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Toyota aims for 20% growth

The Toyota Motor Corp, one of Japan's leading carmakers, aims to grow its China sales by 20 percent this year. Speaking at the Guangzhou auto show, Masahiro Kato, general manager of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co, said the company expects to sell 700,000 vehicles in China this year, up from 585,000 units in 2008.

Next year, the carmaker aims to sell 800,000 cars in China, Kato said. Toyota's joint venture with FAW plans to launch an all-new Crown sedan at the end of this year and a new Prius petrol-electric hybrid sedan in 2010. A separate joint venture, with the Guangzhou Automobile Group Corp, will also see the introduction of a petrol-electric hybrid Camry sedan next year.

Ford introduces EcoBoost

US carmaker Ford Motor Co's joint venture with Chang'an Motor Corp is set to introduce its highly-awarded EcoBoost engine technology into its lineup next year. Nigel Harris, sales chief of the joint venture, said 90 percent of the venture's Ford-branded products will feature the EcoBoost engine technology within the next three years.

An EcoBoost engine cutaway display makes its China debut at the Guangzhou motor show. Powered by gasoline direction injection and a turbocharger, EcoBoost increases fuel efficiency by 20 percent and reduces CO2 emission by 15 percent, with a smaller engine supporting a stronger power system. The joint venture now produces the Ford Fiesta subcompact, Focus compact and mid-sized Mondeo as well as Mazda and Volvo vehicles.

The joint venture launched a 2010 Ford Mondeo at the motor show, complete with safer, more comfortable and fashionable features.

SAIC moves into new energy

SAIC Motor Co Ltd, the premier Chinese auto group, last week signed a framework agreement with the northern city of Tangshan to build a manufacturing center for the production of new-energy-resources vehicles in Caofeidian, a tiny island belonging to the city.

The center will initially make electric-powered and petrol-electric hybrid buses. Its lineup will extend to other categories of vehicles in the future. No details have yet been revealed of the project. The center will target markets in Tangshan and the entire north China region.

Infiniti looks to double sales

Infiniti, the luxury unit of Japan's carmaker Nissan Motor Co, plans to double its China sales within the next two years.

A senior executive from Nissan Motor (China) Investment Co said, during the Guangzhou motor show, that Infiniti sales in China are expected to exceed 10,000 units in 2011, up from around 5,000 units this year.

During this period, Infiniti, which debuted in the Chinese market three years ago, also plans to increase the number of its dealerships in China from 17 to 30. The brand will also introduce more products into China next year.

CEO forum comes to Beijing

The "2009 Chief Executive China Business Pioneers Forum" was held in Beijing on Nov 25, co-sponsored by Global Sources and the BMW Group.

Participants shared their views on the overseas competition strategy of Chinese export businesses during the meeting. Beijing was the final stop of the serial forum.

Over recent months, the forum has taken place in 11 cities, including Guangzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, Suzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an, Dalian and Qingdao.

More than 2,500 senior business figures have attended the meetings.

Motoring

(China Daily 11/30/2009 page7)