The European LCV market increased by 3.4% over the first nine months of 2018
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The European LCV market increased by 3.4% over the first nine months of 2018
- Despite a 6% drop in September, the European LCV market (29 countries) increased by 3.4% over the first nine months of 2018. Registrations reached 1,581,276 units over this period, compared to 1,528,933 units the year before.
- If we compare this growth with that of sales of passenger cars, we observe that the European market for LCVs has increased more than that of passenger cars (+ 2.3% to 12 288 961 units).
- At this rate, the European LCV market could reach a volume of around 2 135 000 units for the whole of 2018 (compared to 2 061 000 in 2017), which is the best figure since 2008, but still below pre-crisis (2005-2007). The peak was reached in 2007, with 2,300,000 registrations.
- The countries that register the most LCVs remain France (thanks to the high proportion of PCs converted into company vehicles), ahead of the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Italy. These five countries account for 70% of LCV sales throughout Europe.
- The countries with the highest growth in LCV sales are Slovakia (+ 16.6%), Sweden (+ 16.2%), Spain (+ 9.5%), Austria ( + 8.7%) and Bulgaria (+ 6.1%). The countries with the largest declines in LCV sales are Italy (-3.2%) and the United Kingdom (-3.0%).
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Read more... The European LCV market increased by 3.4% over the first nine months of 2018
Inovev forecasts 15,000 new BMW X7 a year
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Inovev forecasts 15,000 new BMW X7 a year
- Shortly after the closing of the 2018 Paris Motor Show, BMW unveiled its new high-end SUV, the X7, which crowns the Bavarian manufacturer's SUV range.
- The X7 is built on the CLAR platform of the BMW 5 Series, 6 Series, 7 Series, 8 Series, X3, X4, X5, X6 and uses the embedded technology of the recent Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV. It intends to compete with the Range Rover, Mercedes GLS, Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, Lexus RX-L, as well as the large Cadillac and Lincoln SUV s in the United States.
- The X7 is the largest BMW SUV ever built. It is attached to the Series 7 sedan in terms of size, luxury and price. It is therefore a segment F SUV. At 5.15m long, 2.00m wide and 1.80m high, the X7 can accommodate up to seven passengers in three rows.
- The BMW X7 has a 3.0-cylinder 6-cylinder diesel engine developing 262 hp or 381 hp, a 3.0-hp 3.0-liter gasoline engine developing 335 hp or 395 hp and a 4.4-hp 4.4-liter petrol engine developing 456 hp. The latter will not be available in Europe.
- The X7 will be manufactured in the US plant in Spartanburg (South Carolina) alongside the X3, X4, X5, X6. Inovev expects 15,000 X7 per year. Its main markets should be the United States and China.
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Spanish automotive industry in turn affected by Brexit
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Spanish automotive industry in turn affected by Brexit
- Inovev recently detailed the difficulties faced by automakers based in Britain, following the British vote to leave the European Union (Brexit), as well as the various industrial strategies they could implement to overcome these difficulties.
- These difficulties can spread throughout Europe, as Britain imports more than 85% of the vehicles it registers each year. The higher price of cars on this market could therefore affect all car manufacturers located throughout Europe and beyond.
- Spain exports nearly 400,000 vehicles each year to Great Britain and this country is likely to suffer from Brexit. Manufacturers established in Spain have said this month that the current political uncertainty on Brexit will lead to production adjustments in Spanish car factories.
- The Volkswagen plant in Pamplona will stop for 15 days and that of Seat in Martorell will stop working every Saturday. The Vitoria Mercedes plant has been shut down for five days due to lower demand for Vito and Class V. Ford, which remains the best-selling brand in Britain, has announced that its Valencia plant would stop 22 days. Renault-Nissan and PSA have not yet announced any reductions in their production.
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Skoda launches Kodiaq Coupe on the Chinese market
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Skoda launches Kodiaq Coupe on the Chinese market
- Skoda has unveiled the new Kodiaq-derived (D-segment) SUV coupe, but it will be sold on the Chinese market only, according to the manufacturer.
- The Kodiaq coupe is the second SUV coupe launched by a general manufacturer, the first having been the recent Renault Arkana which is sold only on the Russian market.
- General manufacturers are starting to take an interest in this type of body, since until the last few months, only Premium manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) were offering SUV coupes.
- But curiously, general manufacturers limit this type of body to specific markets, such as Russia and China, while these models would certainly be successful in Europe and other major markets.
- Skoda's argument is that the Czech firm does not have sufficient capacity on the European continent to produce new models like the Kodiaq coupe, but that they have four factories in China. However, Skoda will sell only 350,000 vehicles in China in 2018. The Czech firm therefore has unused capacity in this country.
- The Kodiaq coupe will be Skoda's fourth SUV on the Chinese market, alongside Kamiq (B-segment), Karoq (C-segment) and Kodiaq (D-segment). These three models currently account for one-third of Skoda's sales in China.
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BMW will create a complete range of electric cars between 2020 and 2030
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BMW will create a complete range of electric cars between 2020 and 2030
- Between 2020 and 2030, BMW will create a full range of 100% electric cars (BEV). The manufacturer should launch about fifteen different models during this period, whose names will match those of the corresponding vehicles with combustion engines.
- Thus, in 2021, the i4 will be launched which will be attached to the Series 4 with a combustion engine. This model will look like any other BMW, which was not at all the case for the i3 which is radically different from other sedans in its segment.
- The i4 will look more like a Series 4 Gran Coupé, both models being located in the same segment D.
- In the future, the I range cars will take the number of the corresponding thermal motorization Series.
- BMW will launch the i1, i2, i3, i4, i5, i6, i7 models throughout the 2020s. The i8 is already in the Series 8 segment. It could, however, be replaced by a new generation of i8.
- Electric SUVs will proceed in the same way. The manufacturer will launch the iX1, iX2, iX3, iX4, iX5, iX6, iX7 models throughout the 2020s. The launch rate should be one to two new models per year. By 2030, the BMW range should include about fifteen thermal engine models with and about fifteen 100% electric models.
- Finally, a 100% electric Mini should be launched in 2019-2020.
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Read more... BMW will create a complete range of electric cars between 2020 and 2030
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