Chinese Auto Industry 中国汽车工业

[7freedom7]

Brazilian Best Cars Web Site - Comparativo completo - Fiat Uno Sporting vs. JAC J3



Full article: http://bestcars.uol.com.br/comp4/fia...g-jac-j3-1.htm

[7freedom7]

New China car brand (Geely) enters Saudi market amid growth


Amin Abu Al-Hassan (seventh from left), chairman, Haji Hussain Alireza & Co. Ltd.; Ali Husein Alireza (second from right), Managing Director, HHA; with Dr. Zhang Lin, VP, Geely Holding Group; Chinese diplomat, and other senior executives of HHA and Geely, pose beside Geely Emgrand EC8 sedan at the launch of Geely cars in Jeddah on Tuesday.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20110923109342

Originally Posted by 7freedom7

Geely exports cars to Cuba, Saudi Arabia
Automotive News China | 2011/10/28

[7freedom7]

Geely EC718 spotted in Dubai

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[7freedom7]

BYD to produce electric vehicles in Argentina
Automotive News China | 2011/11/8



BYD Co. signed an agreement last week with the Argentine government to produce electric vehicles in the South American country.

The EVs will be used for public transport, according to Argentina's Industry Ministry.

Besides electric vehicles, the Chinese company will make lithium batteries used in cell phones and laptops.

The EVs and batteries will be sold in Argentina and other South American countries including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Further details on the production facility and vehicles to be built in Argentina have yet to be made available.

BYD, located in the south China city of Shenzhen, makes gasoline cars as well as plug-in hybrid vehicles and EVs.

To date, the Chinese company has sent its electric vehicles to participate in demonstration programs in Israel, Spain, Germany and the United States.

[7freedom7]

Great Wall's profit up 77% in first nine months
Automotive News China | 2011/11/8



Great Wall Motor Co. says its net profit in the first nine months of this year surged 77 percent year-on-year to 2.6 billion yuan ($409 million), reflecting robust vehicle sales.

The company, which is listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai, did not disclose its vehicle sales. But according to J.D. Power and Associates, Great Wall's sales rose 35 percent to 249,459 vehicles in the first nine months.

Great Wall, located in the Baoding city of North China's Hebei province, is China's largest domestic producer of SUVs and pickups.

[7freedom7]

Daimler to develop EVs with BAIC

STUTTGART -- Daimler AG signed a letter of intent last week with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. to develop electric vehicles.

The move was aimed at "further improving the competitiveness of both partners in China," Daimler said in a statement.

Further details on the joint development project were unavailable.

Daimler and BAIC have a joint venture in Beijing to produce Mercedes-Benz E- and C-Class vehicles.

Last month, the Chinese government approved Daimler's joint venture with Beiqi Foton Motor Co., BAIC's commercial vehicle subsidiary, to build commercial vehicles.

Daimler also has a joint venture with BYD Co. to produce EVs. The partners will use BYD's battery pack and drivetrain and Daimler's EV architecture.

The vehicle will be marketed under a new brand to be jointly owned by BYD and Daimler.

[7freedom7]

Chinese bid for Saab to be reworked after GM objects
Reuters | 2011/11/8

DETROIT -- The Chinese rescue deal for Swedish automaker Saab has to be redone after objections from General Motors, the chief executive of Swedish Automobile, which owns Saab, said Monday.

"We have to go back to the drawing board," Saab Automobile CEO Victor Muller said.

GM said on Monday it had decided to sever its ties to Saab and its commitment to supply it with vehicle components and the 9-4X model because of the risks posed by the pending sale of the Swedish auto brand to Chinese owners.

GM said last week it would be difficult to support a sale of Saab if the transaction hurt its existing tie-ups in China or its competitive position in other markets.

China's Pang Da Automobile Trade Co. and Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile have struck a deal to buy Saab from its current Dutch owner, Swedish Automobile, in what amounts to a rescue plan for the Swedish auto brand formerly owned by GM.

Swedish Automobile, then called Spyker, rescued Saab from closure by former owner General Motors in 2010.

GM still has preference shares in Saab and is a major supplier of vehicle components and so must approve the Pang Da and Youngman takeover.

