Chery QQme is ready!

Chery QQ won the No.1 sales championship in January, not for long, the new model Chery QQme (come with QQ6 and QQ3) is to release on April.

As a fashionable mini-car model designed for young customers, the Chery QQme will rival the VW Beetles and BMW Mini in the market. But in the design essence, styling aesthetics and youthful dynamics, Chery QQme is claimed to have no match yet in the small car segment. Chery Auto started as a manufacturer of QQ small cars and still keeps its leading R&D capability in this field.

The Chery QQme’s design is seen as a “cute overload” aimed at fashion-conscious young buyers, especially the female consumer demographic. The dashboard is supposed to imitate a smiling face.

[View with PicLens]

source: auto.163

Chery Automobile cut funds for China car venture

The Israel Corp holding company said on Sunday the initial investment in its joint venture to build cars in China would be cut to $500 million for 2009-2010 from the originally planned $900 million.

Chery Quantum Auto Co is a joint venture between Israel Corp’s subsidiary Quantum and China’s Wuhu Chery Automobile Investment Co.

The two sides also decided to change the holdings in the joint venture so that Quantum would own 50 percent instead of the 45 percent it currently holds. Chery’s stake will fall to 50 percent from 55 percent, Israel Corp said in a statement.

The Israeli company said the initial investment for 2009 and 2010 would be reduced as a result of a decision to develop fewer models and the postponement in building a special factory. The two sides have decided to use Chery’s current production facilities for the time being, Israel Corp said.

Quantum will not be required to inject any more money in 2009-2010 beyond the $200 million it has already invested. An additional investment of $40 million, if need be, could be made in 2011 at the earliest, Israel Corp said.

Chery Quantum Auto will build electric cars as well as conventional automobiles, it said.

source: Reuters

BYD launched F3 Automatic on Mar. 1st

BYD recently launched the F3 automatic transmission model globally, expecting to gain bigger market share, Chinese auto media reported.

BYD set the price for the new F3 at RMB 79,800(1USD = 6.8RMB) and aims to sell 180,000 units in 2009.

BYD said it expects the new model to help it gain a bigger market share as the Chinese government encourages the purchase of low-emission cars.

China recently issued details of industrial stimulus measures for the automobile sector. The government encourages consumers to buy low-emission vehicles and will offer some favorable polices on the low-emission and green energy cars purchases. Besides, the government will also provide financial aid for domestic automakers and encourage them to develop self-owned brands.

Spy shots: Chery Tiggo 6 on testing drive

As a medium and large-size SUV, Chery Tiggo 6 was first showed on 07‘ April’s Shanghai auto show and being silent ever since. Until recently Tiggo 6 was found on testing, it indicated that Tiggo 6 was set to production.

The first sight, you will find it’s a real Chery Tiggo, but in details you will also find that Tiggo 6 has changed a lot, much different from the one on 07′ Shanghai auto show. Tiggo 6 was internal named “B22″, compared to the same platform B21 (A6 sedan) and B23 (A6CC coupe) have all been tested for many years, the Tiggo 6 test progress has lagged a lot.

Read more →

Breaking: Chang’an and Dongfeng to bid for Ford Volvo

Three interested companies may place indicative bids for Ford’s up-for-sale Swedish brand Volvo Cars in April, according to Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri (DI).

Reuters noted that DI quoted unnamed sources as saying that the three bidders include Chinese carmakers Dongfeng Motor Group and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co, and “a European constellation”.

“Indicative bids are to be expected around the Easter weekend,” the paper said. The expected purchase price for Volvo is believed to range between SEK20bn ($2.29bn) and SEK25bn ($2.86bn), it reported.

The paper also said the European Investment Bank (EIB) was expected to grant Volvo a 5 billion Swedish crowns ($568 million) loan in the near future. Volvo applied for the loan last month.

Volvo Cars is a separate company from Gothenburg, Sweden-based Volvo AB, the world’s second-largest truck maker. Dongfeng Motor Corp is China’s third-biggest automaker while Changan Auto Group manufactures Volvo cars in China in a partnership with Ford.

source: DI

Geely Panda: World’s smallest car?

