In total VW does not hesitate to invest 4

The collapse of the American automotive market over the past two years has pushed German builders, in a beautiful whole movement, change of priorities. China, the new first world automobile market, is never the object of all their efforts. Especially on the segment for high-end, more than ever. The combined wealth of Chinese billionaires is peeking in 2008 fourth in the world, beyond Britain, according to Merrill Lynch, and their average age of only thirty-nine years according to another study in fact target of choice. Even after the crisis, he would remain in all 825 000 Chinese whose wealth exceeds 10 billion yuan, or $ 1.5 billion. Unthinkable for them to take public transport... Where the onslaught of the Germanic groups, both with the "made in Germany" imported and with vehicles manufactured on the spot.

Second plant for BMW

Thus BMW, number two behind compatriot Audi, and whose local sales segment more than doubled in the first quarter, greatly increases its plant of Da Dong, near Shenyang, is making the new 5 Series Sedan, here in extended version. The official opening ceremony has been cancelled this week, because aircraft between Europe and China, but no matter: the ambitions of the Bavarian group are intact. The total capacity will be same litters to 300,000 units in the long term, with the creation of a second plant in Shenyang, scheduled for early 2012, on the small X 1 (100,000 vehicles a year at the beginning).

BMW will invest to 560 million euros, with its local partner Brilliance. The message of the Group: "the quality of vehicles assembled in China is equivalent to that of vehicles manufactured in Europe." The firm is here approximately 100,000 sales of vehicles this year, in principle richly equipped with equipment, out of a total world of 1.3 million units. The country will make a significant contribution to the objective of achieving an operating margin of 8 by 2012 with the automotive industry. And Mini, the little sister of BMW, less visible in China and Europe, still plays its partition in the Salon of Beijing.

Limousine for Volkswagen

Same ambition in Volkswagen, poised to dethrone Toyota at the global level. Once leader of the local market, and very far away, with its models assembled locally Santana and Bank especially taxis and Government since 1983, the Group Wolfsburg fight tooth and nail for leaving too much to overflow by newer competitors such as Buick (GM), Toyota or Honda. Thus, it does not hesitate to restart in Beijing the career of its large limousine Phaeton, launched in 2002, and remains as one of the major flops of the career of the pattern, Ferdinand Piëch. This car, sold only at best 4,500 last year and removed long ago in the US market, is entitled to a serious facelift in Beijing, as to show the determination of the number two automotive world.

In total, VW does not hesitate to invest $ 4.4 billion euros in China by 2012 and aims the bar of two millions of supplies (the equivalent of the French market!) to the horizon 2018, the term of its strategic plan. Just this year, the group will launch seven new models manufactured on-site, regional President, Winfried Vahland. Its high-end Audi brand, whose sales were off from 77 in the first quarter, hopes to keep its leadership, with elongated of its A4 and A6 sedan versions, as well as its 4 x 4 high-end Q5, assembled in Changchun with local FAW Group.

Daimler and 38 models

Daimler also did not say its last word. New Renault partner arrives at the Salon of Beijing with a two-storey stand, larger than ever, and deploys 38 Mercedes-Benz models, with an axis of communication: "Fascination, responsibility and perfection." Here, the purpose is not to boast small models, which will be developed engines with the French, but rather its robust limousines term. Like everyone in the Germans, the mark of Stuttgart must have in its portfolio of elongated versions cars available in Europe, as here the new class E "strech" (14 cm more than the base version). Many cars are carried out by drivers, also the clients appreciate to their comfortable at the back.