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Rolls-Royce expects China to be biggest market

Super luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd expects China to be its biggest single market in the world during the next couple of years. "I think the potential is definitely here in the market, particularly when you see how much the high net-worth individuals are growing in China, our target group," Torsten Muller-Otvos, the company's CEO, said.

China is Rolls-Royce's second biggest single market after the United States. Muller-Otvos pointed out that last year China accounted for roughly one-fifth of the company's global sales of 4,000 vehicles.

He said Roll-Royce plans to open two or three new dealerships in China annually in the next few years.

It now has 23 dealerships here.

Bentley plans to launch its Bentayga SUV here

United Kingdom luxury carmaker Bentley plans to offer its Bentayga sports utility vehicle to Chinese customers through its Bentley Studio for the first time.

Wolfgang Durheimer, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors Ltd, said: "Bentayga is a crucial part of our development in China. It is extremely important for the Chinese market, where people like higher driving positions and off-road capability."

The dealership's showrooms will be upgraded as Bentley Studios aims to customize and personalize the company's creations. It will take individual SUV orders later this year. The finished SUV will be delivered to Chinese customers next year.

Bentley Motors has conducted meetings with customers and dealers in China, and the feedback received was very positive, according to Durheimer.

Kevin Rose, board member for sales and marketing, said: "It will be by far the best SUV in the world." The Bentayga, he pointed out, will attract not only current Bentley buyers but also new customers.

Shangahi GM new-energy vehicles in the pipeline

Shanghai GM plans to produce more than 10 new-energy vehicles as well as 13 environmentally friendly engines and nine transmissions in the next five years.

The move is part of the automaker's effort to seize a 10 percent market share in China by 2020, said its general manager Wang Yongqing.

It sold 1.76 million units in 2014, an 8.9 percent share of the Chinese market. The automaker has set a goal of selling at least 1.9 million units this year, said Wang.

Wang expects sales of Shanghai GM's new-energy vehicles to account for 10 percent of its total sales by 2020.

Yidao, Toyota, Denza to promote green motoring

Yidao, a company that provides car pick-up services in China, expanded its fleet with FAW-Toyota's hybrid Prius and BYD Daimler's pure electric Denza.

Yidao will use a total of 100 Toyota Prius in the first batch, among 70 for the pick-up services. The other 30 will be used for customers to test drive if they are interested in the models. The Prius vehicles are now available in Shanghai, and will be promoted in more Chinese cities, including Beijing and Hangzhou, according to the company.

Zhou Hang, Yidao CEO, said more Prius models would be added into his car-calling platform. Each Prius would carry 4,000 passengers each year.

Yan Chen, CEO of Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co Ltd, said the Sino-German joint venture is also providing its Denza model to Yidao this year. She expected more people to experience driving electric cars through Yidao's platform.

The details of the link-up between Yidao and BYD Daimler would be released soon.

Pateo Corps unveils concept car with a difference

Pateo Corps, a Chinese Internet company, displayed its super-smart car concept Project N in Shanghai. The car opens up like the cockpit in a jet fighter.

Without a steering wheel, the operating system works from a curved touch screen as wide as the cabin. During a demonstration, the Project N recognized the voice of Ying Yilun, CEO of Pateo Corps, and checked his heart rate. It also recognized the driving route.

At the same auto show, Aston Martin Lagonda (China) Automobile Distribution Co Ltd and Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp said they will work together on connectivity technologies that could help drivers.

BAIC Motor Corp and Leshi jointly displayed a concept in a driver cabin mock-up at the auto show. BAIC Motor and Le Holdings Co, Leshi's parent, entered into a strategic agreement in March to build smart cars.

Online car purchases will start to gather pace

Chinese consumers have the greatest interest in online car purchases, according to a survey by Accenture.

The survey of 10,000 customers in eight countries showed that 75 percent of the drivers polled would consider conducting the entire car-buying process online.

Chinese respondents showed the strongest interest in buying a new car online, with 92 percent saying that they had done so or would consider it.

By contrast, drivers in Japan expressed the least interest: 80 percent of Japanese respondents said they would rule out such a buying option.

The survey also found that 80 percent of drivers seeking to purchase a new vehicle are using some form of digital technology to research their buying preferences, including consulting social media channels, before entering a dealership.

In addition to China and Japan, the survey's respondents came from the United States, Italy, France, Germany and India.

Engine technology will boost Toyota China sales

Toyota China released two new TwinEngine hybrid versions of the Corolla and Levin in Shanghai.

The joint venture FAW-Toyota hopes to sell 1 million vehicles in 2020.

The TwinEngine technology is endorsed by Chinese actor Zhang Zhen and actress Gao Yuanyuan. The brand's TV commercial also features American singer Taylor Swift and Chinese pianist Li Yundi.

Li Hui, executive deputy general manager of GAC Toyota Motor Co Ltd, said the TwinEngine is the most environment-friendly form of power and that the Camry TwinEngine is now the best-selling hybrid car.

Jiang Jun, general manager at FAW-Toyota, announced that the joint venture is expecting sales to hit 630,000 units this year, and 1 million by 2020.

A total of 1.03 million Toyota branded cars were sold in China last year, 13 percent more than that in 2013.

Wireless charging is heading for the capital

Beijing is expected to promote wireless charging later this year. The system will enable electric cars to be charged within a radius of 50 cm and its charging efficiency is similar to that offered by cabled charging posts, said Wang Lifang, a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Wang said wireless charging will have a trial run on 20 electric cars in the capital city in 2015 and 2016, adding that the technology will be widely applied by 2020.

Beijing municipal government is planning to put 200,000 new-energy and clean fuel vehicles on the road by 2017 as part of its effort to alleviate air pollution.

Auto imports dip amid economic slowdown

China imported 258,000 vehicles in the first quarter, a 17.1 percent fall year-on-year, according to a report by Sinomach Automobile Co Ltd, the country's major importer.

The report said deliveries of imported models to Chinese customers slumped 19.4 percent. Sinomach said that is the result of slowing economic growth in China.

It estimated that the number of imported vehicles will continue slowing in the second quarter or even in the whole year, and suggested that international automakers should adjust their sales goals in China.

China imported 1.42 million vehicles in 2014, an increase of 21.6 percent year-on-year.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/27/2015 page19)