GM could abandon its Korean subsidiary
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GM could abandon its Korean subsidiary
- Since the production peak (960,000 units) reached in 2007, just before the financial crisis of 2008-2009, the Korean subsidiary of the American group General Motors (ex-Daewoo) has steadily accumulated difficulties, particularly with the end of the Chevrolet brand in Europe. Most Chevrolet models marketed in Europe were made in Korea. This shortfall amounts to 200,000 units a year.
- The halt of GM Korea's CKD exports and production to Russia and the former republics of the Soviet Union, to Iran and even to Southeast Asia represent another shortfall of 200,000 units per year.
- The sale of the Opel / Vauxhall brands to PSA in 2017 directly threatens the manufacture in Korea of Opel Mokka and Opel Karl, which remain the latest models produced by GM Korea for the European market. Already, the Opel Antara was stopped in 2016, giving way to the Opel Grandland made in France. This loss of earnings due to the sale of Opel / Vauxhall will amount to 150,000 units per year, while the volume of production is already only 500,000 units in 2017, the lowest figure recorded since 2005. The only salvation for GM Korea is the Korean car market. But even in this market its sales are down-only 125,000 units in 2017, a market share of 7% compared to 8% in 2012 and 9% in 2007. The future of GM Korea therefore seems even more uncertain today than two years ago.
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Best-selling model in Europe in 2017 remains the Volkswagen Golf
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Best-selling model in Europe in 2017 remains the Volkswagen Golf
- Of a total of 15.5 million new passenger cars sold in Europe (29 countries) in 2017, the best-selling model remains the Volkswagen Golf (532,000 units against 548,000 in 2016), as for many years. The Golf is in its seventh generation and will be replaced in 2019.
- It is well ahead of the Renault Clio (303,551 units), Volkswagen Polo (264,077), Ford Fiesta (245,073) and Peugeot 208 (238,827), four directly competitive B-segment sedans, two of which have just been renewed (Polo and Fiesta). The Opel Corsa, another B segment sedan, is behind (219,553) and moreover distanced by two C segment SUV, the Nissan Qashqai (232,197) and Volkswagen Tiguan (222,263), whose volumes are sharply increasing.
- Behind these eight flagship models, we note the presence of the Renault Captur (B-segment SUV) ahead of the two C-segment sedans, which are direct competitors of the Golf : the Ford Focus and Opel Astra. Note also the strong growth of the Citroën C3 which is in the top 15 for the first time and Dacia Sandero which climbs to 14th place.
- Of the 15 best-selling models in Europe in 2017, there are 3 Volkswagen, 2 Renault, 2 Ford and 2 Opel.
- SUVs are at 30% of the European market in 2017, a sharp increase compared to previous years. This proportion is however lower than that observed in China (40%) or in the USA (42%).
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Read more... Best-selling model in Europe in 2017 remains the Volkswagen Golf
Lynk & Co unveils model 02 to be produced in Europe from 2019
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Lynk & Co unveils model 02 to be produced in Europe from 2019
- Lynk & Co (a brand of the Chinese Geely group) has unveiled its model 02 which will be produced in Europe from 2019. This model is a compact C segment SUV built on the modular CMA platform shared with the Volvo XC40 SUV and the Lynk & Co 01 SUV, as well as the future Volvo V40.
- The Lynk & Co 01 and 02 will be produced at the Volvo plant in Ghent (Belgium) from the autumn of 2019 onwards for sale in Europe and the United States in early 2020. This plant is currently producing the V40, XC40, S60 and V60.
- Geely, who has observed the successive failures of Chinese brands that wanted to establish operations in Europe, such as Brilliance, Landwind, Qoros, Great Wall (production stopped in Bulgaria), MG (production stopped in England), relies on the fact that Lynk & Co are designed in Sweden by Volvo Cars and sold worldwide. According to Geely, partnering with a premium brand such as Volvo should reassure European and American customers who are reluctant to buy Chinese cars. But the success of Lynk & Co in Europe will depend on the positioning of the product and the link that European and American customers really make between Volvo and Lynk & Co. Geely's communication will have to be clear on this point.
- The Chinese manufacturer aims to sell 500 000 Lynk & Co in 2021, 50% in China, 25% in Europe and 25% in the United States, which means 250 000 units in China, 125 000 in Europe and 125 000 in the United States.
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Read more... Lynk & Co unveils model 02 to be produced in Europe from 2019
PSA increases its imports of petrol engines from China
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PSA increases its imports of petrol engines from China
- Faced with falling sales of diesel cars in Europe, car manufacturers who are well established in diesel engine production sometimes have difficulties to adapt, that is to say to quickly transfer a certain volume of diesel engine production to petrol engine production.
- At PSA, for example, the Tremery plant (the world's leading diesel engine site), which produced 1.74 million diesel engines in 2007, produced only 1.14 million units in 2017, a drop of 600,000 units. The site’s diesel engine production should continue to decline over the next five years, although Opel / Vauxhall models will gradually be equipped with PSA ( rather than GM, Isuzu or Fiat ) diesel engines. The Tremery site is expected to produce electric motors in large quantities starting in 2022.
- The problem is at the Douvrin site that produces the group's gasoline engines. Its production volume has increased from 785,000 units in 2016 to 1 million in 2017 and is expected to increase to 1.45 million units in 2020 and even 1.65 million in 2022, including future Opel / Vauxhall models equipped with these engines. Currently, the capacities of the Douvrin site are already saturated and PSA must import gasoline engines from its Chinese subsidiary Dongfeng-PSA: 100,000 units in 2017 and 200,000 in 2018. The situation should improve from 2019 thanks to gasoline engine production from the Tremery plant.
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Read more... PSA increases its imports of petrol engines from China
The most produced car in South America in 2017
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The most produced car in South America in 2017
- The most produced vehicle in the Americas in 2017 being the Ford F Series (also the most produced in North America and the United States), which is the most produced vehicle in South America?
- This is the Chevrolet Onix (233,000 units), which is a B segment hatchback (length: 3.93m, width: 1.70m, height: 1.48m) made in Brazil. The Onix took over in 2012 from the Chevrolet Celta which was an old-fashioned restyled Opel Corsa. The tri-corps version of the Onix is called Prisma and remains the fifth most produced car in South America.
- The Onix supplants the VW Golwhich was the most produced car in South America for several years. The Gol(134,000 units produced in 2017) is now far behind, as well as the various Fiat that were once part of the top 5 (the Mobi is only 9th in 2017).
- Hyundai, Toyota and Renault-Dacia have reduced the influence of flagship models in South America. Hyundai places its HB20 (B-segment sedan) in third place of the most produced cars in this region, Renault-Dacia places its Sandero (B-segment sedan) in sixth place, Toyota places its Etios (B segment sedan) in seventh place and his Corolla (C segment sedan) in eighth place. Of the 15 models most produced in South America in 2017, there are 4 Volkswagen, 3 Toyota, 3 Fiat, 2 Chevrolet, 1 Hyundai, 1 Renault-Dacia and 1 Ford.
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