Recent models launched in China in 2014 and 2015

The 2014 edition of the Beijing auto show was a great opportunity to review the models announced for the Chinese market in 2014, 2015 and even 2016 for some brands. Beyond concept cars, it is interesting to analyze which manufacturers are present, which segments and bodies have Chinese and non-Chinese carmakers  chosen to position themselves on, and especially by what date will these models be launched.


The first observation is that among the sixty "major and realistic" models announced at the show, 70% are from Chinese manufacturers although they currently account for "only" 30% of the local market. Ten non-Chinese brands are present while the number of Chinese brands is almost 3 times higher.


The second observation is that the most represented segments are segments C and D (21 models each) followed by segment B (11 models) in a current market dominated by C and D segments.


The Chinese market has had a sharp increase in SUV sales (19% market share in 2013). This trend has been confirmed by the models that will be launched in coming years, since a third of the cars presented are SUVs. It should be noted that non-Chinese manufacturers have planned to launch only SUVs and sedans, and will be launching no MPVs, Crossovers or Pick-ups.


Finally, a third of the vehicles presented will be launched on the Chinese market in the second half of 2014, while nearly 15 models will be introduced to the market in 2015 and 2016.

 

14-19-1-1  

14-19-1-2 

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PSA is going to transfer the production of the next generation Citroën C3 to Slovakia

We saw last February (AutoAnalyses 2014-06) that PSA had decided to produce its B-segment models in countries with low cost labour such as in Eastern Europe.

Thus the Peugeot 208 are gradually being transferred from the French Poissy plant to the Slovak plant of Trnava. The initial 50/50 proportion is evolving in 2014 towards a 30/70 proportion, and could reach a 20/80 proportion in 2015.

This week, PSA has decided to pursue this relocation strategy by transferring the future Citroën C3 (launched in 2016) from Poissy to Trnava.

This transfer was made possible thanks to the decision to transfer the Citroën C3 Picasso from Trnava to the GM plant of Zaragoza, Spain. However, the production capacity of 300 000 vehicles per year in Trnava seems a bit tight if you add up the the production units of the Peugeot 208 and Citroen C3. Hence, it may be increased to 350 000 or 400 000 vehicles per year in 2016.

The Poissy plant will produce the Peugeot 208 premium and the future DS 3 (launch date : 2017) which will be available in 3 and 5 door versions, its production volume will be doubled compared to the current version. In short, Poissy could produce 200 000 cars per year in the coming years.

 

14-18-10  

 
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Japan exported 540 000 vehicles to other Asian countries in 2013

Out of the 4 675 000 vehicles exported worldwide (4 065 000 passenger cars and 610 000 commercial vehicles), Japan exported 540 000 vehicles (PC + LCV) to other Asian countries throughout 2013.

The main destination of these exports to Asia is China (184 000 units), which accounts for 4% of total exports from Japan, followed by Thailand (71 000 units), Indonesia (69 000 units), Taiwan (58 000), Malaysia (56 000 units) and the Philippines (27 000 units).

Across all Japanese exports, Asia is just behind North America (1 887 000 units), Europe (710 000 units) and the Middle East (584 000 units).

However, Asia arrives before  Oceania (407 000 units), represented mainly by Australia , Asia is also in front of South America (362 000 units) and Africa (185 000 units).

All these exports account for vehicles that haven't been transplanted, i.e. that are not yet produced outside Japan. However, the strategy of Japanese carmakers still remains to transplant more and more vehicles rather than having to export them. But transplanting 4 675 000 vehicles would be equivalent to the construction of 15 to 25 plants worldwide, excluding China, which alone would need for its own market 10 new plants every year …

 

14-18-8  

 
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German manufacturers are strengthening their positions in China

China is the largest trading partner of Germany in Asia, and Germany, the largest trading partner of China in Europe. In the automobile industry, Germany signed partnership agreements very early on (in the 80s) with Chinese manufacturers. Today, German carmakers (Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler) occupy 20.8% of the world's largest market, ahead of American carmakers (19.8%), Japanese (16.6%) and Korean (8.8%).


Chinese manufacturers hold 30% of the Chinese market, and this share has been stable for several years. In this context, Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler are to retain their strong position in this market, which on average increases by 10% each year.


Daimler recently bought 12% stake in BAIC and the two partners are going to increase the production capacity of their  Beijing plants.


Volkswagen and its partner SAIC are going to extend their cooperation to fuel cells and hybrid vehicles. Volkswagen is going to build a new plant with FAW another of its partners in order to increase their production capacities. Volkswagen has set a goal to acquire the necessary installations in order to produce more than 4 million vehicles a year in China by 2018. The group has produced and sold more than 3 million vehicles in the country in 2013.


In addition, an agreement has been signed in order strengthen the links between BMW and its partner Brilliance.

 

14-18-9  

 
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GM will stop selling Opel cars in China from 2015

While GM has decided to remove the Chevrolet brand in Europe (excluding Russia) in favor of Opel, the U.S. giant has decided exactly the opposite in China, by removing the Opel brand in favor of Chevrolet.

Opel is indeed much more experienced and has more retailers than Chevrolet in Europe, while it is the opposite in China.

In 2013, Opel sold 825 000 passenger cars in Europe, while Chevrolet sold 143 000. In China, that same year, Chevrolet sold 715 000 passenger cars, while Opel sold less than 10 000 vehicles that were all imported. In Russia, sales are more evenly distributed between Chevrolet (175 000 sales in 2013) and Opel (80 000 sales), whose arrival on the Russian market is much more recent. Removing one of the two brands in this country is therefore not on the current agenda.

As of 2015, the roles will be well defined between Chevrolet and Opel. In Russia, the two brands will coexist but in the EU only the Opel brand will be present while in China it will be the Chevrolet brand.

It should be noted that since the 1st January 2014, Chevrolet sales in Europe were down 34% and even 74% in April, which means that the brand is already disappearing from the European continent. Only the Corvette and Camaro could continue to be sold under this brand, but in very small quantities, like the Cadillac.

 

14-18-7  

 
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