Highlights of Shanghai Auto Show
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E-mail CNTV, April 30, 2015
The biennial Shanghai auto show wrapped up. Although the final visitor number hasn't been announced yet, the fair's organizers say by this weekend, it already saw more visitors than the previous fair in Shanghai.
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The biennial Shanghai auto show wrapped up. |
Opening at the newly launched National Exhibition and Convention Center in western Shanghai, the exhibition area at this year's Shanghai auto show is 25 percent larger than it was the last time the city hosted the event two years ago.
Thousands of car and auto-part brands from 18 countries are taking part. And about 1,300 full cars are on display, including 100 making their global debut. It's a big contrast to the first auto show in the city three decades ago, which attracted only about 300 car makers. And exhibitors say the fair is even better than many international events in other parts of the world.
"Last year I was in Moscow Auto Show, and also San Paulo Auto Show. I could say the scale was completely different, much smaller, much smaller one. But this auto show, we have a lot of halls, which is brand-new," said Mu Gang, vice president of Lifan Auto.
Shanghai hosted the country's first auto show in 1985 when Volkswagen helped set up the country's first joint-venture car company. It has been held every year since, alternating between the city and Beijing.
The fair's 30-year history also served as a reflection of China's auto market, with the rise of the domestic auto brands. More than 23 million vechiles were sold in China last year, and more than 10 million of them were manufactured by domestic brands. And some industry experts say Chinese brands are no longer satisfied with competition in the budget car market.
"Premium car segment, the cost for the technology are so high, and for the quality level, that it is not possible to enter into any price race, and we also don't want to sell our things cheap. And on the other hand, you have a low budget car. Many try to enter. This is not only true for China, but it's also true for other areas in the world look to Latin America. And I think in these markets, the pure Chinese car makers will start first to compete with us, and then later on, they will get up the ladder, and try to compete also in the premium car segment one day," said Matthias Wissmann, president of German Association of the Automotive Industry.
China's auto market is now the world's largest, already ahead of the US and western Europe. This year, the Chinese Automotive Industry Association estimates sales will increase by 7%.
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