Guangzhou Auto spends $973 mln in developing own brands

Shanghai, April 30, 2008 - Following its display of three own-brand concepts at the 2008 Beijing auto show (April 20-28), Guangzhou Automobile Group has started its ambitious project of developing its own brands of cars. The auto-making group has invested 6.8 billion yuan ($973 million) in the research and development of own-brand sedans and in the manufacturing facilities. The all-new sedans to be put onto the market by Guangzhou Auto in 2010 will mid-class and luxury cars.

At the 2008 Beijing auto show, Guangzhou Automobile Group displayed three own-brand concept cars: the all-new Cabrio-Coupe hard-top convertible sports car, the hybrid AHEV model, and the 4-door Coupe. Of the three concept cars, the Cabrio-Coupe hard-top, based on 4-door Coupe and suitable for two people, was unveiled for the first time. The finished product of the AHEV concept was created by Italy's Torino Design first as a design study.

Guangzhou Auto will develop its own brand cars based on these new concept models. In November 2007, the automaker kicked off the construction of its new R&D and manufacturing base in Fanyu city new Guangzhou. The project, which costs 6.8 billion yuan and covers an area of 1.5 million square meters, includes an R&D center (costing more than half of the investment), an engine-making plant, and an assembly / OEM plant. Upon completion next year, the new production facility will have an annual capacity of 1 million units and achieve an annual sales revenue of 200 billion yuan.

A top executive of Guangzhou Auto said at the Beijing auto show that the company will put its own brand new cars onto the market in 2010, and before the roll-out of its new complete vehicles, the engine plant will start production. The new own-brand cars will target the mid-class and high-end sedan segments.

As Chinese joint-venture partner for Honda and Toyota (which also started with the mid-class and luxury cars, such as Accord and Camry), Guangdong Auto will continue to cement and utilize its partnership with the two Japanese auto-making giants, and will benefit more from the technical and human resources of the joint ventures.

source:Gasgoo.com

Guangzhou Auto wins approval to build own-brand cars.

June 30, 2008 - Guangzhou Automobile Group has got government approval to develop own-brand vehicles, local newspaper Guangzhou Daily reported today.

According to its internal document, Guangzhou Auto's own-brand project was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission on June 10. Under the project, the automaker will invest 3.8 billion yuan ($554 million) to build a production base with capacity of 100,000 complete cars and 100,000 engines a year in the first phase; and then it will raise the output to 200,000 complete cars and 250,000 engines a year in the second phase.

The first own-brand model to be launched by 2010 will be a mid-high class sedan based on a similar model unveiled at last year's Guangzhou Auto Show, according to the report.

Guangzhou Auto displayed three own-brand concept cars, including a all-new Cabrio-Coupe hard-top convertible sports car, a hybrid AHEV model, and a 4-door Coupe at the 2008 Beijing auto show in April. All of its future own-brand models will be based on these concepts, the report said.

source: Gasgoo.com

Guangzhou Auto to launch own-brand car division

July 18, 2008


Shanghai, July 18 (Gasgoo.com) Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., one of the "Big Five" Chinese automakers (FAW, SAIC, Chang'an Motors, Dongfeng Motor, and Chery Auto), is building its own-brand passenger vehicle company, which is likely to be located in Fanyu of Guangzhou city, Shanghai Securities News reports today.

The group is planning to deliver own-brand cars into the market by 2010. The passenger car company of Guangzhou Automobile will be established in the third quarter of this year and now its sourcing for this project has been prepared.

On June 10, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) approved Guangzhou Automobile’s own-brand car project and the group was allowed to build its own passenger car company. According to the group’s program, the project will follow two stages: first, to build 100,000 vehicles and 100,000 engines annually; second, to increase the annual production capacity to 200,000 complete vehicles and 250,000 engines. The total investment will reach 3.8 billion yuan ($556 million).

The upcoming passenger car company, including the factory and R&D center, is likely to be located in Fanyu district of Guangzhou as Guangzhou Automobile built the R&D and manufacturing facility in Fanyu on Novovember16 last year, which covered 1.5 million square meters with a total investment of 6.8 billion yuan. The middle-to-high sedans will possibly be first produced by the new company.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/7117/Guangzhou-Auto-to-launch-own-brand-car-division.html

Guangzhou Auto's own brand to use Camry chassis

August 27, 2008 - Guangzhou Auto, a Chinese partner of Toyota, will develop its own brand by using the Japanese carmaker's Camry chassis. The design of the Guangzhou Auto brand has been commissioned to an Italian firm.

