Opel stops production of Corsa at the Eisenach site
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Opel stops production of Corsa at the Eisenach site
- PSA group has decided to stop production of the Opel Corsa, at the same time as the discontinuation of Opel Adam production at the Eisenach site in May 2019. The Corsa had been produced in Eisenach since 1993, when the GM group had just bought the plant. Historically, the Eisenach plant had manufactured Wartburg models between 1949 and 1990. Before the Second World War, this factory had been owned by BMW, which had to sell it to the Soviets in 1945.
- The Opel Corsa is currently manufactured mainly in Spain, at the Zaragoza site, alongside the Opel Crossland, Opel Mokka and Citroën C3 Aircross. In 2018, for example, 180,000 Corsa units were manufactured in Zaragoza compared to 70,000 units in Eisenach. In 2020, the new generation Corsa should be manufactured entirely in Zaragoza.
- It should be recalled that as of now the Eisenach plant will manufacture the Opel Grandland SUV, which was previously produced at the Sochaux site in France, which will prevent the site from being closed. The PSA group hopes to produce 100,000 units each year. This forecast is on the way to being achieved or even exceeded as Opel Grandland sales reached 29,000 units in the first three months of 2019, up 35% over 2018.
- In 2020, Corsa production concentrated on the Zaragoza site will be made possible by the transfer of the Opel Mokka from Zaragoza to the French site in Poissy. The Zaragoza site, in operation since 1982, has a production capacity of 480,000 units per year.
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Mercedes remains the leading Premium brand in the first half of 2019
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Mercedes remains the leading Premium brand in the first half of 2019
- Mercedes remains the world's leading premium brand in 2019, ahead of BMW and Audi. The Mercedes brand sold 560,421 passenger cars over the first half of 2019, compared with 519,307 units for the BMW brand and 447,250 units for the Audi brand.
- Mercedes was slightly down compared to the first quarter of 2018 (-5.5%), as was Audi (-3.6%). Only BMW grew (+0.4%) due to the arrival of the new generation of the 3 Series.
- At Mercedes, the A-Class beats sales records, but sales of the B-Class, CLA, and GLA, at the end of their lives, are seriously eroded. This situation should improve in the second quarter and even more so in the second half of the year, due to the arrival of the new generations of B and CLA Classes. For the GLA, we will have to wait a little longer.
- It should be noted that if we include Mini in the BMW total, the BMW group overtook the Daimler group (Mercedes, Smart) in the first quarter of 2019, with 782,626 vehicles sold against 587,921 units.
- On the other hand, if we add Mercedes commercial vehicles (light commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, coaches), the Daimler group remains ahead of the BMW group, since BMW does not sell commercial vehicles.
- Mercedes, BMW and Audi precede all other Premium brands, whether Japanese (Lexus, Infiniti, Acura), American (Cadillac, Lincoln, Tesla), Swedish (Volvo) or British (Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley).
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The global automotive market declined by 5.8% in the first quarter of 2019
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The global automotive market declined by 5.8% in the first quarter of 2019
- The global automotive market (PC+LCV) declined by 5.8% in the first quarter of 2019, compared to the first quarter of 2018. The trend observed during the last quarter of 2018 is therefore continuing at the beginning of 2019. However, the analysis of sales figures shows a noticeable improvement since the beginning of this year. Indeed, from a decline of -11% recorded in September 2018, the world automotive market gradually fell to -8% in January 2019, then to -5% in February 2019 and finally to -4.5% in March 2019.
- Nevertheless, most countries recorded a decline in the first quarter of 2019, except Brazil, which recorded a 10% increase. It is very rare to observe such a large number of countries declining at the same time during a single quarter. The last time such a situation could be found was during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The OECD forecasts a poor economic situation in 2019, while the automotive market seems to be improving month after month.
- The driving force of the global automotive market, China, fell sharply in the quarter (-11.3%). At the same time, the other two major markets, the United States, and Europe 29 countries, posted a decline of 3.1% and 2.1% respectively.
- By category, there was a sharp decline in passenger car sales (-8.5%) in the first quarter of 2019, but a slight increase in commercial vehicle sales (+1.3%), observed in most countries. This means that the relative lack of confidence of individuals in the future contrasts with some serenity at the companies that are buying commercial vehicles.
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Inovev forecasts 60,000 new Mercedes GLS per year
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Inovev forecasts 60,000 new Mercedes GLS per year
- At the 2019 New York Motor Show, Mercedes presented the new generation of its largest F segment SUV, the GLS. This model, traditionally produced at the American site in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is mainly sold in the United States.
- In 2018, out of a total production of 45,000 units, 22,000 units, therefore nearly half, were sold in the USA ( vs. 14,000 in China), The previous year, out of a total production of 55,000 units, 32,000 units, so more than half, had been sold in the US (vs 13,000 in China). This situation is understandable because the Mercedes GLS (formerly GL) is a very large SUV (5.12m x 1.93m x 1.85m) which fits the demand of wealthy American customers. The new generation GLS is even more impressive, reaching a length of 5.20m and a width of 2.00m, similar in size to the world's most expensive SUV, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
- Although the new Mercedes GLS competes mainly with the BMW X7 and Range Rover, it can also be a rival of the Bentley Bentayga, Cadillac Escalade, and Lincoln Navigator, which are very popular with high income American customers.
- The Mercedes GLS takes over the platform of the GLE also produced at the Tuscaloosa site, but in an extended version. It also uses the GLE’s engines: a 3-litre 6-cylinder petrol engine developing 333 hp or 390 hp, a 3-litre 6-cylinder diesel engine developing 258 hp and a 5.5-litre 8-cylinder petrol engine developing 557 hp or 585 hp.
- Inovevpredicts sales volumes of 60,000 units per year of the new Mercedes GLS.
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The Shanghai 2019 Motor Show presented 108 new products, including 54 concept cars
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The Shanghai 2019 Motor Show presented 108 new products, including 54 concept cars
- The Shanghai Motor Show took place in April 2019, in an uncertain climate for the Chinese automotive market. Registrations are indeed in their ninth consecutive month of decline, a situation that had not been observed since the 1980s, at a time when sales in the country were insignificant. In 2018, this market fell to 28 million units from 29 million in 2017, but is expected to stabilize in 2019 and grow again in 2020. In the short term, market recovery could be encouraged by the Chinese government, although it has already announced that it will no longer lower taxes on the purchase of new cars and that it will cut aid for the purchase of electric cars by half.
- In the medium term (5 to 10 years), however, the Chinese market, the world's largest market, still has strong potential, estimated at 32-35 million sales per year, as many regions are still poorly motorized.
- Of the 108 new products listed by Inovev at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show:
• There are 54 concept cars and 54 cars on sale in 2019 , a proportion of 50/50.
• Moreover, there are 48 100% electric ,and 12 plug-in hybrid models.
• There are 56 new products from Chinese manufacturers ,and 52 from non-Chinese manufacturers.
• And there are 58 SUVs, 32 sedans, 12 coupes/cabriolets, 5 minivans and 1 pickup truck.
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Read more... The Shanghai 2019 Motor Show presented 108 new products, including 54 concept cars
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