Ever since GM announced its BaoJun, ever since Nissan showed its Qi Chen and Honda launched its Li Nian, creating Chinese car brands has become all the rage. Volkswagen doesn’t want to be left out. Volkswagen, (German for “the people’s car”) plans a standalone brand for the people of the People’s Republic.
Volkswagen-China CEO Wolfgang Neumann confirmed the plans to Germany’s Handelsblatt: “A local brand is our opportunity to participate in segments where Volkswagen is not represented yet.”
Volkswagen wants to create a series of small cars at a low price. The cars are supposed to cost less than $10,000. (VW needs to work on this price point. There are small cars in China that can be had for less than half.) Once Porsche is integrated, the yet unnamed Chinese brand will be number 11 in Volkswagen’s collection.
In 2010, Volkswagen sold nearly twice as many cars in China than back home, and they want to sell more. China is seen as key to Volkswagen’s plans of world domination by 2018.
Which of Volkswagen’s two joint venture partners in China will get the new car? That is up for discussion and negotiation. The contract with SAIC has just been extended until 2030. The current contract with FAW will expire in 2016, it will most likely also be extended.
Someone will most likely also have a chat with Suzuki: „Do you want to have a part of this, or do you want to continue playing the shy bride?”
Ah a classic Schmitt post with a subtle double entendre at the end. Just out of curiosity how would you say “people’s car” or “car of the people” in Chinese?
A “Volkswagen” is a ” “Dazhong” (a car for the) “great masses”.
After the people’s car, the people’s tractor.
Are they still building Farmall C knockoffs in China? I wonder if you could import a new one for less than a restored original.
Henry Kissinger on Chinese revolutionary opera: The good guys wore red, the bad guys black, and at the end the girl fell in love with a tractor.
How about NSU or DKW? They actually have some history to go with the name …
Das Klein Wunder
All depends on whom does the most knowledgeable bribing…