The Light Is Green

Luxury cars in China: BMW and Hyundai-Kia

A recent post talked about the paradox in China's automotive policy: the government wants manufacturers to make electric and hybrid cars, but at the same time price controls on gas are motivating the sale of SUVs and luxury cars.

Here's what some of the major carmakers are doing in China:

BMW in China: Will triple capacity by 2012, from 35,000 to 100,000 annual units, via their joint venture with Brilliance China. Car sales grew 43 percent (14,574 units) from January to March this year, after growing 42 percent in 2007.

Hyundai-Kia in China: Working to expand presence, Hyundai just opened second plant to achieve annual output of 600,000 units, Kia will open second plant in 2010. Have released two high-end vehicles, the Rohens (Genesis) luxury sedan, and the Barui (Mohave) luxury SUV.

Tags: Brilliance China, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, Hyundai, Kia, Hyundai-Kia, Hyundai China, Kia China, Hyundai-Kia China, Rohens, Barui, BMW China, BMW, China, Chinese auto industry, Chinese automotive industry

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2008 World Car of the Year: Mazda

The 2008 World Car of the Year is the Mazda2/Mazda Demio.

The Ford Mondeo placed second, with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class third.

To be eligible for a World Car award, the contender had to be in production, and sold, on at least two continents during 2008. The winner of the overall World Car of the Year Award must excel in a broad range of attributes.

The 2008 World Performance car of the Year is the Audi R8.

The BMW M3 came in second, and the Audi S5 Coupe third.

The World Performance Car award must demonstrate "a specific and overt sports/performance orientation while satisfying the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car of the Year award."

The World Car of the Year is a non-profit program. Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of forty-seven (47) top-level automotive journalists from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. The award itself has no affiliation with any auto show, publication, automaker or other commercial enterprise.

Tags: automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, World Car of the Year, Ford, Ford Mondeo, Mazda, Mazda 2, Mazda Demio, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi, Audi R8, Audi S5, BMW, BMW M3

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World Car of the Year 2008 finalists

World Car of the Year finalists:

1. Ford Mondeo
2. Mazda 2/Mazda Demio
3. Mercedes-Benz C-Class

To be eligible for a World Car award, the contender had to be in production, and sold, on at least two continents during 2008. The winner of the overall World Car of the Year Award must excel in a broad range of attributes.

World Performance Car finalists:

1. Audi R8
2. Audi S5 coupe
3. BMW M3

The World Performance Car award must demonstrate "a specific and overt sports/performance orientation while satisfying the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car of the Year award."

The World Car of the Year is a non-profit program. Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of forty-seven (47) top-level automotive journalists from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. The award itself has no affiliation with any auto show, publication, automaker or other commercial enterprise.

Tags: automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, World Car of the Year, Ford, Ford Mondeo, Mazda, Mazda 2, Mazda Demio, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi, Audi R8, Audi S5, BMW, BMW M3

Geneva show boasts green

The EU is about to make official their proposal that will force carmakers to cut average carbon dioxide emissions by 25%; current levels stand at 160 grams per km.

That's why most automakers will be showing off their environmentally friendly vehicles at the Geneva Motor Show this week. Standouts include:

• Saab 9-1X, a compact, ethanol-powered crossover
• Toyota  iQ concept car
• Audi A3 convertible
• Kia Soul

New SUVs will be on display as well, most notably:

• Toyota Urban Cruiser, based on the Yaris
• Volvo XC60, a smaller XC90, based on the Land Rover Freelander platform
• Renault Koleos, their first SUV, based on partner Nissan's X-trail

Diesel electric hybrid SUV concepts will be shown by BMW and Mercedes Benz, the latter with their GLK model.

Tags: Saab, Saab 9-1X, Toyota, Toyota iQ, Audi, Audi A3, Kia, Kia Soul, Urban Cruiser, Volvo, Volvo XC60, Renault, Renault-Nissan, Renault Koleos, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes GLK, GLK, automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, alternative energy, renewable energy, sustainable energy, electric cars, hybrids, hybrid technology, flex-fuel, diesel

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And so it begins: Chinese cars to Europe

Two Chinese cars have been approved by the European Union for sale on that continent, according to Reuters. They will be launched there next month.

