Shanghai sensations

Getty Images

Noel Ebdon
26 April 2009

This year’s Shanghai Auto Show has quietly set a precedent for the car industry. As the only auto market in the world still growing, all the major manufacturers were there to try and grab a slice of the shiny new pie.

In fact the only big names that didn’t turn up was Alfa Romeo and the soon-to-vanish Saab. Anyone not already diving into the Chinese market has seriously missed the boat and they all know that. Make no mistake; China presents the ailing car industry with some major new numbers to play with over the next decade.

But the manufacturers don’t have it all their own way. Unlike other boom markets, this one already has local players, most of who don’t seem to like playing by the rules.

If you’ve heard of the likes of Riich, Great Wall, BYD, Zotye, Foton, AVIC, Zoemo, For You and everyone’s personal favourite Go Now, then you’re either Chinese or you just came back from the show. Boom? This is no boom; it’s the motoring equivalent of the big bang.

So what made headlines at the show?

Easily the biggest news was Porsche’s decision to launch the new Panamera to the world in Shanghai. The move surely displays the importance of this young market for everyone from budget hatchback makers to supercars giants.

The Panamera looks fantastic, despite a slightly awkward back end. Aggressive and refined in equal measure, lots of them will be finding homes in GCC garages. Will the rear styling hinder it? The world worried about exactly the same thing on the Cayenne and look how popular that ended up being. If the crowd around the stand at the show was anything to go by, expect this to be huge.

Even with Panamera launch, the talk of the show was Chinese-based Geely’s blatant rip off of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The GE shared almost identical looks with the real thing, right down to the flying lady on the bonnet, coupled with spot on measurements.

The major difference however was in the rear where Geely really pushed the boat out on the idea of exclusivity, doing away with two seats and replacing them with one rather sumptuous throne for the owner to enjoy. Hardly the stuff of grass roots communism.

No word yet on BMW’s reaction to this obvious automotive plagiarism, but they are sure to be displeased back in Munich.

Just to annoy the establishment even further, Geely positioned an exact copy of a new London taxi next to the GE, perhaps suggesting your friends could follow on behind rather than cramp your lavish GE’s style?

Almost every taxi in Shanghai seems to be a locally built Volkswagen, so Geely may be intending to bring a bit of Englishness to the streets of the People’s Republic and grab a share of this potentially huge market. Somehow a Chinaman in a flat cap moaning about the weather just isn’t the same.

Importantly, Chevrolet decided to roll out the allegedly soon to be released Volt for the Chinese public to see. Asking a nation of first generation car owners to swap their first taste of petrol-led freedom for an expensive electric car is going to be a tough ask, but Chevy seemed happy to push the point. If the world is seriously going to tackle the problem of vehicle emissions, then the success of cars like the Volt in this market will be crucial over the next decade.

Click next below to read more.

Rate this article...

Average rating:

(votes 635)

User Comments

Comments

First Name *
Last Name *
Email *
City *
Country *
Subject *
Comments *
Type the verification code shown *

Refresh verification code if not clear.
	Signup for CAR ME newsletter
	Remember me