American automakers keep complaining about the allegedly closed Japanese market where just about nobody wants their big brutes since … the last world war. The Japanese market is full, it has too much local capacity, and it is getting smaller by the day. At the same time, Detroit does not seem to have its ear on the ground in a much bigger market close-by: China. Despite being in China in full strength, Detroit hasn’t capitalized on a huge trend in the Middle Kingdom: Pickups for urban cowboys. According to Chinacartimes, money is left on the table for Chinese who are ready to cash in.
Ford’s “Raptor has become the official toy of urban playboys across China, the 40,000USD truck regularly sells for north of 100,000USD in the PRC for those that wish to stand out from the crowd with a gigantic toy that burns gas faster than fireworks on Chinese New Years Eve,” CCT says.
Never mind that the Raptor officially should not be in China. As Ford’s Chinese site shows, the 4×4 is not in the Chinese program, nor is any pick-up. This does not keep it from being shipped to China by mostly West Coast dealer who make their numbers that way. Chinese duty rates that blatantly copied the American chicken tax, 17 percent VAT, an a retaliatory surcharge on big bore American imports can’t keep the Raptors from coming in.
Grey marketer are not the only ones to cash in. Relatively unknown Chinese truck maker ZX Auto has “given their new TUV a cool orange paint scheme along with some Ford F150 Raptor inspired decals on the rear end,” CCT reports. ZX is very quick to cash-in on a trend. When the Libyan Civil War broke out, Zhong Xing (ZX Auto in English) was there with several boatloads of cheap trucks, taking market share from the Toyota Hilux.
I was going to make a smartass comment about the top picture and a woman who would give it up for the Raptor but then I remembered that a few years back there was a story about a Chinese woman who wanted to give up her virginity for an iPhone. Sometimes you can’t write a joke that stands up real life.
I don’t know anything about fuel prices in China, what sort of gas bill are you talking about for a Raptor in China?
Like everything in China, the prices for virginity have risen a lot
nowadays virginity can be re-maked anyways. or stitched her up no different than seamstress sewign your bespoken suit from saville row.
it had been so popular in certain countries.
I hope the same guy doesn’t do both.
maybe you should have kept your mouth shut dan.
i wonder if you feel manlier now that you spewed hate
towards china.
how about this: i wouldnt “poke” any of your fatassed american women
even if i got a brand new 458. i mean, are those women or even persons at all. just a big lump of lard. disgusting!
an advice: next time look in the mirror first before going off on other nations/people
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1. I don’t consider what Dan posted hate. 2. 2nd paragraph is inexcusable. 3. Money makes women horny no matter where you are. 4. Your last paragraph assumes (wrongly) that everyone agrees that what Dan posted was hate. 5. Dan is a regular contributor and is known for his reasoned, even handed responses. Toodles.
I don’t like what she’s wearing and I’d probably never buy one of those trucks.
All I have to say is…
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3onb0l/
But the over the top styling and macho-he-man styling cues of the Raptor appeal to my inner five year old.
At this point you might as well make the joke. Does it involve bent frames?
Racer, not at all. I’d be another parking lot cowboy who’d use his Raptor for very light off roading.
I was referring to Dan’s “I was going to make a smartass comment about the top picture and a woman who would give it up for the Raptor” joke.
That would be a good joke.
Much better than the guy who posted a pic of a thick chick bent over the fender of a FWD Deville in a thread that was discussing that platform. The caption? Don’t forget to check the unibody for “cracks.”
That ZX looks like a nice little truck. Forget the Raptor, gimme one of those.
(Reposting from another thread …)
I had the misfortune of renting a nearly-new ZX Grand Tiger pickup for a week last month.
Within a week, a battery cable worked itself loose, the latch on the centre console broke, clutch pedal made horrible squeaking noise to wake the dead and random screws were found on carpeting multiple times. And all hinges, including the tailgate, were sloppily slathered with lithium grease that inevitably found its way onto our clothing. I won’t even get into build quality or materials.
It’s cheap, and maybe it worked well in Libya — but I do wonder for how long.
Right. Can kill we the Chicken Tax already? It’s done more harm than good for the US auto industry and actually, what good as it done? It hasn’t kept out foreign trucks and because of loopholes, it doesn’t even create revenue. Just retaliatory tariffs if not imbargos.
then why not ford start selling these machines directly to stealerships in middle kingdom?
or they have a moral duty as didnt wanna to kill off all the young chinese kids there, since many of them has to carry the family jewel for the next generation.
It’s not even the same orange.
Sorry Bertel, but your bullshit propaganda regarding Japan’s alleged open markets aren’t getting to the actual automakers. It seems that “Less than 4 percent of auto sales in Japan last year were brands from companies based outside the country…” And now they’re throwing in currency manipulation on top of it.
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130221/OEM01/130229969/ford-urges-u-s-pressure-on-japan-ahead-of-meeting
You’ve been debunked on this about a billion times already, and yet you can only respond by pointing to yourself as a source, instead of using a source which is actually reputable.
1.) No foul language in TTAC comments
2.) https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/11/volkswagen-japan-is-not-a-closed-market/
Rule #1 of journalism: don’t refer to yourself as a source. Either present a real source or don’t bother responding.
Actually, rule #1 at TTAC says:
“When commenting, picture yourself being invited to a dinner party with a roomful of strangers. You probably will not attack or insult the host, or the other guests. You will get annoyed by rude and uncivilized guests. You will understand that the host will not invite people back who violate simple rules of civility. Attacking the host could mean an end of the dinner before deserts are served.”
Rule #2 says:
“You have a right to your opinion, you are immediately wrong if you are rude. Rude, uncivilized remarks mean an immediate loss of the argument. They also can mean a loss of commenting privileges.”
The rules have been invoked.
Well, what did I do wrong, since my comment this morning has been deleted?
If I did, my apologies, Herr Schmitt.
Could it be that the Japanese don’t want what Detroit has been trying to sell them? I’ve been buying cars with my own money for more than 40 years. All but one have been imports, mostly from Japan. The exception is a 2013 Ford Focus, with a manual transmission, that drives like it came from Germany.
That’s exactly it. The proof is in the “Toyota” Cavalier. Crap is crap, and it doesn’t matter what badge you put on the thing.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/01/the-toyota-cavalier-and-the-truth-about-japanese-import-barriers/