The new Mercedes GLC will be also produced in Finland
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The new Mercedes GLC will be also produced in Finland
- Mercedes will relocate part of the production of the GLC to Finland from 2017. The SUV from segment D, which is based on the Mercedes C-Class and came to replace the GLK (with moderate success) will be assembled in the Bremen plant in Germany and in the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki in Finland.
- Mercedes had already relocated in 2013 part of the production of the A-Class sedan at Valmet. A contract provided for 100 000 cars produced in four years (2013 to 2017), ie 25 000 per year. The same type of contract could be signed for the GLC, a production of 100 000 units produced in four years (2017-2021). 2022 should see a new generation of Mercedes GLC (the current model was launched in 2015).
- These successive contracts allow Valmet to sustain its business, since the Finnish assembler saw the departure of the Porsche Boxster and the Cayman from its assembly lines in 2011 and that of the Fisker Karma in 2012. The contract with Mercedes for the A-Class in 2013 was therefore very much needed for Valmet.
- Valmet is best known for bringing together the Saab convertible between 1986 and 1996. In 1997, Porsche decided to produce its new Boxster model in Valmet and its Cayman model from 2005. Prior to 1986, Valmet had assembled the Talbot Horizon 1510 and Solara sold to Scandinavian markets.
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Overview of the Turkish market in 2015
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Overview of the Turkish market in 2015
- The Turkish automotive market experienced in 2015 a turnaround which resulted in a growth of 27.2% compared to 2014, thus registering a new record of 976 000 vehicles (against 767 000 the previous year). The damaging crisis of 2001-2002-2003 that saw the Turkish market collapse is now completely forgotten, and the economy appears robust, especially with a very low oil prices that favors the market. Manufacturers installed in the country continue to increase their production capacities, and only very strong regional tensions could lead them to review their strategy. Since 2010 however, the market moves in spurts, which means that 2016 could well decrease again.
- The Volkswagen group (23.1% market share, + 28.6%) became the leader of the Turkish market, ahead of the Renault-Nissan group (22.8% market share, +20.5%). Followed by the Hyundai-Kia group (8.8% market share, +14.4%), FCA (7.1% market share, + 21.2%), Toyota (6.6% market share, +39.9 %), Ford (6.5% market share, + 26.5%), GM (6.5% market share, +18.0%), PSA (5.4% market share, + 25.2%) BMW (4.5% market share, + 21.0%) and Daimler (4.2% market share, +31.3%). The largest increases go to Toyota, Daimler and Volkswagen.
- The ten best-selling models in 2015 are: Toyota Corolla (35 237), Fiat Linea (35 041), Renault Fluence (33 764), Renault Clio (31 077), VW Passat (30 249), Ford Focus ( 27 442), Opel Astra (24 909), VW Golf (24 400), Renault Symbol (23 922) and Hyundai i20 (21 872). The Renault-Nissan group ranks three models in the top 10 and the VW group ranks two. Fiat has continued to lose ground in the Turkish market for the past fifteen years. The manufacturer relies on the new Tipo (Aegea) to boost its sales.
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Renault begins the production of vehicles in China
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Renault begins the production of vehicles in China
- The Renault-Nissan group is present in China since 2000 through the Nissan brand that produced and sold more than one million vehicles in China in 2015. Renault sold 15 000 models in 2015, all importedfrom the Renault-Samsung plant in Korea. The year 2016 marks a change insofar as the Renault brand becomes in turn a producer in China: it has just started manufacturing the Qajar in its new plant in Wuhan, built in partnership with the local assembler Dongfeng. This plant has a capacity of 150 000 vehicles per year, which will be doubled in the medium term, if the success of the brand is confirmed on an already crowded market which already is showing signs of weakness.
- For now, the current capacity of 150 000 units per year will be used to manufacture the Qajar(SUV from segment C ) and the future Koléos (SUV from segment D) which should start in the Wuhan plant in the second half of 2016.