This all-new model for Guangzhou Auto to expand its mid- to high-end auto market share will have its concept car finished in mid-2009. The company has chosen to use the Toyota's Camry chassis because this would save much time and cost, and more importantly the choice is decided by the remarkable sales performance of Toyota Camry in China's auto market.

As a Chinese partner of Japan's carmakers Toyota and Honda, Guangzhou Auto has planned for many years to develop its proprietary models like Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, both produced in their joint ventures with the Chinese carmaker. And the company hopes to build the own-brand cars on its independent production lines and platforms.

Guangzhou Auto invested 6.8 billion yuan ($994 million) at the end of last year in the development of its own-brand models and construction of a new facility. The project, to be completed by 2010, will have an annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles and 100,000 engines, and its second phase will double the output.

source: 21st Century Business Herald

Fiat may sell car platform to Guangzhou Auto

September 12, 2008


Shanghai, September 12 (Gasgoo.com) Fiat has been in talks with Guangzhou Automobile over technical cooperation as the Italian car maker strives to progress in China, and the possible mode of partnership is Fiat's selling of a car platform to Guangzhou Auto, said China Auto News today.

Guangzhou Auto, after Chery Auto and Zotye Auto, is the third Chinese carmaker that Fiat has recently approached for cooperation since ending its joint venture with Nanjing Auto. "We have discussed technical cooperation with Guangzhou Automobile," Paolo Arpellino, Fiat's chief of China operations, told reporters. Fiat in Italy was not immediately available to comment.

Sources familiar with the matter said Fiat could sell one of its existing platforms to Guangzhou Auto, which is striving to develop its own brand manufacturing project while cooperating with Japanese auto-makers Toyota and Honda. Fiat's technological support, based on one of its platforms, may help Guangzhou Auto achieve this independent brand goal.

This pattern of cooperation is similarly used in Fiat's selling a previous-generation model to Zotye, but there is difference that Fiat hopes to have broader and deeper partnership with Guangzhou Auto, especially in OEM projects and setting up a joint venture.

Fiat's current deal to build a car manufacturing venture in the country with Chery Auto, China's fourth-largest car maker, continued satisfactorily, Arpellino noted, adding that Fiat was open to other deals in China.

Late last year, Fiat pulled out of a loss-making car venture with Nanjing Auto after the firm was merged with SAIC Motor.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1007739/Fiat-may-sell-car-platform-to-Guangzhou-Auto.html

Guangzhou Auto launches bus-making company

September 16, 2008

Shanghai, September 16 (Gasgoo.com) On September 16, Guangzhou Automobile Group Bus Co., Ltd officially started operation in Guangzhou, according to Nanfang Daily.

The establishment of Guangzhou Auto’s bus manufacturing company will complete the merger of commercial vehicles divisions under Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group (GAIG). The bus company was merged by GAIG’s two bus plants——Guangzhou Isuzu Bus Co., Ltd and Guangzhou Junwei Bus Co., Ltd.

Sources said the newly-established bus company of Guangzhou Auto will target at the development of own-brand vehicles, different from GAIG’s Riye Bus Co emphasis on Riye brand vehicles.

Guangzhou Automobile Group Bus Co and Shenfei Riye Auto will become the bus division of GAIG. The Guangzhou and Shenyang plants will develop as two GAIG’s commercial vehicles base, with products covering the pickup, bus and revamped vehicles.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1007759/Guangzhou-Auto-launches-bus-making-company.html

According to Paultan, Guangzhou's future sedan will use the platform of the Alfa Romeo's largest vehicle - Alfa 166:
http://paultan.org/archives/2008/09/29/alfa-166-to-underpin-new-guangzhou-auto-sedan/

Guangzhou Automobile will be developing a new large sedan using the platform of the Alfa Romeo 166, fully licensed and paid for of course.

The 166 has just been discontinued in spring last year, and rumours are that its replacement could return to a rear wheel drive format.

