Luxembourg is the first buyer of new cars in Europe based on its population
- 说明
Luxembourg is the first buyer of new cars in Europe based on its population
- Europe 29 countries (European Union + UK + Switzerland and Norway) totalled 525 million inhabitants as of December 31, 2022 according to official sources, the six most populous countries being Germany (83 million), Great Britain Brittany (67 million), France (65 million), Italy (59 million), Spain (48 million) and Poland (38 million). These six countries represent 70% of the European population but totalled 75% of passenger car sales in Europe last year.
- If we refine the calculation, we see that the ratio "number of new cars purchased / number of inhabitants" by country in Europe shows that it is actually in Luxembourg that we buy the most new cars in 2022 (as in previous years) in relation to the number of inhabitants, and the proportion is even twice that of the following three countries (Norway, Germany, Belgium) i.e. a ratio of 6.7% against 3.2% for Norway, Germany and Belgium.
- Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland are also well placed in relation to their number of inhabitants, and the worst placed (less than 2%) are those located in Eastern Europe plus Greece, Spain, Portugal and Finland. The lowest ratio is observed in Romania and Bulgaria.
- It should be noted that these statistics do not take into account the importance of new cars which are registered in one country but in reality used in an another.
Inovev forecasts 150,000 units per year of the new Toyota CHR
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Inovev forecasts 150,000 units per year of the new Toyota CHR
- Toyota presented the second generation of its compact coupe SUV (C-segment), the CHR, the first generation of which dated back to 2016. The new CHR, which is positioned in the Japanese carmaker’s range between the Yaris Cross (B-segment) and the RAV4 (D-segment), is in the same segment as the Corolla Cross, which is making a slow start in the European market (9,000 units sold in the first six months of 2023). The CHR (43,000 sales over the same period) differs from it with an avant-garde style, while the Corolla Cross has a much more classic appearance. Since 2016, nearly 700,000 CHRs have been sold in Europe, i.e. 100,000 per year on average, which reflects a good performance in terms of sales.
- The new CHR is 4.36m long, 3cm shorter than the previous model, which is rare enough to be highlighted. On the other hand, it is 3 cm wider (1.83 m). The wheelbase remains unchanged at 2.64m. Compared to the Kia Niro, which is its main competitor, the CHR is 6 cm shorter, 3 cm lower (1.56 m) but also wide.
- Based on the TNGA-C platform, the new CHR is only equipped with a 1.8-liter (140 hp) and 2.0-liter (200 hp) gasoline hybrid (HEV) or a 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid (PHEV) engines (220 hp). If the batteries of this PHEV version will be produced in Europe (with Panasonic cells), those of the HEV variants will remain assembled in Japan. Toyota has not planned a battery electric version for this model.
- Inovev is counting on 150,000 sales per year of the new CHR which will continue to be produced in Turkey (Adapazari).
SAIC wants to build an MG plant in Europe
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SAIC wants to build an MG plant in Europe
- The Chinese group SAIC, which is the largest automobile producer in China (nearly 5 million vehicles produced in 2022), assembles under license Volkswagens and cars from the GM group (Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac) and also produces the MG, Roewe and Maxus brands. As a reminder, these three brands are the last vestiges of the former British group MG-Rover and the light utility vehicle brand LDV which disappeared in 2005 and 2009 respectively.
- MG, a former British brand, has gradually become the best-selling Chinese brand in Europe. In 2022, 114,000 MG were sold in Europe compared to 53,000 in 2021 and 26,000 in 2020. The brand doubles its sales every year on this continent! In the first 6 months of 2023, MG sold 103,000 cars in Europe (including 40,000 in Great Britain), which suggests that the brand will easily exceed 200,000 sales over the whole year.
- It is in this context that SAIC decided to build an MG assembly plant in Europe, either in Great Britain (its historic country and the one that buys the most MGs in Europe) or in continental Europe.
- For SAIC, this decision makes it possible to support the growing commercial success of MG in Europe but also, in the event that the chosen site is located in the European Union, to by-pass potential barriers to the entry for battery electric vehicles (BEV) produced outside the European Union. SAIC's announcement is not an isolated case as BYD has indicated that it also wants to produce electric cars in Europe. Tesla also plans to build a second assembly plant in Europe, after the one in Berlin (Germany).
Inovev forecasts 250,000 units per year of the new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV
- 说明
Inovev forecasts 250,000 units per year of the new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV
- Hyundai introduced the new generation of its D-segment SUV, the Santa Fe, which is positioned in the carmaker’s lineupabove the Tucson SUV (C-segment). The new Santa Fe proposes a new right-angled design in line with the designs of Land Rovers, Jeeps, Ford Explorer and the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser. It sees its dimensions increased (the old generation did not exceed 4.79 m in length), in particular the wheelbase, which favours the cabin space, planned for seven passengers. These increased dimensions undoubtedly make it possible to satisfy American customers, but the reaction in Europe is likely to be more sceptical. By 2022, 120,000 Santa Fe had been sold in the United States, 30,000 in South Korea and only 10,000 in Europe. The United States therefore remains logically the first target for the Santa Fe.
- This large SUV will rival the American, European and Japanese D-segment SUVs currently sold on the global market. It will be available in a 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol version delivering 277 hp. An hybrid variant (HEV) should also be available in North America. In Europe, the Santa Fe will be proposed in a plug-in hybrid version (PHEV) based on the 1.6-liter petrol engine delivering 265 hp, already available in the previous generation.
- The Santa Fe will not be available in a battery electric version, which will be reserved to the EV9 model that is aesthetically very similar and of comparable dimensions (and available for seven passengers) but under the Kia brand (belonging to the same group).
- Inovev forecasts 250,000 units per year of the new Hyundai Santa Fe, including 150,000 produced in the USA and 100,000 in Korea.
The difficult sales debuts of the new Renault Kangoo
- 说明
The difficult sales debuts of the new Renault Kangoo
- Renault has decided to launch two light commercial vehicles in 2021 to replace the Renault Kangoo (N1-1 segment) whose origins date back to 2007 and which was restyled in 2013. The Renault Kangoo was produced in 1.9 million units between 2007 and 2020, i.e. 135,000 units per year. The two light vehicles launched in 2021 are:
1. a new generation of Kangoo designed in partnership with Mercedes (for the launch of the new Mercedes Citan).
2. a new van cheaper than the new Kangoo and based on the old Dacia Dokker utility vehicle which was very little sold in Europe.
- The two models, which are quite similar aesthetically speaking, are therefore aimed at two different clienteles. When we look at the sales curve of the two models, we can see that the two new models represent a sales volume comparable to that of the old Kangoo and that these two new models are selling about as much one as the other. another in Europe, which means sales of the Kangoo have been practically halved. The Renault Kangoo as such therefore had a difficult start to its commercial career, since the Renault Express took on a good part of its clientele. The only consolation for the Renault Kangoo, this model is also available under the Mercedes brand (Citan) and under the Nissan brand (Townstar). In 2022, the Mercedes Citan was produced in 26,659 units and the Nissan Townstar in 11,323 units, to be compared to the 68,316 Kangoo and 72,448 Express manufactured the same year, the Kangoo in Maubeuge (France) and the latter in Tangier ( Morocco).