"Although General Motors is open to the continued supply of powertrains and other components to Saab under appropriate terms and conditions, GM will not agree to the continuation of the existing technology licenses or the continued supply of 9-4X vehicles to Saab following the proposed change in ownership as it would not be in the best interests of GM shareholders," GM spokesman Jim Cain said in an updated statement Monday.

The statement represented a hardening in GM's opposition to the proposed rescue plan for Saab and appeared to lengthen the odds for the brand's survival.

GM said last week it would oppose the sale unless officials become satisfied it will not "negatively impact GM's existing relationships in China" or otherwise adversely affect the automaker's interests worldwide.

Saab has lurched from crisis to crisis in the past year and has not produced a car in months. The company was given court protection from creditors in Sweden in September. It was the second time Saab received protection from creditors in two years.

If Pang Da and Youngman were able to complete the deal to purchase and rescue Saab, it would mark the second time that a struggling Swedish auto brand once controlled by Detroit automakers has been acquired by a Chinese company.

In August 2010, Geely bought Volvo from Ford Motor Co.

Pang Da operates auto dealerships in China. Youngman produces commercial vehicles, including buses and trucks, and sells cars under the Lotus brand.

[7freedom7]

Interior trim supplier Huaxiang acquires 2 units from bankrupt German firm

2011/11/15

Ningbo Huaxiang Electronics Co., a major Chinese interior trim supplier, will acquire two units of bankrupt German supplier Sellner Holding GmbH in a bid to gain access to the German and U.S. markets.

The two businesses are Sellner GmbH in Germany and Sellner Corp. in the United States. Both produce wooden interior components for automobiles, according to Huaxiang.

Huaxiang will pay 19 million euros (163 million yuan) for Sellner GmbH and its plastic interior parts subsidiary IPG Industrieplast. It will acquire Sellner Corp. for 23 million yuan.

In addition, Huaxiang will pay 52 million euros to purchase Wech CHEB, a company in Czech Republic that provides plywood pressing services for Sellner GmbH.

Sellner Holding's major customers are Audi AG, Mercedes-Benz and BMW AG. It went bankrupt in January.

Huaxiang, located in the east China city of Ningbo, mainly supplies Chinese joint ventures of Volkswagen AG, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. It is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, a domestic bourse.

In 2010, Huaxiang posted a profit of 420 million yuan on revenue of 3.3 billion yuan.

[7freedom7]

Chery says exports to Iraq to climb 50% in 2011

Chery Automobile Co., China's largest light vehicle exporter, expects to sell 14,000 vehicles in Iraq this year.

That will represent a 17 percent increase over the year-ago period, according to Chery.

The Chinese automaker said exports to Iraq have grown steadily since it entered the market in 2008.

Iraq also is a major export market for Chongqing Lifan Industry Group Co. and Great Wall Motor Co.



Chinese vehicle exports to Russia jump 50%
2011/11/15

Most Chinese automakers' exports to Russia have resumed strong growth this year with the Russian economy recovering from the global economic crisis.

Chongqing Lifan Industry Group Co. is the largest vehicle exporter to Russia. It sold 14,480 vehicles in Russia in the first 10 months of this year, up 50 percent from the year-ago period, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Great Wall Motor Co.'s exports to Russia surged 88 percent year-on-year to 5,172 units through October, while Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. exported 3,992 units, up 50 percent from the year-earlier figure.

Other exporters are Haima Automobile Co. and BYD Co, with deliveries through October totaling 2,664 units and 1,485 units, respectively.

Chery Automobile Co. is the only Chinese automaker whose exports to Russia have declined. The company delivered 5,359 vehicles to Russia, down 33 percent year-on-year.

China's car exports to Russia remained strong in 2007 and 2008, but tumbled in 2009 after the Russian economy was hit hard by the global economic downturn.

[7freedom7]

Chery, Italian distributor may build cars at shuttered Fiat plant in Sicily
Automotive News Europe | 2011/11/18



TURIN -- Fiat S.p.A.'s assembly plant in Sicily may be used in the future to produce cars for Chinese automaker Chery Automobile Co.

In 2009, Fiat announced that its 41-year-old factory near Palermo would cease production at the end of this year.

