China's Sept auto export down 37% to 30,500 units
Shanghai, October 26 (Gasgoo.com) China exported 30,500 vehicles in September, down 36.74% from a year earlier, but up 38.98% from August, the Beijing Times reported, citing industry association.
From January to August, China exported only 221,100 vehicles, down 57.17% from a year earlier, and the total volume of auto imports and exports dropped 24.28% year-on-year (y/y) to $38.744 billion, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).
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SAIC tops China carmakers in Sept vehicle sales
Shanghai, October 26 (Gasgoo.com) SAIC Motor took top slot among Chinese automakers in terms of vehicle sales both in September (with 260,000 units) and in the January-September period (with 1.94 million units), Xinhua News reported today.
China's auto sales hit a monthly high of 1.33 million units in September, up 77.88% from a year earlier, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The combined sales of the top 10 automakers, led by SAIC Motor and FAW Group, reached 1.13 million units, taking up 85% of China's total.
Beijing Auto to set up its new-energy company
Shanghai, October 27 (Gasgoo.com) Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co.( BAIC) has registered its new-energy company, which is to be inaugurated at the beginning of next month, media reported today.
This company is said to be responsible for the R&D, manufacture and sales of key auto parts. The facility is scheduled to be built in Daxing, Beijing and will specialize in pure electric sedan R&D.
President's Red Flag limo to be bulk-produced
Shanghai, October 27 (Gasgoo.com) The new Hongqi (Red Flag) HQE limo which President Hu Jintao rode in to inspect a military parade across Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, on China's October 1 National Day this year, will now go into mass production, the China Youth Daily reported yesterday.
The production cost of the bulletproof sedan, by China's auto giant FAW Group, is reportedly about 4 million yuan ($586,000) each. Measuring 6.4m in length and weighing 4.5 tons, the D-Class HQE super luxury limousine boasts the FAW-developed CA12GV 6.0-liter engine. The parade car will be priced at 8 million yuan.
Great Wall Motor launches X240 SUV in Australia
Shanghai, October 28 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) announced today that its X240 SUV is now available in the Australian market, with the retail price starting from AU$23,990 (US$21,990), local media reported.
The GWM X240, a 'badge engineered' right-hand-drive version of the Chinese-market Hover crossover, joins the carmaker's V240 and SA220 medium-duty commercial vehicles. It is powered by a 2.4-liter petrol engine that produces 100 kW (5,250 rpm) and 200 Nm of torque (2,500-3,000 rpm) mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Japanese carmakers post record output in China
Shanghai, October 28 (Gasgoo.com) Japanese carmakers are boosting production in China, with Toyota, Honda and Nissan achieving their record output in September, signs of an emerging recovery for Japan's auto industry, the Associated Press reported today.
Honda Motor's production set a record in China for September, when the second biggest Japanese automaker produced 60,741 vehicles in its Chinese ventures, up 20% from a year earlier. Honda's global production fell 16.6% to 300,742 last month, it said today.
China to lead U.S. 'long time' as No.1 auto market
Shanghai, October 29 (Gasgoo.com) China will lead the U.S. for a "long time" as the world's biggest auto market, where demand will grow next year even as stimulus measures are reduced, said Nick Reilly, General Motors' international operations president, Bloomberg reported.
Vehicle sales in China, the world's most populous nation of over 1.3 billion, may increase to more than 13 million units next year from about 12.5 million in 2009, Reilly told reporters in Seoul yesterday. "I don't see the U.S. being anywhere near that," he said.
China launching trade probe against U.S. automakers
Shanghai, October 29 (Gasgoo.com) China has told the United States it is launching a trade investigation that could lead to higher tariffs on imports of autos and SUVs made by GM, Chrysler and Ford, a U.S. industry official said on Wednesday, reported Reuters.
"The documents containing the charges were presented by China to the U.S. government this week, but have not yet been translated. Therefore we are not in a position to comment on the matter at this time," Steve Collins, president of the American Automotive Policy Council said.
Chery may set up assembly plant in Nigeria
Shanghai, October 30 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. has submitted its proposal to Nigeria's Cross River State government of setting up an auto plant in the region for assembling up to 10,000 cars annually, International Business Times reported yesterday.
Cross River State, strategically located in Nigeria, was selected as an ideal location to be the main hub for Chery in West Africa. The state has a free trade zone and has essential complementary resources such as skilled labor and management manpower, excellent infrastructures.
Nissan CEO expects huge growth potential in China
Shanghai, October 30 (Gasgoo.com) China's auto sector will continue booming even after government stimulus measures expire, Nissan Motor CEO Carlos Ghosn said yesterday, adding that his company will struggle to meet demand, AFP reported.
"The potential of the Chinese market is huge," Ghosn told reporters. "I'm very optimistic that no matter what is the (government) policy we are going to have growth in the (coming) years."
