The future Mazda 2 will take over the body of the Toyota Yaris
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The future Mazda 2 will take over the body of the Toyota Yaris
- The satellite brands of the Toyota group, namely Suzuki, Mazda and Subaru, in which Toyota holds minority stakes, increasingly take over Toyota's bodies and engines, which allows substantial savings in design and industrialization, but dilutes their brand image a little more.
- The Suzuki Swace and Across launched last year are rebadged Toyota Corollas and RAV4s, while the Subaru BRZ shares its body with the Toyota GT86. Mazda is adopting the same type of policy as its next Mazda 2 (B-segment sedan) will be just a rebranded Toyota Yaris, with the same powertrains, gasoline and hybrid as the original model.
- One of the major advantages of taking over Toyota's engines is the availability of plug-in or non-plug-in hybrid engines, a type of engine that neither Suzuki, Subaru nor Mazda had.
- This type of engine, which is increasingly in demand, also enables carmakers to meet stringent CO2 emissions standards and avoid heavy fines. It is obvious that Suzuki, Subaru and Mazda did not adapt to these constraints early enough. As for Fiat, which was experiencing the same kind of problem, these three Japanese carmakers had to find a partner in order to be able to pass environmental standards. But the policy of rebadging is a double-edged sword, as this policy often ends in the elimination of brands that rebrand models of other brands. The future Mazda 2, which will succeed a model in strong decline since 2010, will be officially presented in March 2022.
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Read more... The future Mazda 2 will take over the body of the Toyota Yaris
MG launches a third model in Europe: the SUV Marvel R
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MG launches a third model in Europe: the SUV Marvel R
- SAIC, the largest Chinese carmaker (including vehicles assembled in joint ventures), which produces hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year in joint ventures with Volkswagen and General Motors groups, had bought the Rover brand in 2005 (renamed Roewe) and in 2006 the MG brand, both former brands of the British Leyland conglomerate which was the first British carmaker in the 70s before sinking in the 80s and going bankrupt in 2005.
- The Roewe and MG brands have therefore become Chinese brands of the SAIC group, just like Maxus, which arrived later, in 2011. Maxus was also from the British Leyland group, this brand being named LDV.
- MG was the first brand of the SAIC group to enter the European market. After the ZS, a fully electric B-segment SUV, and the HS (or EHS), a PHEV C-segment SUV, MG is launching its third model in Europe, the Marvel R. It is a D-segment SUV 100% electric priced from 40,000 euros to 49,000 euros, making it the cheapest electric SUV in this segment. The model has dimensions comparable to those of a Peugeot 5008 (4.67 m in length). The model is available in two engines, one with 180 hp two-wheel drive allowing a range of 370 km and the other with 288 hp four-wheel drive allowing a range of 400 km (with a battery capacity of 70 kWh).
- Launched in 2018, under the Roewe Marvel RX brand, it has been marketed on the European market since early October 2021. Produced in China, in Pukou (Jiangsu province), it has so far not been very successful in China, as less than 8,000 units should be produced in 2021. We cannot therefore expect large volumes in Europe either, for a brand that is still very little known. Inovev forecasts less than 5,000 units for this model in Europe in 2022.
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Read more... MG launches a third model in Europe: the SUV Marvel R
The Lynk & Co brand could sell 10,000 cars in Europe in 2022
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The Lynk & Co brand could sell 10,000 cars in Europe in 2022
- The Chinese brand Lynk & Co is one of the many brands of the Geely group - the first Chinese independent carmaker (meaning without counting vehicles assembled in joint ventures) - along with Volvo, Polestar, Emgrand, Engon, Gleagle or Geometry. It is one of the Chinese brands which clearly aims to invest in the European market, such as MG, Maxus, Aiways, Great Wall, Polestar, Seres, Xpeng, etc...
