Tag Archives: China

China’s Geely Reportedly Forming New JV With Renault, Could Allow Duty-Free Cars Into The U.S.

Geely and Renault are rumored to be on the verge of announcing a new partnership. The two companies are reported to have been working on a joint venture since the beginning of the year, with the details finalized and an announcement imminent.

The venture will help create a new plug-in hybrid-focused automotive brand, reports Reuters. Chinese automaker, Geely, is expected to provide their CMA architecture that both Geely and Volvo currently use. Renault will focus its attention on design and marketing, focusing on the world’s largest car market — China.

A Chinese Re-entry For Renault, South Korean Lynk & Co For Geely  

The deal will allow Renault to re-enter China, which it exited a year ago when a JV with Dongfeng was dissolved. It may also be a way for the French company to expand its presence throughout Asia, with particular attention paid to its South Korean assembly plant that has manufactured vehicles under Renault Samsung Motors. Renault has held an 80% stake in Samsung Motors since 2000 and is South Korea’s third-largest automaker.

Geely may be able to gain access to any number of Renault’s production facilities, but it’s thought that the Busan plant in southeastern South Korea is of particular interest. According to the report’s unnamed sources, Lynk & Co, a brand under Geely, may produce its 01 SUV locally, with other hybrid offerings from the brand being considered. These could be sold under the Renault Samsung name.

Geely’s Ticket To The U.S.

In addition to propping up Renault Samsung (whose sales have been waning) and gaining access to the Korean market, there’s another significant benefit for Geely.

By producing vehicles in South Korea, the Chinese company could very well gain a form of duty-free “backdoor entry” into the U.S. market. Sino-U.S. tensions have hurt trade for Chinese automakers trying to break into the second-biggest car market in the world. But the deal with Renault could open up the possibility of utilizing South Korea’s free-trade agreement with the United States to export its Lynk & Co vehicles.

As of yet, there is no solid indication of a time frame for an announcement. It also isn’t quite clear where this arrangement will fit in with the Renault-Nissan alliance.

Elon Musk Praises Chinese Automakers As He Attempts To Restore Tesla’s Image In The Country

Elon Musk was in a complimentary mood during his appearance at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress. In his message, he praised Chinese automakers, who he opined were “the most competitive in the world.”

Bloomberg reports that Musk’s comments during his pre-recorded appearance can be seen as an attempt at repairing Tesla’s image in China. “I have a great deal of respect for the many Chinese automakers,” said Musk, adding that the country’s carmakers are particularly strong on software. “Public sentiment and support for electric vehicles is at a never before seen inflection point because they know it is the future,” he noted.

Tesla has faced a difficult few months in China following a largely positive welcome. China is a crucial market for the California-based carmaker as it’s the world’s largest EV market, with the added jeopardy of having plenty of home-grown EV competition.

In May, Tesla’s sales halved in the wake of public and government criticism. Accusations of poor aftersales service spurred negative opinions of the brand, with a local paper saying that the company’s “arrogant and overbearing stance” was “repugnant and unacceptable.”

Read: China Is Developing Tech That Can Track Automotive Data Sent Abroad

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Meanwhile, Chinese authorities grew suspicious of Tesla and how it handled the storage of customer data. Staff at some important Chinese government facilities were told not to park their Tesla vehicles inside government compounds due to security concerns related to their exterior cameras.

Musk spoke about data security, reiterating that the company was working with national authorities to ensure the security of data gathered by their vehicles. Tesla has complied with a request from the Chinese government to store data gathered by its locally-used cars within the nation.

China has gone on to develop advanced machines that will be able to track data sent overseas by cars driven on its streets. The system, which analyzes the path of data transmission, is currently being tested on vehicles from foreign automakers, including Tesla.

Facelifted 2022 Jeep Compass Might Debut Sooner Than Expected

Jeep is working on the first mid-cycle refresh of the Compass, four years after production of the second generation started, with prototypes already spied undergoing testing on the other side of the pond.

The facelifted compact SUV was initially believed to debut sometime next year, but it appears that the unveiling date might actually be sooner than expected.

Quoting undisclosed sources, MoparInsiders reports that the 2022 Compass could be due next month, revealing its updates under the spotlight at the Guangzhou Auto Show, in China. The event is scheduled to kick off on November 22 and will close its gates on December 1.

Review: Should You Want A 2019 Jeep Compass In Your Life? (Spoiler Alert: No)

As for the changes that will set it apart from the current iteration, previous spy shots have shown that it will feature a modified front bumper with reshaped air intakes, new fog lamps, different taillights and likely a new rear bumper design, although the camouflage did a very good job at hiding it.

We can expect a few upgrades inside too, with the latest prototype sporting a huge infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard, surrounded by a metallic frame. The instrument panel hood and steering wheel might be revised as well.

We don’t expect any changes to the North American model’s powertrain, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 180 HP and 175 lb-ft (237 Nm) of torque and is available with three different transmissions driving either the front or all-four wheels.

Jeep’s Euro-spec Compass packs a variety of powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid that combines the turbo’d 1.3-liter gasoline unit with a rear-mounted electric motor and a 11.4 kWh battery pack, enabling a zero-emission range of around 30 miles (50 km). However, it is yet unknown whether the electrified Compass 4xe will launch in the U.S. with the facelifted model.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Citroen Is Once Again Going After Audi And BMW, This Time With A New Flagship Sedan For China

Citroen will take yet another swing at the premium segment with a new four-door model. Aimed at the Chinese car market, it’s expected to launch before the end of next year, likely as the successor of the second-gen C6, which has been around since late 2016 in the People’s Republic.

So, why limit it to China and not launch it globally? Because sedans still outsell SUVs in the People’s Republic. As for the basics of the model, Autocar reports that it will be based on the EMP2 platform, which will tie it to the Peugeot 508 and new DS 9.

See Also: DS Designers Imagine What A Modern-Day Citroen SM Would Look Like

In terms of power, it’s expected with regular combustion engines and a plug-in hybrid that will give it a zero-emission driving range of around 40 miles (64 km). A full-blown electric version has been ruled out for launch, even if the architecture could support such a powertrain, but could be added at some point given China’s appetite for EVs. More importantly though, it will have a magic carpet ride made possible by the Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension set-up.

The design of the vehicle is said to be in the process of being finalized, as it needs to be adapted to the local market, where the looks of the front end of a vehicle “must deliver the right status, presence, reassurance that you made the right choice”, according to the French firm’s CEO, Vincent Cobee.

2016 Citroen CXPerience Concept

“Plus, safety regulations, road conditions, engine size and fuel are different. There will be a number of things related to suspension tuning, powertrain choices, color and material and overall delivery of the car that vary”, he added. “The different versions will use the same platform and silhouette, but there are a number of dimensions where you can adapt expectations.”

Citroen’s new flagship sedan could be inspired by the 2016 CXperience Concept, which was presented at the Paris Auto Show, came with an electrified gasoline engine and had a 37-mile (60-km) electric range.

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Note: Citroen CXPerience Concept pictured above