Auto Shanghai 2009
Friday, May 1st, 2009Slowdown? What slowdown? If anything can help get things buzzing for the car makers and the auto industry in 2009 it has to be a spate of new cars. Fresh new designs, updated sheet metal with all new or tweaked mills throbbing under their bonnets and sporting new age technology can only enthuse punters to go in and check out the wheels of their choice.
The ZigWheels Auto Intelligence Centre (ZAIC) has come up with no less than 54 automobiles which are on schedule for debut on Indian roads in calendar 2009 with two of them being launched as early as the next week! Sedans, hatchbacks, executive cars, premium segment luxury machines and sports cars plus also of course SUVs and MPVs, there is a wide spectrum which these 54 cars will be spread out on, to give a great variety of choice to automotive consumers in 2009 apart from of course the existing products already in showrooms. This spate of new releases should also help the beleaguered industry to try and inject some zest which would be just as important as anything else.
While the Tata Nano would be eagerly awaited by the masses, the hoi polloi would be drooling at the likes of the Ferrari, the Jaguars and Land Rovers plus also the cult cars like the Mini from BMW and the new Beetle from Volkswagen. There seems to be something for everything including the big news that many had awaited from Toyota - a small car specifically for developed markets like India. Toyota’s arch hometown rival Honda though may have just pulled its best trick out of its skunk works when it will launch its Jazz super mini in April 2009. Great pyrotechnics apart from the car makers, expect 2009 to be dominated by a hectic amount of new releases - almost at the rate of one new car / updated variant per week! Let’s hope demand for them displays just as much enthusiasm!
GM Ventures join with us to show the Chinese people our unmatched product lineup this week and some interesting products on the horizon, President and managing Director of the GM China Group. In the line in our strategy to work in China, for China, and China, many models on display is engineered and designed for local business to local customers. ”
GM also introduced the production version Chevrolet volt, the world’s first extended-range electric vehicles, makes global debut at the show. In addition to aforementioned vehicles, Shanghai GM is presented with the Buick line-up, which includes the world premier Business concept vehicle. Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (Patac), GM of engineering and design partners in Shanghai, also presented new 2.0 Turbo Buick regal sedan between, the car in the first turbocharged engine made by GM in China. Also making its debut is the new Buick Lacrosse is a premium sedan.
“Patac play a major role in the development of new Lacrosse, ongoing design-GM one major brand in China,” said GM Vice President for global design and design Ed
Welburn Jr. bubuyog new lacrosse run on sales in China in the 2009 quarter. Other model is Buick’s Excelle lower-medium family, between the new kings sedan, GL8 executive wagon FirstLand, enclave premium SUV and Park Avenue premium sedan.
Chevrolet, while showing small spark, Aveo Hatchback, Lova compact sedan, Epica intermediate sedan and the Captiva SUV. Is a model interesting new Cadillac SRX midsize luxury Crossover, which launched the North American International Auto Show and will be sold in China in the next year.
As a commitment to fuel-efficient vehicles are placed at Shanghai GM’s “Drive to Green” strategy, GM also launched its Cadillac Escalade luxury SUV Hybrid. Escalade that Shanghai GM is the second hybrid to market, to join the Buick Lacrosse Eco-Hybrid, which was launched last year.
Join the two products are five other members of Cadillac luxury portfolio in China for luxury sedan, ,CTS-V high-performance luxury sedan, SLS luxury business sedan, Escapade luxury SUV and the XLR luxury roadster. Revival, China’s leading mini commercial names of the vehicles, minivans shows that three-Rongguang, Hong Tu and Sunshine for efficient B-DOHC engine.
Although the global financial meltdown, China has set a new sales record of 17 percent in March, beating the U.S. for the third consecutive month. It seems that the trend holds true in the Philippines, where GM posted a record 7-percent increase in sales in the first quarter of the year.
According to the GM Group Vice President and head of GM Asia Pacific Nick Reilley, “SGM is committed to the distribution of global growth; dealerships network and develop products for different markets akan akan profitable.” GM is expecting to China through its two five-year sales, which means that it will sell over two million units. GM is confident in the China market based on long strong foundation is created between the SGM.
“We see an opportunity to improve and GM will continue to bring drive and green technology. Our commitment to China will be stronger and make the product,” explained Reilly.