The European market is recovering in the 1st half of 2014
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The European market is recovering in the 1st half of 2014
- The European market 29 countries recorded an increase of 5.1% in June, reaching 1 232 425 units, up 6.4% on the aggregate six months to 6 847 244 units, offsetting only part of the 2008 to 2013 decline. Let us recall that the European market, 29 countries had lost 23% of its volume between 2007 and 2013.
- It is mainly Eastern Europe countries that benefited from a strong recovery in sales in 2014 (+21.4% over the last 6 months), to 457 769 units, but the market of these 12 Eastern European countries did lost 35% of its volume between 2007 and 2013.
- To the west of Europe, Portugal (+37.9%), Greece (+23.4%), Ireland (+23.4%), Spain (+17.6%) are the countries that increased the most, but there again they had declined significantly between 2007 and 2013.
- This market growth is the result of an adjustment due to the sharp decline in previous years. The markets that suffered the least during the last 5 years (eg Germany) benefited the least of this catch up effect.
- Manufacturers who benefited the most from this upturn are : in first position Renault-Nissan (+16.7%), Volvo (+10.8%), and with lower volumes Mazda (+24.2%) and Suzuki (+12.5%), thanks to a novelty effect.
- Throughout the year, the European market is expected to slow its growth and rise between 4.5% to 5.0% (including +4.3% in Western Europe and +13% in Eastern Europe) .
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Collapse of both production and sales in Venezuela
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Collapse of both production and sales in Venezuela
- The Venezuelan market (PC + LCV) is expected to reach less than 20 000 units in 2014, if the trend of the first 6 months of 2014 confirms itself (8 236 sales). This low volume is equivalent to the sales of a country like Cyprus. The country had yet experienced sales volumes reaching nearly 500 000 units (2007), the equivalent of the automotive market of the Netherlands.
- The country experienced a drop in registrations of nearly 96% between 2007 and 2014. This drop corresponds to the introduction of restrictions on the import of vehicles by the Chavez government, with the aim of increasing local production. Vehicle importers (like any other business in the country) must apply for foreign currency in order to import their vehicles. Yet the automotive sector receives very little foreign currency granted to importers (1% in 2014).
- However, local production has not offset the drop in imports, declining from 172 000 units in 2007 (the highest year) to almost 15 000 units (estimates for 2014). Indeed, manufacturers are impacted by the same restrictions on the importation of spare parts. Therefore, Toyota and Chrysler in particular, have almost stopped their production since the beginning of the year, while Ford, GM and Mitsubishi have a virtually non existing production, plants stay open just for the sake of it.
- Consequently, the Venezuelan market is one where it takes nearly a year to buy a new vehicle and where used vehicles are more expensive than new vehicles. In this doldrums, the hottest product is the Mitsubishi Lancer (715 units in the first 6 months) in front of the Ford pickup C3500 (554 units) and Ford Silverado (505 units).
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Construction of two new VW plants in China
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Construction of two new VW plants in China
- In 2013, the production of passenger cars of the VW Group in China reached 3.1 million units. This production is spread over 12 plants that have a total capacity of 3.65 million units. With an increase in sales of around 300 000 units per year for three years, VW wants to increase its capacity in China to support the growth of the market.
- The German group has announced the construction of two new plants in Tianjin and Qingdao (Shandong province) in JV with FAW. Both plants will most certainly start their production end of 2015/ early 2016 and should have a capacity of 300 000 units each, if one refers to the growth of VW (and therefore its needs) and the capacities of the groups other plants in China.
- For the moment, no official announcement about the future models manufactured in these plants has been made but one could imagine the production of new models ( VW SUVs or Seat SUVs? New Skoda models?) And / or the production of existing models but whose current plants are saturated and / or the production of models that were until now imported (Audi models - VW Touareg - Seat models - Porsche models).
- In the first 6 months of 2014, VW was the largest producer / seller of passenger cars in China (1.8 million units), with a market share of 19%, ranking it ahead of the GM group with 1.6 million sales 17% market share. By analysing these initial results, it appears that the 4 million capacity announced by VW for 2015 is realistic and necessary while the 5 million capacity announced by GM seems too ambitious
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Smart unveils the new Fortwo and Forfour
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Smart unveils the new Fortwo and Forfour
- Smart unveiled the new generations of the Fortwo and Forfour, which will be marketed in Europe as of November. In the United States, only the Fortwo will be marketed, and it won't be launched until after autumn 2015.
- The Forfour (which shares its platform with the Renault Twingo) will be produced in the Slovenian Renault plant located in Novo Mesto, while the Fortwo will continue to be assembled in the Smart plant of Hambach (France).
- At their launch, the two models will be equipped with a 3-cylinder petrol version 90hp at first and a 70hp engine in a latter version. In 2015 a version with an electric engine will also be added to the range.
- Smart hopes that the launch of the Forfour will boost sales. This is the first car with four doors and four seats that the brand has launched since the first Forfour marketed only for two years, from 2004 to 2006.
- In the first half of 2014, Smart global sales have indeed fallen by 10% compared to the first half of 2013 to 47 000 units. However, Daimler, the parent company of Smart, believes that this brand is an important element of the Group's strategy, as sales of ultra compact cars could increase by nearly 40% by 2020, reaching an annual sales volume of 1 million units.
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The new Skoda product plan (2014-2018)
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The new Skoda product plan (2014-2018)
- The Czech brand Skoda (a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group) currently offers seven vehicle ranges: a supermini from segment A (Citigo), a city-car from segment B (Fabia), a Crossover from segment B (Roomster), an SUV from segment B (Yeti), a sedan from segment C (Rapid), a sedan from segment D (Octavia) alongside a sedan from segment E (Superb).
- Škoda sold last year 920 000 cars globally and expects to reach 1.5 million annual sales by 2018. To achieve this, Skoda will start by unveiling the third generation Fabia for its world premier at the Paris Motor Show in September 2014. A estate variant of this model is expected to be launched in 2015.
- In 2015, Skoda plans to launch the new generation Superb in a sedan version (in March at the Geneva Motor Show) and an estate version (in September at the IAA). The Superb will be available in a hybrid rechargeable version. This will be the first Škoda to be equipped with this type of engine.
- In 2016, the Czech subsidiary of the Volkswagen group should market a new segment C SUV (based on the VW Tiguan), followed in 2017 by the new Roomster and Yeti. Finally, Skoda is preparing for 2018 a small segment A SUV (based on the VW Taigun). Skoda's Product plan is thus to renew the existing models and expand its range of SUVs to segments A and C. The Skoda range will therefore have nine model ranges in 2018, instead of seven in 2014, and most will have been launched between 2014 and 2018. By this time, the Rapid and Octavia will be the most ancient models in the range (launched in 2012) and should therefore, according to our estimates, be replaced in 2019.
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