Short news automotive

October 27, 2011 Category Automotive Metals & Minerals, Short news automotive

Anhui Ankai Automobile Co signed a contract with Britain’s Big Bus Tours sightseeing company to export 34 red open-top double-decker buses, which will be used for sightseeing tours during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. It will be the first time double-decker buses made in China will enter the UK market. Ankai has already assembled a sample bus, which has obtained approval from both Big Bus Tours and British automobile certification authorities.
Swiss engineering group and car parts supplier Georg Fischer aims to more than double sales in China in five years to about CNY7 billion. The company’s GF AgieCharmilles machine tools unit inaugurated a new CNY80 million plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
China’s new CNY3,000 subsidy for fuel-efficient vehicles will benefit 26 models after the government this month imposed a more stringent requirement. The subsidy applies to cars weighing 1,205-1,320 kilograms and consuming no more than 6.3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, lower from the previous 6.9-liter threshold. Shanghai General Motors has nine models in the new subsidy category, including the Chevrolet Sail and Chevrolet Aveo.
Toyota plans to start selling plug-in hybrid and electric cars in China in 2013, in competition with Volkswagen and General Motors. The company did not specify which model would be introduced to China. Toyota will start construction of its USD689 million wholly-owned research and development center in Changshu, Jiangsu province, which is expected to focus on hybrid electric vehicles.
The Beijingnumber-plate lottery, which limits the number of new cars on the capital’s roads to 17,600 a month, will not apply to individuals who buy electric cars in the near future because the government wants to encourage the use of greener vehicles. The city’s 12th Five Year Plan for the car industry, which is expected to be released soon, is likely to include such a provision.
The average car plate price in Shanghai increased in October to CNY54,008, CNY1,386 more than in September. The lowest price rose CNY1,600 to CNY53,800. Prices have increased every month this year. The average price this month was the third highest on record. About 9,000 car plates were available for auction, down 500 from September. The number of bidders in October fell below 20,000 for the first time this year.
China may postpone the publishing of its blueprint for fuel-efficient and new energy vehicles to next year. The industry guideline for 2011 to 2020, is expected to expand from its previous focus on pure electric cars to include energy-saving models with support on research and development (R&D) as well as purchase subsidies.
Nissan Motors’s first China design center in Beijing has recently started full operations, developing vehicle designs for both the Nissan and Infiniti brands. About 20 designers now work in the Beijing Center, most of whom are Chinese employees. Nissan now has five design centers worldwide, with two in Japan, one in the United States and another in the United Kingdom.
Volkswagen reported auto sales in China increased 14.6% to a record high of 1.69 million units for the first nine months of this year. Sales of VW branded vehicles rose 11% to 1.29 million units. Sales of Audi increased to 226,000 units during the first three quarters, surpassing full year sales of 2010.
Porsche expects China will become its largest market by late 2014. First-half sales grew 50% to 12,267 units, making China the second largest market for Porsche worldwide, trailing only the United States. A “World of Porsche” branding campaign was recently held at the Porsche Center Puxi to help customers become more familiar with the brand’s history, product line-ups, services and racing heritage.
Avis said it plans to invest CNY2.5 billion in China in the next five years. The investment will allow the company to expand its short-term leasing car fleet by 10 times to 15,000 vehicles by 2016, according to Terence Chiu, General Manager of Anji Car Rental and Leasing Co, Avis Europe’s venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Sales Co. The business-rental fleet will expand to 10,000 units, up from the current 4,000 units. Competition from domestic rivals has intensified recently.
September vehicle sales in China turned out stronger than expected with volumes up 8% year-on-year to 1.6 million units, the second highest this year. Sales of passenger cars totaled 1.2 million units, up 12% from a year ago. Exports in the first nine months of the year totaled 345,000 units, exceeding the previous highest annual export volume recorded in 2008. Growing sales in emerging markets are driving the demand.

Short news automotive

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