On Beijing Auto Show in April 2008, Geely unveiled its mini car, the Panda (not to be confused with the Fiat Panda) , becoming the latest Chinese auto maker hoping to profit from the Chinese government’s policy to encourage Chinese consumers to buy smaller, more fuel efficient car. The 1.3 liter engine Geely Panda gets 48 miles per gallon. Geely is also coming out with an electric version of the Panda powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that travels up to 40 miles per hour.

Volkswagen to launch Tiguan SUV by ’09

Volkswagen is set to launch the Tiguan SUV model as one of its flagship models this year, and Tiguan is expected to go on sale in late 2009.

AS Volkswagen’s first compact crossover SUV in the real sense, the Tiguan model was introduced to Shanghai VW, one of the German auto giant’s Chinese ventures, for local production in China. But its launch was delayed last year due to low sales prediction. The Tiguan SUV is now eagerly anticipated by Chinese buyers and will hit the China market as the first VW SUV here.

The production Tiguan was released at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and made its China debut at the 2008 Beijing auto show. It is the German carmaker’s second compact SUV after Touareg to blend the crossover pleasures in the city and country driving. Its name is a hybrid from Tiger and Iguana, an exotic mix of boldness and wildness.

The China-made Tiguan SUV will come with the 1.4TSI, 1.8TSI and 2.0TSI versions, not much different from the imported Tiguan editions. It is based on the fifth-generation Golf’s PQ35 platform. Its Chinese name and price are not decided yet, though at the 2008 Beijing auto show it was called “Tuhuan” (“journey happy”) and rumored to sell for 500,000 yuan (73,200).

source: Information Times

Baoya electric car heading to U.S.

This year to date, Chinese carmaker Shandong Baoya Vehicle Co., Ltd. has received orders from the United States for 4,800 Baoya electric cars.

The Baoya electric car features the company’s own core car-making technologies, including driveline technology for the chassis of electric cars and technologies for adaptation and optimization of drive motors.

Currently, all Baoya electric cars are for export. Last year, Baoya exported 500 cars to the U.S. market, and this year to date Baoya have received orders from the U.S. for 4,800 Baoya electric sedans.

The Baoya electric car meets western countries’ maximum weight limit of 400 kilograms for low-speed sedans, and can reach a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The Baoya electric sedan can be fully recharged within five to eight hours, with each recharge costing about 30 yuan ($4.4) and enabling the car to run 150 kilometers.

source: gasgoo.com

Top ten destination countries of China ’08 automotive exports

Data released by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed that the total value of the top ten destination countries of China’s automotive exports(total of parts and assembled cars) exceeded $25.208 billion in 2008, accounting for 51% of China’s total auto exports value in the year.

All these countries but the U.S. witnessed a double-digit growth in auto imports from China year on year, with Brazil showing the most significant increase.

Top ten destination countries of China ’08 automotive exports by value:

Country     Value

U.S.           $9.406 billion
Japan       $4.533 billion
Russia     $2.133 billion
Korea       $1.916 billion
Germany  $1.490 billion
Iran           $1.220 billion
UAE          $1.219 billion
Nigeria     $1.165 billion
Brazil        $1.113 billion
Italy           $1.013 billion

source: gasgoo.com

Future Saturn: The quarry of Chinese automaker?

Saturn has been told that its production will come to a stop in 2010 to relieve the parent company, GM, of any loss making brands. This leaves the entire Saturn sales network up for grabs, which given the current amount of speculation has hinted that an up and coming Chinese car company may well be interested in grabbing the sales network which covers the prodigal auto market of the USA which Chinese automakers have made a great deal of fuss about entering.

Pricing, or potential suitors for the Saturn network have yet to be leaked, but possible buyers maybe BYD, or Brilliance, or even Chery. All of which have made a great deal of noise about entering the US automotive market in and around 2010.

GM are currently in full survival mode, and are keen to off load any superfluous brands that they may have laying around, Hummer, Saab, and now Saturn all appear to be leaving the nest at some point in 2009.

source: chinacartimes