• Zhejiang Jonway UFO
• Shuanghuan Automobile CEO

Both models have come under fire because their appearance is similar to rivals. The UFO looks like the Toyota Rav4 and the CEO resembles the BMW X5.

BMW has already started legal proceedings to stop the CEO's launch, while Toyota will not take legal action to block the UFO's sale.

These are the cars in question, the UFO on the left, the CEO on the right...

Other major Chinese carmakers are announcing their plans to have models in Europe by 2011 once they meet European safety and emissions regulations:

• Geely Automobile. China's largest private carmaker, plans to start selling its CK sedan in Europe.
• BYD Auto. Wants to have its F1 small hatchback in the EU, also a plug-in version of its hybrid F6 DM sedan.
• Changfeng Motor. Planning a joint venture with Mitsubishi in China, wants to sell the Liebao CS7 and CS6 SUVs, and the Kylin minivan. After that, the U.S.

Tags: Shuanghuan Automobile, Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan Automobile Co., Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan, Shuanghuan CEO, Zhejiang Jonway UFO, Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Zhejiang Jonway, automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, China, Chinese auto industry, Chinese automotive industry, Geely, BYD, BYD Auto, Changfeng, Changfeng Motor, BMW, Toyota, Rav4, Toyota Rav4, BMW X5

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LA Auto Show preview

The 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show is coming up, and we've just received some interesting preview information that I'd like to share.

The event will be held November 16 through 25, and will include some 14 world debuts and 30 North American debuts.

A few manufacturers have already announced their intentions:

• Hyundai will world premiere a new sports car concept
• Nissan will showcase an all-new, mid-size Murano crossover
• Volkswagen will show a new mini-car concept design. 

Several manufactuers will be highlighting vehicles that are making their first appearance in the U.S.:

• The new Jaguar XF luxury performance sedan
• The new BMW 1 Series coupe
• Mitsubishi’s tenth generation Lancer Evolution
• Subaru’s all-new WRX STI
• Nissan’s GT-R supercar
  

In addition, these are the luxury cars making their debut in the U.S.:

• The $1.4 million Lamborghini Reventon
• Ferrari’s new lightweight 430 Scuderia
• Bentley’s new Continental GT Speed
• Porsche's most powerful 911, the new GT2

The show will also have a special award for their "Green Car of the Year".

Tags: LA Auto Show, Los Angeles Auto Show, Hyundai, Nissan, Nissan Murano, Volkswagen, Jaguar XF, BMW 1 Series, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru WRX STI, Nissan GT-R, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Reventon, Ferrari, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Bentley, Bentley Continental GT, Porsche, Porsche 911 GT2, automotive, auto industry, automotive industry

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BMW vs. Chinese copycats

BMW and Daimler say they will take legal action to defend themselves against Chinese
copies of their models, if in fact the knockoffs appear at the IAA auto show in Frankfurt in September as they are slated to.

These are the accused Chinese cars:

• CEO SUV. Similar to the BMW X5.
• UFO SUV.  Similar to the Toyota RAV4.
• Noble compact. Similar to the Smart Fortwo.

To give you an idea, below are the Smart Fortwo (left) and the Noble (right).

 

The CEO SUV and the Noble are made by Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan Automobile Co.

The UFO SUV is made by Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co.

Daimler calls the Noble "a blatant attempt to copy the design of the Smart ForTwo, no matter how it was executed."

But in hearty glass-half-full fashion, this is all good news for the European importer of the cars.

The seemingly unfazed Karl Schloessl, CEO of China Automobile Deutschland, thinks the controversy will actually help sales of the knockoffs, which will be managed through a 100-dealer network in Germany starting in October.

"This discussion could be useful, as helps put our products on the same shelf with those from BMW and Smart".

Read more at Forbes.

Tags: Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan Automobile Co., Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan, Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Zhejiang Jonway, Karl Schloessl, China Automobile Deutschland, Toyota, BMW. Daimler, X5, BMW X5, Toyota RAV4, RAV4, Smart Fortwo, Smart, Fortwo, intellectual property, automotive, auto industry, automotive industry, China, Chinese auto industry, Chinese automotive industry

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