Published by Ash August 28th, 2008
in Guangzhou Auto.
Guangzhou Automotive and Toyota have been in partnership for several years now, producing a range of Toyota cars (Camry, Yaris etc) but now Guangzhou Auto wants to use its automotive muscle, and massive profits to invest in a self branded vehicle.
Guangzhou Automotive’s first foray into joint venture partnerships ended in disaster when they signed up with Peugeot to make the 504 in China. By the time it was launched in China, the 505 was old news. The 505 was launched in 1979, but Chinese production began in 1985 and ran until 1997, the 505 was not a massive success. Peugeot and Guangzhou parted company, with Peugeot going to Dongfeng, and Guangzhou landing the big prize, Toyota.
Since their partnership with Toyota, Guangzhou have gone from strength, and now it comes as no surpise that Guangzhou wish to break free and go down the self development road. Guangzhou and Toyota have come to an arrangement where Guangzhou will use the Camry platform for their own midsize sedan. Guangzhou Auto are currently working on building a new factory which will produce their own range of vehicles, and engines, this factory is expected to be fully completed by 2010, and will make around 100,000 cars per year.
Published by Ash August 28th, 2008
in Chang'an Suzuki.
Suzuki are the kings of revamping their motors to give them an extra bit of shelf time on the market. Previously they upped the excellent Swift from a 1.3l to a 1.5l, and now the SX4 is getting the same treatment, from a 1.6 to a 1.8l model.
The 1.8l is part of a special edition SX4 that will only run for a certain amount of time. The exterior of the SX4 has pretty much continued with the same lines, however, the grill has been updated slightly which gives it a much more sporty look, it looks like the lower plastic chrome has been added around the front skirt as well.
The SX4 has had reasonable success so far in China, but with the small crossover market hotting up, the latest incarnation of the SX4 may well help it further against its nearest rivals, the Livina C-Gear, PoloCross, and the MG3 SW.
Published by Ash August 28th, 2008
in Brilliance/Zhonghua Auto.
This was just found on a Chinese language blog:
Possibly the actual car that the showed off in Beijing!
Published by Ash August 28th, 2008
in Chinese Car News.
China is no exception to world car sales trends, in summer, its just hard to sell a car! Manufacturers have responded to this years unusual downturn with massive sales cuts on certain cars.
- Great Wall MPV - 30,000rmb off
- Lotus RCR - 18,000rmb off
- BYD F3 - 10,000rmb off
- MG7 1.8 - 16,000rmb off
- BMW 325i 6mt - 20,000rmb off
These are just a small selection of cars we’ve noticed with massive price cuts over the summer period, if you’re car shopping in China this August, you’d better move quick to assure yourself a bargain!
Published by Ash August 28th, 2008
in Chinese Car News.
Erik, of ChineseCars, let us know this piece of sad news:
From Beijing I got the message that one of the three still living Hongqi (the old state model) designers passed away in Changchun the day before yesterday. This man, Mr. Cheng Zheng, he was a very amiable and intelligent person who spoke fluent English, a language he had learned himself when he was locked up in his own house during the cultural revolution and the red guards hadn’t noticed his linguistic course. Mr. Cheng Zheng, who was in his early eighties, was even nowadays active in drawing cars, FAW had a special desk for him at the FAW Car office, he walked daily (even in the hard winter time) to this office to work there. The Chinese car designer I liked him very much, an independent spirit, with a strong believe in the development of the independent Chinese car industry. We will miss him.
Mr. Cheng Zheng will be missed by many people, his designs for the first range of Hong Qi cars were amazing for the time, and many of them have lasted well into 2008 since their handmade production decades ago. Perhaps the most saddest thing of all is the fact that Mr. Cheng Zheng only saw the begining of the independent Chinese car industry, he was born in a time of great upheavel, then lived through some very turbulent times which lead to the delay of Chinas assent to the top of the motoring world. We hope his work is continued to be honoured by those who knew him best.
Published by Ash August 25th, 2008
in Guangzhou Honda and Chinese Car News.
Spy photos of the Honda City have surfaced only a few times, mostly in India, but it looks like China is getting in on the act too. Guangzhou Honda are most probably getting ready to show off the Honda City, but they may not have to do so, Chinese car fans are finding pictures of the new Honda City everywhere:
The design of the Honda City certainly looks interesting, the front grill gives us the impression that the Honda City is trying to become the ‘Baby Accord’.
Published by Ash August 25th, 2008
in Chinese Car News.
The weather in China has been most excellent for the past few weeks, well if you live in Qingdao it has been. Sure there has been the odd wet day, but the rest? Blue skies, puffy white clouds, and scorching sun shine! That alone made CCT wonder - ‘What soft tops can you buy in China?’ and our brief, yet interesting research was found below:
Continue reading ‘Rag tops in China’
Published by Ash August 25th, 2008
in Beijing Hyundai.
Since 2007, Beijing Hyundai, have been busy working on developing the current Hyundai China’s line up. Beijing Hyundai (BJ) have already updated the current Hyundai Elantra to bring a fresh updated Elantra to the Chinese market, giving the Chinese marketplace a choice of two Elantras, the new (above), and the old.
The Elantra was not the only model that received a makeover for the Chinese market, the Hyundai Sonata also received an update for the Chinese market.
Beijing Hyundai have received 5.1 billion RMB in funding for research and development from Hyundai in Korea, which will lead to Beijing Hyundai developing more and more cars for the Chinese marketplace. Apparently, all of the intellectual property for the Chinese designed Elantra and Sonata belong to Beijing Hyundai, and if Hyundai wish to introduce these designs to the global market, then Hyundai must pay Beijing Hyundai a licensing fee for each car sold.
Published by Ash August 25th, 2008
in Geely Automobile.
Geely may well not have the best designed cars on the road, at least compared to their biggest rival Chery, but Geely is a private company and doesnt enjoy state funding as Chery probably does. But one thing that Geely excels at is developing its own technology, and reacting to what the market actually needs. Geely has produced an LPG model of the excellent Geely Vision with a price tag of a mere 70,580rmb, sure the trunk has a 60l gas tank, but you can go for 180km on one refill, and with gas only costing 4.20rmb (probably cheaper out in the suburbs) a litre its quite cheap to fill up.
Published by Ash August 23rd, 2008
in Skoda China.
The Skoda Octavia is set to have a friend in the rather empty looking Sk
oda dealerships from November onwards, its new friend being the Skoda Fabia.
The Fabia was shown to a pleased crowd at the previous Beijing Auto show, and is set to go on the market in November 2008 onwards. CCT has know the Fabia would hit the market for quite some time now, ever since it was pictured in a SAIC workshop, interestingly parked next to a MGTF (the picture was taken before the SAIC takeover of MG)
The Fabia is expected to be equipped with a 1.6l engine once launched in the PRC, although rumors are stating a 1.4 TSI model may find its way into Fabia line up, a 5 speed manual is expected to be offered, but whether or not the 6 speed tiptronic box is to be fitted is another matter altogether.
Skoda have come from no where in the past year, to becoming one of the best selling brands this year, hopefully the Skoda brand will be increased to include the Octavia Estate, especially the Octavia 4×4 estate, because they’d have a buyer from China Car Times.
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