Archive for August, 2011
China gets UK edition of the MG6
A few months ago I spotted a UK version of the MG6 testing in Shanghai’s Jia Ding district, which is not too far from SAIC’s headquarters. Of course only I am sad enough to spot the slightest difference between the UK and Chinese version, the UK model gets a faux plastic air vent on the [...]
Chang’ans CD101 sedan spotted out testing, carrying hand drawn BMW badges to fool nobody
How do you disguise a car that is under going road testing? Do you give it the blandest white paint job money can buy? Do you cover it in bits of electric tape? Or do you hand draw a BMW logo to the back and crudely write 760L on the hood? Of course you choose [...]
Chinese car companies see export surge and hike prices by 20% in overseas markets
An unnamed Chinese homegrown auto brand sent a group of its domestic dealers to Egypt for business exchange visits recently, Chinese dealers were surprised at the brand’s high recognition and booming sales in the North African market. Just like many popular imported models in Chinese market, price increases are quite common for the brand in [...]
Shanghai-VW preparing mega attack on Chinese market this year
VW is breathing down GM’s neck in the Chinese market and could potentially unseat GM as China’s biggest car maker if they continue to expand their offerings in the Chinese market. New Lavida: The Lavid has already proved to be a popular car since its launch, the model was developed independently by Shanghai-VW and is [...]
Chang’an saw both business revenue and net profits down in H1
Chang’an posted its first-half fiscal report on August 29th, which shows that its business revenue in the first half decreased 12.75% from 16.627 billion yuan in the same period of last year to 14.537 billion yuan. Its net profits attributable to the shareholders of the listed company reduced 23.89% from 1.366 billion yuan in the [...]
SEAT is coming to China
Spain is famous for its passionate football and bullfight, but henceforth, more Chinese people will know about Spain’s passion for cars. In April 2011, SEAT brand premiered in China at the Shanghai Auto Show. Four months later, SEAT Leon appeared on the list of Chinese official environment website which gave the impression Seat is not [...]
Brilliance launch H530 with 1.6L and 1.5T – priced to win
Brilliance are one of the better Chinese car companies in terms of their design styling and range, however they have failed to gain mass volume sales in the red hot Chinese market, their line up is quite compact with three sedans (now 4) 1 hatchback, a coupe and a wagon, they also have an SUV [...]
QQ3 Sports Edition Spied
The QQ3 was a Chinese automotive revolution on four wheels when it first launched way back in 2003, however from that point on the QQ was brushed over in favor of rapidly expanding the rest of the Chery line up and sales began to suffer as other Chinese car manufacturers began to push out their [...]
BYD lets 1800 staff redundent go as sales go south
Chinese media are reporting that BYD are planning to let up to 70% of its sales team go over the next few weeks with mandatory redundancies being sent through and the majority of staff being forced out of their positions by September 30th. Auto 163 are reporting that they have received many reports from BYD [...]
JAC’s new SUV sighted ahead of time
A few weeks ago Brazil’s Car and Driver magazine threw out a render of what a future JAC mini SUV might look like, it seems there rendering artists were spot on the money when it came to mini SUV design, as they’ve managed to capture pretty much exactly what the SUV looked like ahead of [...]
Next generation Roewe 750 and 550 to gain dual clutch gearboxes
Dual clutch technology is a big thing for Volkswagen, who of course make cars with Shanghai Auto Industry Corporation in Shanghai, now SAIC are planning to put dual clutch tech into their own cars. It’s not clear who the supplying company will be for the gearbox or if SAIC have managed to develop the technology [...]
Chang’an makes new minivan
When Chang’an released a mini van with a bull logo on the front of it a few months ago, people did wonder what Chang’an were playing at, a few months down the line this minivan, complete with bull logo appears like a wild Pokemon. The new brand was to be called Niu Jin in Chinese, [...]
Third Generation Prius to be produced in China, price to drop
The Prius was never a big seller in the Chinese market owing to the fact that it was too expensive, other automotive commentators will incorrectly state that Chinese consumers are not interested in doing their bit to save the environment, the fact is that the Prius was over priced at 250,000rmb ($45,000USD) leading Chinese consumers [...]
Li Shu Fu talks Volvo with Sohu
The Chinese automotive mega portal at Auto.Sohu.com recently had a sit down chat with Geely and Volvo’s CEO Mr. Li Shu Fu on the direction of Volvo and of course Geely. As Volvo was purchased by Geely over a year ago Auto.Sohu were eager to find out what Li Shu Fu thought of life behind [...]
Volkswagen sets up engine reprocessing facility in Dalian, new old parts for China
Volkswagen and First Automobile Works have set up an engine reprocessing facility in Dalian, to provide the Chinese market with a range of reconditioned engine parts. VW are aiming to provide the Chinese market, now its largest single sales market with a range of used reconditioned engine parts that will be up to 50% cheaper [...]
FAW’s B90 Sedan to launch in early 2012
The B90 has been on the front page of China Car Times on multiple occasions this past month and we are still no closer to understanding what underpins the B90, rumor has it that the B90 is riding on the last generation of Mazda6 that FAW inherited from its partner, FAW shortened the platform for [...]
BYD’s all singing all dancing G6 to hit the market soon with 1.5T under the hood
The BYD F6 was BYD’s first large size sedan and one of the first modern Chinese made sedans in its segment at the time, the F6 did achieve some good sales but it was a little rough around the edges. The F6 has now moved up the alphabet a few notches and has become the [...]
GM launches Buick eAssist Lacrosse in China
Hybrids have never been a big seller in the Chinese market, the Toyota Prius has become the hallmark of hybrid cars all around the world, but in the Chinese market it failed to make a dent in any meaningful way, perhaps due to its high price or due to its unconventional styling, Chinese consumers didn’t [...]
Great Wall’s Tianjin Factory opens its doors, GWM H6 rolls down the lines
The Hover H6 was the first car to roll down Great Wall Motors brand new factory in Tianjin today, the new factory will be expanded in three phases with the final phase giving GWM a max production capacity of 800,000 cars at the plant. Phase 1 will see production at 250,000 units per year, phase [...]
Hawtai and Proton on the verge of inking new deal
Previously China Car Times reported on the latest rumors from the rumor mill that seemed to indicate that Hawtai and Malaysia’s Proton were on the verge of signing a deal which would see the two working to develop the Indonesian auto market together. Latest Chinese media reports indicate that the deal maybe much bigger and [...]
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