The 166 was a front engined front wheel drive car with double wishbones at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The Guangzhou Automobile car to be based on its platform will be styled by Bertone.

http://www.autoweek.nl/images/800/7/df59f016d3d20235ceae56bb4203b647.jpg

Guangzhou Auto to roll out own-brand cars in 2010

March 5, 2009 - Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd (GAC), who operates joint ventures with Honda Motor and Toyota Motor, has said it will roll out the first batch of production cars under its own brand in August 2010, local media reported today.

"The first production car will be a mid- and high-end model powered by a 2.0L engine," said Zeng Qinghong, general manager of Guangzhou Auto and deputy to the National People's Congress.

Zeng added initial production capacity for the car model would stand at 50,000 vehicles per year.

Moreover, Guangzhou Auto's own brand cars have been chosen as the official cars for the 2010 Asian Games, which will be held on November 12 next year in Guangzhou, according to Zeng.

Guangzhou Honda unveiled its first own brand concept Li Nian at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. The company said at that time that the concept would enter the Chinese market in 2010.

source: Gasgoo.com

I found following interesting site but don't surely know what it is about because Google translate epicly fails:
http://client.sina.com.cn/gamc/

I assume GAC announced competition for name and logo of its own brand.

Can anyone better in Chinese verify that?


http://cache.mars.sina.com.cn/client_d/200906gagc/userfile/20/ef/s_1aba3144b1f2ab83b840ade635a3742b.gif

First spy pictures of future Guangzhou own-brand car:
http://auto.sohu.com/20090826/n266192521.shtml


http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16811684.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16811681.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16811678.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-7-foto_4219952_15407128_16811675.jpg

Hello,

does anybody know if the current leader of the "brand contest" called
Expedition will be the name of the new Guangzhou-Brand?

Guangzhou Auto’s first self developed sedan spotted out

Guangzhou’s amazing array of concept cars stunned an impressed public at the Beijing Auto Show two years ago. Guangzhou currently works with two of the biggest automotive brands in the world, Honda and Toyota, has likely learned a thing or two about engineering, quality and R&D. Guangzhou Auto also recently signed up with Fiat to produce cars in China, but prior to the Fiat JV, Guangzhou purchased the rights to an outgoing Alfa Romeo platform that is likely to be the base for the below car.

As you can see, the car has been spotted on two occasions. The white one is quite similar to the Guangzhou Auto’s VIP Lounge concept car, which is expected to go into production in 2010. Guangzhou are apparently trying to capture the ’sports-business’ niche that has yet to be fully tapped in China, other vehicles which compete in this segment would be the Honda Spirior, and the MG7.

From the spy pictures, the black vehicle appears to be roughly the same size as the Alfa 166 that it is based on, but the body work appears to be quite different. It’s still unclear what engines Guangzhou will put in these rather fine looking cars, will it be a Fiat sourced powerplant, or something they’ve cooked up themselves, although there are rumors of Guangzhou building their own 1.4T 1.8 and 2.0l engines for their future car line up. The white tester vehicle also shows a blurry “A” on the back. which could mean that Guangzhou are planning to run with their own ‘Acumen’ brand, rather than using the Guangzhou name.

http://s2.mojalbum.com/avto1-foto_4219952_17422454_18410961.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/avto1-foto_4219952_17422454_18410963.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/avto1-foto_4219952_17422454_18410960.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/avto1-foto_4219952_17422454_18410959.jpg
source: China Car Times

Vip-Lounge SUV X-Power:
http://auto.sohu.com/20091104/n267939262.shtml

http://www.mojalbum.com/data/images/2/4219952/17371519/17427148.jpg
http://www.mojalbum.com/data/images/2/4219952/17371519/17427150.jpg
http://www.mojalbum.com/data/images/2/4219952/17371519/17427149.jpg

Wow, the X-Power looks fantastic! The sedan is also a quite nice design. The X-Power could become very popular here, as the Nissan Qashqai is a huge success in Europe.

Is it going to be a premium SUV or a sporty one?

