Caterham said that even though it has had a “long-standing presence” in the Far East, most notably in Japan, this will be the first time the Seven will be available in China.
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At a press event on Monday, BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said that he expects the brand’s sales in China to grow, albeit not at the extraordinary rate of 61% that it achieved in the first half.
"In the second half of the year we will not have such a fast growth rate in China as in the first half because of the high year-earlier level of comparison, but will still have growth," said Robertson.
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The reason for this shift is that Volvo’s greatest asset, safety, is not a unique selling point any more now that most rivals have made similar advances in this sector.
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To celebrate the launch, Fiat crafted a special version named 500 “First Edition” featuring bodywork graphics by five young Chinese designers. The special edition will be available in a limited run of just 100 numbered units ahead of the city car’s regular launch in China on September 15.
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So far, China’s “Big Four” (well, the four most visible to those outside of China) have made and broken promises of bringing their vehicles to the North American market. Brilliance, Chery, Nanjing and Geely have all backed down from their plans to open dealerships and factories stateside. So far, not a single car from China's major automakers has touched down on U.S. soil outside a motor show.
Senior analyst Bill Visnic of Edmunds.com explains why: “This isn’t computers or cellphones, where you just get into a big-box store. You need some dealerships, and those things are tremendous investments of time and resources. [The Chinese] thought it was going to be a lot easier than it was.”
BYD hopes to change all that. China’s sixth largest automaker provided plug-in hybrid cars to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now plans on bringing that hybrid, the awkwardly named F3DM, to the U.S.A. for Spring 2012. It still could be an uphill challenge, though.
The fallout from the slump in auto sales after the Global Financial Crisis, the government’s bailouts of two of the Big Three, the liquidation of numerous dealerships and the reduction in hybrid sales that came with the sudden drop in fuel prices is still being felt in much of America’s automotive heartland. Add to that the small market share commanded by hybrid and electric vehicles – just 2.2% worldwide according to JD Power – and BYD may be in over their heads already.
AS Mike Omotoso from JD Power explains:
“Because consumers are wary about electric vehicles and their driving range and batteries, they are even more likely to go with more established companies like G.M. and Nissan. The problem with the Chinese car companies is they are trying to run before they walk.”
Only time will tell if BYD’s U.S. plans end in fruition or failure.
By Tristan Hankins
Source: New York Times
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