- For the moment, the Lynk & Co range does not include battery electric vehicles (BEVs) but only hybrid models (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
- Currently, Lynk & Co's European products range is made up of a C-segment SUV named simply 01, which is a PHEV using an 1.5 turbo gasoline engine also used by the Volvo XC40, and based on the same CMA platform. Produced in China, the Lynk & Co 01 is marketed in Europe at 41,500 euros, while an Volkswagen ID4 is priced from 41,000 to 53,000 euros. A DS 7 Crossback PHEV is priced from 50,800 to 56,300 euros and a Toyota RAV4 PHEV 52,650 euros. The price of the Lynk & Co 01 is therefore at the bottom of the price range for a C / D segment SUVs.
- Lynk & Co’s sales in Europe, which started in January 2021 with the 01, are growing steadily, reaching 1,263 units in September 2021 and 2,674 units over the first nine months of the year. The main European markets are the Netherlands and Sweden, followed by Italy, Spain, Belgium and France.
- A second model should be marketed in 2022, the Lynk & Co 02, which is derived from the 01. The Lynk & Co brand could sell 10,000 cars in Europe in 2022.
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Toyota became the third brand sold in Europe in 2021
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Toyota became the third brand sold in Europe in 2021
- With 600,000 vehicles sold over the 9 months of 2021, Toyota became the third brand sold in Europe, behind Volkswagen (1,150,000 units) and Peugeot (just over 600,000), and ahead of BMW, Renault and Mercedes, while in 2020, the Japanese brand was still eighth in the general classification.
- The success of the new generation of the Toyota Yaris (144,774 sales over 9 months) partly explains this spectacular increase. The Yaris is in fact in 2nd place at European level over the first 9 months of 2021, behind the Volkswagen Golf (168,618 sales). While the Toyota range is much more compact than BMW, Audi or Mercedes ones, the Japanese brand manages to be a leader of the European market, ahead of these three German brands. Indeed, the Toyota range is organised mainly around the Aygo, Yaris, Corolla, Camry, CHR, RAV4 and Prius. New models like the Yaris Cross and Corolla Cross are launched onto the market, which will logically increase the carmaker's sales volume in Europe, to end the year at the second rank, ahead of Peugeot.
- Traditionally, UK has been Toyota's largest market in Europe, with the exception of 2020, where the French market was first.
- The second characteristic specific to Toyota is the significant share of hybrid powertrain (HEV) in the carmaker's sales, with 56% in 2020 and 62% in 2021. This share has steadily increased in recent years. It was only 32% in 2014 and 42% in 2017. Toyota is the most "hybridized" brand behind the Lexus brand, which exceeds 95% of hybrid sales, but which is also part of the Toyota group.
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Nearly 11 000 Polestar 2 have been sold in Europe in the first nine months of 2021
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Nearly 11 000 Polestar 2 have been sold in Europe in the first nine months of 2021
- The Chinese brand Polestar is one of the many brands of the Geely group along with Volvo, Lynk & Co, Emgrand, Engon, Gleagle or Geometry. It is one of the Chinese brands which clearly aims to invest in the European market, such as MG, Maxus, Aiways, Great Wall, Lynk & Co, Seres, Xpeng, etc...
- Unlike Lynk & Co (available in HEV and PHEV in Europe), the Polestar range only includes plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and battery electric (BEVs) vehicles.
- Currently, Polestar’s European line up is made of a D-segment coupe simply named 1, which is a PHEV. Made in China, in Chengdu, the Polestar 1 is marketed in Europe at a price of 155,000 euros, which makes it an elitist model, quite rare in Chinese automobile production. This is the reason why only 54 units were sold in Europe during the first nine months of 2021. It should be added that this model is limited in production volume.
- The second model, named Polestar 2, is much more accessible, as it is priced from 40,000 to 46,000 euros depending on the country. It is a battery electric vehicle, D-segment sedan, competing with the Tesla Model 3 which is priced from 44,000 to 60,000 euros. 10,983 units of the Polestar 2 were sold in Europe in the first nine months of 2021, so more than 1,200 are sold per month on average. Sales are regular (1,324 units in September 2021) and it could reach 15,000 units in 2022.
- It is to be noted that the Polestar 2 is not yet marketed in France. Its main markets are Norway, Great Britain, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, markets with high purchasing power.
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Read more... Nearly 11 000 Polestar 2 have been sold in Europe in the first nine months of 2021
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