But Fiat is stopping production at the Termini Imerese plant a month earlier than planned due to low customer orders.

After receiving a number of offers, the Italian government has chosen DR Motor Co. to take over the plant. DR Motor has said it will assemble Chery's cars at the factory, but has not disclosed the start of production or likely production volumes.

DR Motor, which is part of the Di Risio dealer group, imports and sells Chinese vehicles in Italy as a domestic brand. Most of its cars come from Chery.

The Termini plant currently produces the Lancia Ypsilon three-door minicar. Fiat will shut down Termini's assembly lines on Nov. 23, according to unions that met with Fiat officials.

Fiat has said high logistics costs led to its decision to stop building cars at Termini. Production there costs about 700 euros (6,000 yuan) more per car than in other plants because most of the parts are shipped to the factory from mainland Italy.

[7freedom7]

Great Wall, Delphi to develop safety, powertrain components



Great Wall Motor Co. Ltd. says it has signed a strategic agreement with Delphi Automotive LLP to develop components for powertrains, safety systems, thermal systems and electronics.

U.S. supplier Delphi began providing electronic control units and other components to Great Wall in 2005. In August, Delphi announced that it was producing a high-pressure common rail system, fuel injectors and fuel pumps to Great Wall for pickups exported to Europe.

The new agreement deepens the partnership, said Wei Jianjun, chairman of the Great Wall Motors. "Supporting products provided by Delphi for Great Wall Motors have a strong r&d potential," Wei said.

[7freedom7]

Volvo expects China sales to grow up to 50% in 2012
Reuters | 2011/11/22



GUANGZHOU -- Volvo Car Corp. expects sales growth of 40 to 50 percent in China next year, the company's China sales chief said on Monday.

Richard Snijders, CEO of Volvo's China distribution unit, made the comment to Reuters on the sidelines of the Guangzhou auto show. The company expects to sell 48,000 to 50,000 cars in China this year, added Snijders, up from just over 30,000 units last year.

Volvo parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group purchased the Swedish automaker from Ford Motor Co. in 2010 to complete China's largest overseas auto acquisition.

In February, Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby in February unveiled a plan to invest up to $11 billion globally in new product development and facilities over a five-year period.

Volvo seeks Chinese government approval to build two assembly plants in the country, one in the city of Chengdu in the southwest and the other in Daqing in the northeast.

[7freedom7]

MG6 & Geely Emgrand EC7 get Euro NCAP 4 Star Ratings

Read more:
http://www.carsuk.net/mg6-geely-emgr...#ixzz1ecDODGYD
http://www.autohome.com.cn/news/201111/268185.html

[7freedom7]

China XD Plastics' quarterly earnings rose 28%
2011/11/25

HARBIN, China -- China XD Plastics Co. says its net income rose 28 percent year-on-year to $15.7 million (100 million yuan) in the third quarter, as the company sold more high-margin components.

The company's quarterly revenues jumped 59 percent to 661 million yuan.

In its earnings report, the company said its plastics sales benefited from strong demand in China for mid-market and premium automotive brands.

XD Plastics supplies exterior and interior trim to a variety of automakers in China, including Audi AG, BMW AG, Toyota Motor Corp., General Motors, Mazda Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG.

The company said it expects 2011 revenues to range from 2.3 billion yuan to 2.4 billion yuan. Adjusted net income for the year is expected to range from 350 million yuan to 363 million yuan.

The company is listed on the NASDAQ exchange.

[7freedom7]

GM to assemble microvan in Egypt with kits from China venture
2011/11/25

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SHANGHAI -- General Motors will start assembling a microvan in Egypt in the third quarter of 2012 using kits supplied by its Chinese joint venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.

The vehicle, dubbed the Chevrolet Move, can be used to carry passengers as well as goods. GM plans to produce about 5,000 units annually.

In China it is known as the Wuling Rongguang. Fitted with a 1.2-liter engine, the five-seat microvan is 4,105 mm long, 1,620 wide, and 1,900 mm tall.

It has a starting price of 40,000 yuan ($6,300) in China; GM has yet to disclose the Move's price in Egypt.