Guangzhou Auto's own brand cars ran a competition earlier this year for netizens to name the brand and design a logo.

http://client.sina.com.cn/gamc/


The brand name for Guangzhou Auto's self developed cars will be called

Expedition -

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The logo for the brand is

http://cache.mars.sina.com.cn/client_d/200906gagc/userfile/a3/2f/s_608c2d56a677ccf9f13a2691be7efd26.jpg

VIP Lounge

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq10.jpg

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq1.jpg

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq2.jpg

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq9.jpg

Cabrio Coupe

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq3.jpg

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq4.jpg


4 door Coupe

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq6.jpg





http://client.sina.com.cn/gamc/

http://cs.sina.com.cn/minisite/gqyy200971/images/gq5.jpg

Guangzhou Auto's own brand cars ran a competition earlier this year for netizens to name the brand and design a logo.

The logo for the brand is

http://cache.mars.sina.com.cn/client_d/200906gagc/userfile/a3/2f/s_608c2d56a677ccf9f13a2691be7efd26.jpg

I thought logo shown on previous page is the winner of the contest.

http://cache.mars.sina.com.cn/client_d/200906gagc/userfile/20/ef/s_1aba3144b1f2ab83b840ade635a3742b.gif

But obviously not?

^^ The silver / gold logos are not the winner of the competition. The term "winner" is a name given to the brand by the designer.

Thanks for the explanation Antioch.

More explanation please.

Are we to understand that the coupled fish hooks are the new logo for the new Guangzhou Auto (independent) manufacturer? And that this logo will take the place of the lower case "a" logo seen on many prototype renderings?

I'm also not sure whether the word with the logo is GUAD or GLAD. Can anyone explain the meaning of of it?

I'm hearing about this contest for the first time, and so am guessing that the internet contest was not pubished in English.

Thanks.

Are we to understand that the coupled fish hooks are the new logo for the new Guangzhou Auto (independent) manufacturer? And that this logo will take the place of the lower case "a" logo seen on many prototype renderings?

Yes, the fish hooks will replace the lower case 'a'. The lower case a is the logo for the Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group, the manufacturer. The fish hooks is for branding their self developed cars.


I'm also not sure whether the word with the logo is GUAD or GLAD. Can anyone explain the meaning of of it?

The word is GLAD. This is just a brand name that the logo designer used when he submitted his design. But this will not be the brand name, the winner of the brand name competition is "Expedition". And yes, it's not published in English.

double post

I love the logo, but Expedition is very weird brand name. It's funny the board choose that name for car brand. I wonder why there's no someone to tell them how ugly that name.

From how GZ Auto choose that name, we understand how backwater their mind. I think they should ask young people who study aboard who know better about outside world.

Can someone make an open latter to be published in GZ local newspaper about how bad the expedition name?

New spy shots of the Alfa 166 based sedan:

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856956.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856962.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856960.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856950.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856939.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856958.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856954.jpg

http://img1.gtimg.com/auto/pics/29856/29856964.jpg

Source: http://auto.qq.com/a/20100310/000031.htm

The car has been designed by Bertone and will be equipped with a 2.0 TwinSpark Alfa Romeo engine with 114 kW/155 hp and 181 Nm. The sedan will also be available with a 2.5 liter petrol engine.

New spy shots of the GAEI sedan:

http://i43.tinypic.com/29qnzp4.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/kf5duv.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/vdnx5k.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/2mxjprp.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/wqx8jo.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/rsde9d.jpg

Source: http://auto.sohu.com/20100324/n271059797.shtml

What will be the name of this new brand? Expedition? GAEI?
Is this car going to be revealed at the Auto China 2010?

What will be the name of this new brand? Expedition? GAEI?
Is this car going to be revealed at the Auto China 2010?

Apparently it will be 远征 (yuan zheng), which means "expedition." I hope they hire a Western consultant to come up with an English name, because Expedition will not cut it.

It seems like it will be revealed soon, since it's set to roll off the assembly line before the Pan-Asian games, which will take place in Guangzhou on November of this year.

http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-29-foto_4219952_17407099_18188878.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-29-foto_4219952_17407099_18188877.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-29-foto_4219952_17407099_18188879.jpg
http://s2.mojalbum.com/kitajci-29-foto_4219952_17407099_18188880.jpg

source:
http://www.autohome.com.cn/news/201005/113192.html