Category: China

By Bertel Schmitt on November 13, 2009

A very strange spy scandal is brewing between (South) Korea and China. Acting on a tip of the (South) Korean National Intelligence Service (the Korean equivalent of  the CIA and FBI rolled into one,)  Korean state prosecutors accused China’s SAIC of stealing sensitive state secrets from Korea.

Then, they indicted seven senior Korean engineers at Korea’s Ssangyong on charges of leaking technology essential to develop hybrid cars.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 12, 2009

Gratuitous Shanghai booth babe. Picture courtesy automk.com

“China is a global driver of growth in the automotive market,” said Friedrich Eichiner, CFO of the BMW Group. “China will play a major role in the global automotive business, in the development of future technologies.” Then he signed off on a major expansion project. Together with joint venture partner Brilliance, BMW will be able to produce 175,000 Made in China BMWs, up from 30,000 units currently.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 12, 2009

"Greatly develop the sectors of culture, communication and transport." Picture courtesy chineseposters.net

China may be the world’s largest auto market until further notice. Its much feared auto exports however are nothing to write home about. In fact, China’s already measly car exports have declined for 14 consecutive months since August 2008. For the first half of this year, China exported only 191,000 units. This in a market that is expected to be good for 12m units domestically. Other countries, such as Germany and Japan, typically export the same number of cars they consume at home. A good deal of the few vehicles that are exported from China are commercial and utility vehicles, sold to underdeveloped markets.

Two months ago, Zhao Hang, President of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, blamed quality and after-sale service problems for the underwhelming performance. He also said that Chinese auto exporters lack knowledge of overseas demand, government policies, regulations and certification.

The Chinese government can’t stand it any longer.
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By Thor Johnsen on November 11, 2009

The look of the future?

Reports in the Swedish media have Consortium Jakob AB still in the running to snatch Volvo from Geely. But hiring investment bank Morgan Stanley as collaborators must have spooked Geely — FoMoCo’s “preferred bidder” — and the Chinese automaker has upped the ante with some grand plans for Volvo. Geely is promising to sell no fewer than 1 million Volvos annually within four/five years.
By John Horner on November 11, 2009

I've packed my things and I'm leaving for Shanghai...

The New York Times has an update on Infiniti’s Essence concept car. Since the sexy little thing’s March coming out party in Geneva, Essence has been on a tour of Louis Vitton stores in high-end shopping malls for VIP visitors and the commoners. “Guests were invited by the automaker and were typically loyal customers, said Kyle Bazemore, an Infiniti spokesman, in an e-mail message. ‘When we partnered with Louis Vuitton stores, it was half and half — their V.I.P. customers, our customers in the area,’ he said.” But the fascinating part of the article is thrown in at the very end: “It is interesting that the Essence has not appeared at an American auto show. Asked if the concept would return to the auto-show stage in Los Angeles in early December, Mr. Bazemore said, ‘Unfortunately, no. It’s been boxed up and is heading to China for the auto show season there. It should be back for the New York auto show, however.’” Yet more evidence for the ever shrinking role of auto shows, and the ever increasing importance of China’s booming auto market. The Beijing and Shanghai auto shows aren’t until next spring. Sorry, L.A., Infiniti just isn’t that into you, she would rather spend the winter in China.
By Bertel Schmitt on November 10, 2009

Gratuitous Changan booth babe. Picture courtesy techrepublic.com

The Chinese government had announced earlier this year that it wants to “encourage” its more than 100 automakers (nobody is quite sure how many there really are) to consolidate. The goal: Make China’s industry more competitive with foreign rivals. Beijing wants to see four big ones and four smaller ones. Unsaid: the remaining 90-odd carmakers should look for other employment.

To lead by example, the Chinese government just initiated one of the largest merger deals in the Chinese auto industry. Easy for them to do: The government owns both companies.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 9, 2009

Santanas crowding out cars in Shanghai. Picture courtesy Oliver Naumann at flickr.com

At the upcoming 2009 Guangzhou auto show, Volkswagen China is expected to announce that they will build a plant in southern China, Gasgoo writes, citing reports in sohu.com. Not much else is revealed, not even which of their two Chinese joint venture partners will get the new plant.

Volkswagen cooperates with two companies in China: FAW, based in Changchun in the North, and SAIC, based in Shanghai in East China. Both are bitter rivals.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 9, 2009

Intellectual property warriors, get your guns: Following GM, its arch nemesis Toyota will plant a brand new R & D center smack into the alleged intellectual property jungle called China. Toyota plans to spend between $330 and $440 million for the center. Building will commence next year. Compared to Toyota, the one GM built in 2008 was the lite version at a price of only $250 million.

The Toyota R&D center, complete with a full-scale test course, will be located not far from the GM center, in the outskirts of Shanghai, Gasgoo reports.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 9, 2009

Did you hear? They are giving them away! Picture courtesy chinasmack.com

The Chinese city of Shanghai is thinking of rewarding buyers of an eco-friendly alternative-energy car with a free license plate, Shanghai Daily reports via Gasgoo. Big deal, you say? In Shanghai, it is a big deal.
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By Bertel Schmitt on November 7, 2009

Where are we going to put them? Picture courtesy laobserved.com

So used has the MSM become to China’s red hot car growth, that Reuters headlines the October sales report “Chinese car sales dip in October, but still robust.” China’s passenger vehicle sales clocked-in a year-on-year growth of 79.6 percent in October. In September, the growth was 83.62 percent, which serves as the reason for Reuter’s slight concern.
(Read More…)

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