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How Much Does a Chinese Automotive CEO Earn?

It’s a well known fact that Chinese labor is somewhat cheaper than what is available in the West, however in recent years Chinese salaries have sky rocketed at a rapid pace for the average white collar worker. Entry level jobs for a recent graduate in Shanghai will net around 5000RMB (812USD) per month at the minimum, post grads can look forward to…

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May 6, 2013 Posted by In Industry News Tagged , , , Comments 3

Super-B, Besturn, Skin and Face, Automotive Naming Disasters in China, and Elsewhere.

Names for automobiles are very subjective, what sounds great in one particular language may mean something rather different, or even rude, in another. Take for example the Mitsubishi Pajero, Pajero sounds great in English and Anglo-Saxon countries loved the foreign sounding name of Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV. Over in Spanish speaking countries and some…

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Aug 20, 2012 Posted by In Chinese Car News, Commentary Tagged , Comments 12

China Daily Asks: Will China get over its speed bump? The Answer is of course: Welcome to the Real World

The China Daily asked a charged question earlier this week when it asked if the Chinese Auto Market would get over the Speed Bump of slow sales:

A slowing economy and the exit of stimulus policies have put brakes on China’s auto industry, sending auto sales to a historical low after explosive expansion.

However, industry analysts believe…

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Jul 25, 2012 Posted by In Commentary Tagged , Comments 1

Why the Beijing Auto Show is Probably the Worst in the Chinese Automotive Calendar

Beijing wasn’t always the capital of China, it jumped from city to city with the changing of dynasty or during war times, at different points in history the capital has moved around from Xi’an to Peiping (modern day Beijing) to Nanjing to Chongqing and beyond, the word ‘jing’ usually means capital, Bei means…

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May 9, 2012 Posted by In Commentary Tagged , , Comments 12

New Energy Vehicles Pick Up Steam as Fuel Hits 8rmb

Ask a Chinese driver if ten years ago they would have expected fuel prices to break the 8RMB per liter barrier. Most will say no. The 8rmb barrier became an important pyschological barrier for Chinese drivers, would more of them say no to car ownership or car use in the wake up fuel falling over 8rmb for the first time?

On March 20th the NDRC (National…

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Apr 9, 2012 Posted by In Industry News Tagged , , Comments 4

Chinese Economists Questioning Recent Gas Price Rise

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) sets the price on Chinese gasoline prices at the pump which gives the People’s people something to complain about every 3 or 4 months when pricing inevitably goes north of what they are currently paying. With gas prices at the forecourt breaching the 8rmb barrier for the first time Chinese drivers…

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Mar 30, 2012 Posted by In Commentary Tagged , , , Comments 2

Government purchasing – It is time for local brands

Hongqi (Red Flag) is being revived slowly buy surely, Shanghai is reviving, Beijing is Reviving. The old famous Chinese car brands which disappeared for many years are reviving at the same time, of course they are not being brought back for nostalgic purposes, they are being brought back to satisfy a government demand for anything that isn’t German….

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Mar 19, 2012 Posted by In Commentary, Industry News Tagged , , , , , Comments 0

2011 in Review – the good, the bad, and the forthcoming

This week is statistics week, luxury auto manufacturers totted up their 2011 China sales last week as their volumes were much smaller and they were largely without joint venture partners numbers were obviously easier to crunch, this week joint venture companies and local companies alike will be rolling out their statistics, tomorrow the official yearly…

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Jan 9, 2012 Posted by In Commentary Tagged , Comments 0

Chinese Automobile Companies go West

Considerable attention has been paid to the Chinese automotive world, as the worlds biggest and at the same time fastest growing market, being a topic in newspapers all around the world. However, recent export attempts to Western countries as well as high-profile international acquisitions and take-over attempts by Chinese automobile players have shifted…

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Nov 11, 2011 Posted by In Commentary, Industry News Tagged , , , Comments 0

Why, despite the sales down turn, BYD is back on top form

Not long ago I wrote an article for China Car Times on how I believed that after a few missteps, BYD would ultimately prevail. We now have partial confirmation that I was on to something. It has been reported that BYD’s Q3 profits are up an astonishing 582% with the Q4 outlook even more positive. Granted, BYD’s profits are still down for the year,…

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Nov 11, 2011 Posted by In BYD Auto, Commentary Tagged , , , , Comments 7

Global Auto Forum: What radical changes will the EV bring to the auto industry?

As everyone knows, the arrival of electric vehicles to the mass market will happen sooner rather than later. But are EV’s the be–all-and-end-all of the new energy race? Are there other potential fuels or alternatives available? At the World Auto Forum in Chengdu a briefing session was held to discuss what changes the oncoming wave of electric…

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Oct 20, 2011 Posted by In Global Auto Forum Tagged , , , , Comments 0

Global Auto Forum: What future for automotive joint venture companies in China

Automotive Joint Venture companies have been in China for almost 30 years. China currently has 30 joint venture companies producing 62 brands of cars, however, as local brands gain strength in the market, could there be changes ahead? At the World Auto Forum in Chengdu a debate was held by James Qin, the CEO of major automotive portal Autohome.com.cn,…

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Oct 20, 2011 Posted by In Global Auto Forum Tagged , , , Comments 0