Category Blog

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Mitsubishi launches the Space Star

- Best known for its 4WD vehicles (Pajero) and SUV (Outlander), Mitsubishi nevertheless also market A and B segment vehicles. The Japanese manufacturer confirms its positioning in lower range segment with the launch of the new Space Star, whose price, size and performance define it as a A segment model.

- The 3.71 m long and 5-door sedan fits between the mini-urban vehicles (segment A) and small bi-usage city-road vehicles (segment B). Light (845 kg), the Space Star is equipped with only one engine, a 3-cylinder gasoline engine.

- Significantly smaller than the Colt (3.71 m against 3.88 m), the Space Star replaces it on all worldwide markets. While Colt was produced in the Netherlands and Japan, the Space Star will be produced in a low-cost country: Thailand. The manufacturer expects to sell between 100,000 and 150,000 vehicles per year.

- It is to be noted that the Colt sales have dropped dramatically in recent years, from 102,000 units produced in 2005 to 83,000 in 2008 and 14,000 in 2012. This fall prompted Mitsubishi to change the model positioning and name (even though it existed since 1962).

Data source: File #104 - Worldwide Production data detailed by make from 2005 to 2012

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Great Wall will start production in Ecuador

- Great Wall will start vehicle assembly in its new factory in Ecuador in April, said Wang Fengying, president of the carmaker. The site will produce CKD (completely Knocked Down) vehicles from kits exported from China, said the C.E.O.

- This plant in Ecuador comes in addition to ten Great Wall factories already producing vehicles from kits in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and Bulgaria. With the launch of its new site in Ecuador, Great Wall plans to export 140,000 vehicles under the form of CKD kits towards its assembly plants outside China in 2013 (which corresponds to an increase of 43% compared to 2012).

- On its side, the Brazilian Latin American Motors group (working under contract with Great Wall) announced it will postpone to 2014 the assembly plant planned for Great Wall. This plant, to be located in Brazil, whose construction was to begin in 2013, is dimensioned for the production of 20,000 vehicles per year in a first phase . Great Wall will assemble there a pickup model and two recreational vehicles (CKD from China).

Data source: File #104 - Worldwide Production data detailed by make from 2005 to 2012

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Production

Major decline in multi-purpose vehicles in the NAFTA zone over the last 10 years

- The Chrysler plant at Windsor (Ontario), which assembles the Chrysler Town&Country minivan (called the "Voyager" on markets outside of NAFTA) and the Dodge Caravan, is reducing its manufacturing rates in order to adjust its production to the level of demand. The combined sales of the two minivan models assembled at Windsor fell 15% over the first two months of 2013.

- Globally, MPV production, which was nearly 1.2 million units in 2000 (including all manufacturers) fell almost by half over a ten-year period (650 000 units in 2012). This type of vehicles received strong competition from SUVs and crossovers, which are attracting increasing numbers of customers.

- GM and Ford have gradually abandoned the MPV category. Today, only three manufacturers continue to produce them in North America: Chrysler (the Voyager, the Caravan), Honda (the Odyssey) and Toyota (the Sienna).

- In Europe, the production of MPVs like the Voyager has experienced the same phenomenon (the E segment, which includes the Renault Espace, VW Sharan, Ford Galaxy, etc.), with a production level that fell nearly 40% from 2000 to 2012. However, the volumes are not comparable to the NAFTA zone's volumes, as European production in 2012 was 170 000 units.

Data source: File #103 - Production Forecast (2017) in Americas detailed by models

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Working towards the creation of a Russian luxury brand

- At the request of the Russian government, Russian manufacturers are reported to beworking on a national luxury brand intended to competewith Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

- Three Russian manufacturers (Zil, Gaz and Marussia) should be presenting their projects to the Russian authorities by the end of the first half of 2013. Currently, Russianmanufacturersmake a few armoured saloon cars for the government, but itwouldlike to see them expand their offer so that a wider public can be reached and to compete against the Premium brands, which are mainly German.

- Sales of Premium brands have consequentlyexperienced major growth in Russia over the last few years and this grow this likely to continue over the next few years.

- Sales of Mercedes vehicles in Russiathusincreased by 30.4% in 2012 to 41 410 units, while sales of BMWs increased by 33.2% to 37 515 units, and Audi sales increased by 44.1% to 33 512 units. The marketshare of the three manufacturers in Russia reached 3.8% in 2012, as opposed to 3.1% in 2011.

Data source: File #10 - Start of Production (SOP) of new and modified vehicles in Europe

Details: Published: 06 September 2022

Toyota unveils its light utility vehicle based on PSA and Jumpy Expert

- We had previously noted that PSA was looking last spring for a partner in order to compensate for the Fiat withdrawal 2017 from the Sevelnord site (Valenciennes, France) in 2017. This has now happened with the arrival of Toyota which has agreed to market a utility vehicle based on the Peugeot Expert, Citroen Dispatch and Fiat Scudo (light commercial vehicles).

- The Japanese automaker benefits without high cost from a new light commercial vehicle that was lacking in its European range. The light utility vehicle market in Europe accounts for between 1.2 and 1.8 million vehicles each year (including one third in the category of Expert, Dispatch, Scudo ...).

- In 2013 fall, Toyota PROACE will be produced alongside the PSA and Fiat vehicles. And three years later, the Fiat Scudo will disappear from Sevelnord production lines. The PSA plant Sevelnord has the capacity to produce 175,000 vehicles, but had assembled 80 000 vehicles in 2012 (light utility vehicles and vans 807/C8).

- Technical specifications of PROACE remain the same as Peugeot Expert’s, Citroen Dispatch’s and Fiat Scudo’s.