china
Chinese Car Sales Slow, Could Affect World Market
Car sales in China have, for much of the auto industry, helped companies weather the global economy’s struggles over the last couple years, but that demand boom might be over.
Ferrari Opens Massive Exhibit in Shanghai to Woo Chinese Buyers
In an effort to help showcase Ferrari products to the huge Chinese market, the Italian automaker has opened up an exhibit in the Shanghai Expo Park.
Ferrari Dealership Employee Does Donuts on Great Wall: Chinese Government Unimpressed
Ferrari has the Chinese government feeling steamed after one person’s actions at a launch event for it’s year-of-the-dragon edition 458 Italia. Evidently, doing donuts on the Great Wall is uncouth. Who knew?
Ford Focus Classic For Sale in China, Priced Like New Focus in US
Would you entertain the idea of buying an old-model Ford Focus new from the manufacturer? In today’s throwaway culture it’s hard to imagine buying anything but the latest product, but that’s not the perspective everywhere. In other parts of the world, previous model cars remain for sale at a discount after a new lines debut.
BYD Electric Buses Heading to Canada
BYD will provide 10 new electric buses to Windsor, Canada to become the first North American city to use China-built all-electric large-scale transportation.
Beijing Auto Show Babes Upset Chinese Government – Video
China’s government is cranky because of cleavage. As if there wasn’t enough for them to worry about on the internet, the Chinese fun police are badly upset over boob-bearing babes wearing skimpy outfits at this year’s Beijing Auto Show.
Lotus Owner Seeks Chinese Buyer for Brand: British MP Says
Lotus‘ Malaysian owner DRB-Hicom is seking a Chinese buyer for the brand as recently as last night, flying in the face of information included in the automaker’s much-publicized “rant” press release from April 12.
2012 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Wei Long: One-off For the Chinese Market
From Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc and Grand Sport Vitesse to everything in between, there is no shortage of special edition Veyrons produced. A natural progression, Bugatti has joined the likes of the Jeep Wrangler Dragon and has unveiled a China-exclusive special edition vehicle for the 2012 Beijing Motor Show – the Veyron Grand Sport…
Toyota Concept Car Trio Let Loose at Beijing Auto Show
Toyota has fulfilled its promise from last week, unveiling a trio of new of new concept cars, including a China-only hybrid concept. The most interesting of the three cars is the “Yundong Shuangqing” concept, seen above. It features the company’s usual blue badge, signaling that it is a hybrid. In fact, the “Yundong Shuangqing” features technology from Toyota’s…
Honda Plans to Extract Rare Earth Metal from Used Hybrids
Honda announced today that it will start a mass-production recycling program to extract rare earth metals from used car parts. Partnering with Japan Metals & Chemicals Co., the automaker will begin extracting the materials, which are 95 percent controlled by China. The majority of material harvesting will be from nickel-metal hydride batteries collected from used hybrid…
Lotus May Be Sold To China’s Youngman
When sports car company Lotus had announced the end of its title sponsorship of the Lotus F1 team, a red flag was raised as concerns over Group Lotus’ financial problems surfaced. Now, new reports reveal that the troubles facing the automaker are more than meets the eye. Earlier warning signs were brought to attention this year…
BMW 3-Series LWB to Debut in Beijing
Almost two years ago, BMW announced that it would be producing a stretched 3-Series variant for the Chinese market. Now the 3-Series LWB will debut at this year’s Auto China 2012 show in Beijing. Since the majority of the more affluent Chinese prefer to be chauffeured around, the 3-Series LWB gives the German automaker a…
China’s Hawtai B35 is Now a Porsche Cayenne Clone
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Hawtai B35, it debuted almost two years ago resembling a mash-up of Porsche, Bentley, and Audi styling. The Chinese automaker went back to revamp the model and plans on bringing this revamped SUV to the Beijing Motor Show this year. The front grille, that previously resembled something…
Artist Makes 600 ‘Transformer’ Sculptures from Recycled Cars
Despite lacking any medical certification or clinical background, we’re certifying one Chinese fellow as a crazy person: crazy-awesome that is. Sculptor Zhu Kefeng oversaw 600 transformer sculptures built out of old car parts and opened the exhibit to the public. We typed it right — 600. It’s true that new cars are (or were) selling like…
Volkswagen To Introduce Low-Cost Sub Brand For Emerging Markets
Volkswagen, the German automaker whose name translates to the “People’s Car,” is creating a low-cost sub-brand that will offer products to people in emerging markets. According to Volkswagen head of research and development, Ulrich Hackenberg, the automaker has garnered expertise in low-cost vehicles production and will create products that are tailored to these individual markets….
Jaguar Land Rover Lands Deal with Chery For Cars in China
Luxury auto makers are all flocking to the Chinese market, and Jaguar Land Rover have been lagging behind. Today, they have signed a deal with Chinese automaker Chery to manufacture and sell vehicles in China. The deal comes after news that Jaguar, and owner Tata motors have been seeking out a deal in the past…
Ferrari 458 Italia Accident Censored by Chinese Government
A horrible accident involving a Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder occurred in Beijing, leaving the driver dead and his two passengers seriously injured — both female. While that may not be groundbreaking news in and of itself, the Chinese government is moving quickly to censor any internet searches involving the word “Ferrari” as a result of the…
Chinese License Plates Sell for Crazy Prices
Before you start grumbling about fees at your local DMV, have a look at how much some people in China need to pay just to get a new license plate, it’s more than a lot of people spend on their car. China’s rapid expansion is leading to more than a boom in the country’s automotive purchases. As…
Chinese Team Sets World Record Loop-the-Loop – Video
Three years ago, British motoring show Fifth Gear organized a daring loop-the-loop stunt special that presenter Tom Ford described as, “the biggest and bestest thing Fifth Gear has ever done.” In preparation of the stunt, Fifth gear and a team that included a Cambridge physicist laid the plans for a massive 40-foot loop in a Suffolk…
Porsche Driver Tries Toothpaste to Avoid Speeding Tickets
Doo-dads to keep speeding cameras from catching your license plates on film are all over the market, but one Chinese man thought of a better, or at least different plan to speed in his Porsche without penalty. According to a story originally reported by the China Car Times, an industrious individual decided to live above…
China Announces Government Vehicles Will be Domestic Only
The Audi A6L (pictured above) was specifically designed and manufactured for the Chinese market. It has become extremely popular with high-placed government workers and business owners. But now, the Chinese government is putting their foot down, saying that all government vehicles will be Chinese, potentially putting a hit out on the A6L’s sales. This is…
Infiniti M37 Long Wheelbase Model Headed to China
The Chinese market love extended-wheelbase variants of luxury vehicles – mostly because many of its buyers prefer to be driven around in their cars rather than doing the driving themselves. Looking at just how popular Rolls-Royce EWB variants are for their Ghost and Phantom leaves no surprise that other luxury automakers such as Infiniti are…
2013 Lexus ES 250 Spotted in China
The all-new 2013 Lexus ES was recently spotted in China. It looks like the luxury Japanese automaker will follow in its newly released GS footsteps with more aggressive styling in its entry-level model. One quick glance at the above photo reveals that the new-generation ES will feature a much more prominent front-end design similar to…
Lamborghini Sales Slowing in China
This probably shouldn’t come as a surprise but it seems that Chinese consumers are less enthusiastic toward million-dollar cars in a cooling economy. Christian Mastro, Lamborghini‘s Asia Pacific general manager told Automotive News last friday that economic uncertainty may be causing consumers to hesitate before spending. “The number of people able to spend this kind of…
