 400 F3DM cars and no more than 100 E6 all-electric taxis in Shenzhen. Despite subsidies as high as [...]
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