The Move will be the joint venture's second product in the Egyptian market. In 2009, GM started exporting the eight-seat Chevrolet N200 microvan (also known as the Wuling Hongtu) to Egypt and other African countries.

GM also plans to sell locally built versions of the Wuling Hongtu and the Wuling Hongguang -- a 5-seat microvan that is larger than the Ronguang -- in India next year.

SAIC-GM-Wuling, which is headquartered in the southwest China city of Liuzhou, is a joint venture between GM, SAIC and the city of Liuzhou.

As China's largest microvan maker, the partnership sold 895,483 microvans and microtrucks in the first ten months of this year, down 2 percent year-on-year, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

[7freedom7]

GUANGZHOU AUTO SHOW
FAW launches Oley brand to attract China's young consumers



2011/11/29

GUANGZHOU -- China FAW Group Corp. unveiled a new brand for small cars last week in the south China city of Guangzhou to attract young consumers and enrich its product lineup.

The new brand, Oley, features sporty and stylish small cars. The cars will be built at the No. 2 plant of FAW Car Co. in Changchun. FAW Car is the car unit of the state-owned FAW Group.

The first Oley-badged model will be launched next March with a price of 80,000 to 100,000 yuan ($12,500 to $15,700), according to FAW Group.

Additional details about the car have not been released.

FAW, which is headquartered in the northeast China city of Changchun, makes trucks, buses and cars.

The company already markets the Xiali and Besturn car brands. The the Xiali brand features compact cars selling for less than 77,000 yuan, while the Besturn line features compact and mid-sized sedans with a starting price above 93,800 yuan.

In the first ten months of the year, FAW sold 209,265 Xiali cars and 95,800 Besturn sedans.

FAW also has joint ventures to produce passenger vehicles with Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG, and it produces light commercial vehicles in a joint venture with General Motors.

[7freedom7]

SAIC, Geely models pass European crash test

2011/11/29

SAIC Motor Corp.'s MG6 compact car and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.'s Emgrand EC7 mid-sized car each received a four-star overall rating in crash tests by Euro NCAP, an agency assessing the safety of vehicles sold in Europe.

It is the highest safety rating ever achieved overseas by vehicles produced by Chinese automakers.

The crash test evaluated the vehicles' adult protection, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist. Both models were relatively poor at pedestrian protection, but scored well otherwise.

"These results mark a milestone for the Chinese automotive industry," Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's Secretary General, said in a statement. "It is a clear sign that Chinese car makers are building on recent experiences and rapidly investing in better vehicle safety."

He predicted Chinese automakers soon will achieve five-star ratings.

In the past four years, vehicles made by Chinese automakers did poorly in the European crash tests.

In 2006, Jiangling Motor Holding's Landwind X6 SUV received a zero rating, while Brilliance China Automotive Holding Co.'s Zunchi mid-sized car was assigned a one-star rating in 2007.

In 2009, Brilliance China's Splendor compact sedan received a zero rating, and Jiangling's Landwind CV9 SUV earned two stars last year.

[7freedom7]

Chery expects to export 170,000 vehicles this year

2011/11/29

Chery Automobile Co., China's largest passenger vehicle exporter, says exports this year will reach 170,000 units.

That will be a record high, although it is below the company's original export target of 180,000 units.

In the first 10 months, Chery's exports surged 77 percent year-on-year to 135,556 vehicles. Chery said it generated 35 percent of China's total passenger vehicle exports during the period.

While Chery's exports have risen fast, its domestic sales have declined this year due to a lack of new models.

As a result, Chery's total vehicle sales dropped 3 percent from a year earlier to 517,320 units in the first ten months of this year, according to J.D. Power.

[Celebriton]

Chery seems have a good management. But their biggest disadvantage is their ugly brand name. I wonder why their CEO and thousands of workers are unaware and ignorant about this "very noticeable" issue.

[7freedom7]

No, they are very aware of the problem with its brand image for themselves and spare no effort to polish the image, create the upmarket sub-brands Riich and Rely, and also closely work with leading design companies to improve their design capability. The thing however is the brand image is not just confined to the brand name itself or cars' external appearances we see, but many other more important measures for improving things under the hood should be taken, it'll take a long time.