- Renault invests in China to produce two mid-range SUV, a growing category in the country. The next stage will be achieved by making two electric sedans, one derived from the Fluence ZE (C segment), the other in a lower category (segment A or B) and will be expected to be the first electric model at a low price from non-Chinese origin. With these four models, the Renault brand should reach 1% of the market in 2020, 300 000 sales out of a total of 30 million units.
- For comparison, the Peugeot brand sold 407 000 vehicles in China in 2015 (1.9% market share) and Citroën sold 323 000 vehicles (1.5% market share). With 1 036 000 vehicles sold, the Nissan brand occupies 4.9% of the Chinese market. With 2 066 000 vehicles sold, Volkswagen holds 12.6% of the Chinese market.
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Overview of the Chinese market in 2015
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Overview of the Chinese market in 2015
- The Chinese automotive market experienced in 2015 a growth of 4.3% while it was down for five straight months, between April and August. It is the tax cuts on small cars that helped revive the market from September. This is a new record that has been achieved by the Chinese market, with nearly 25 million units (24.5 million to be exact), but the market growth observed in 2015 is the lowest in three years. The next few years should confirm the slowdown.
- This more moderate growth recorded in 2015 coincides with a country's economic growth that is now lower than before, to the point that some analysts even speak of a "Chinese crisis".
- By brand, Volkswagen (12.6% market share, -1.6%) remains the leader of the Chinese market, far ahead of Wuling (6.1% market share, -7.8%), Changan (5.3% market share , + 14.4%), Hyundai (5.0% market share, -5.1%), Nissan (4.9% market share, up 6.1%), Buick (4.9% market + 12.9%), Toyota (4.8% market share, +5.6%), Honda (4.7% market share, + 23.1%), Ford (4.1% of the market, +8, 6%) and Great Wall (3.6% market share, + 23.0%). Among the ten best-selling brands, only Volkswagen, Hyundai and Wuling are down compared to 2014. The largest increases were recorded for Honda , Great Wall, Changan and Buick.
- The ten best-selling models in 2015 are: WulingHongguang (655 531 units), VW Lavida (379 069), Great Wall Haval H6 (373 229), Nissan Sylphy (334 087), Baojun 730 (321 069) , Toyota Corolla (300 641), Hyundai Elantra (280 339), VW Sagitar (279 892), VW Jetta (274 932), Buick Excelle GT (269 703). Volkswagen ranked three models in the top 10.
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Reduction of production overcapacity in Europe in 2015
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Reduction of production overcapacity in Europe in 2015
- With the progress of the European car market (29 countries) in 2015 of 9.4% (PC + LCV), European plants have seen their utilization rates increase sharply last year. This utilization rate reached 81%, down from 74% in 2014 and 68% in 2013. It is thus closer to the rates achieved before the crisis of 2008-2009, including that of 2007 which was of 85% .
- By country, Germany that holds the best utilization of its plants (91%), ahead of Great Britain (90%) and Belgium (87%) which closed several of its plants. The countries that saw their rates rise sharply are Belgium (through the elimination of existing capacities: Genk), Slovenia (arrival of the new Renault Twingo and Smart Forfour), Sweden (thanks to the elimination of existing capacities: Trollhättan plant), Italy (arrival of the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X) and Spain (arrival of the Opel Mokka and Ford Mondeo, Galaxy, S-Max).
- By manufacturer, Tata Motors (Jaguar / Land Rover) holds the best utilization of its plants (101%). To increase its capacity, the manufacturer, which benefited from the success of its SUV and its new Jaguar XE, will build a factory in Slovakia. The BMW Group (93% utilization rate) rents the Nedcar plant in the Netherlands to increase capacity (production of the Mini). Followed by Hyundai-Kia, Daimler, Volkswagen, Geely, Renault-Nissan who benefit from the success of their SUV (Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mercedes GLC, VW Tiguan, Volvo XC90, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Qajar). The Carmakers who saw their rates rise sharply in 2015 are GM and Ford through removing some of their capabilities in Europe (Bochum plants and Genk).
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