Chongqing, the "fourth city" of Chinese cars?

As the "first camp" of China's auto industry, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Changchun have taken the "top three" of China Motor City. "Fourth City" will take off?

Chongqing, Beijing and Wuhan are powerful contenders for the “Fourth City”. Chongqing must establish its victory by making up for its “soft ribs”.

The advent of Mondeo and other cars has enabled the production of passenger cars to have the basic ability to impact the domestic and high-end car market. (Daily reporter Qin Defu, Wei Zhongyuan, Niu Qiang)

At the end of July, the city of Chongqing was even warmer and the entire city was enveloped in the enthusiasm of transpiration. However, compared with burning in the hot sun, a message from Beijing has caused many local auto industry people to become more anxious. -- The list of national auto export bases launched by the Ministry of Commerce at the end of April last year is about to be announced, with more than a dozen registered cities. Only about 1/3 of them are finalists.

As the first city to declare to the Ministry of Commerce the state-level automobile export base, Chongqing, as a city that regards automobiles and auto parts as the pillar industries, cannot indeed become less stressful.

“Isn't it an export base? Looking at the small town to see whether it can get the country’s preferential policies, looking at it in a big way can reflect Chongqing’s position in the national automobile industry layout.” An industry insider said in a word, “If you even have an export base quota Can not get, Chongqing car production and sales even if ranked first in the year, to become the people's mind of the Chinese car 'Fourth City' I'm afraid it will be difficult."

From this point of view, whether the list of national automobile export bases can be “into the bag” by Chongqing will, to a certain extent, play an important role in whether Chongqing can become the “fourth city” of Chinese cars.

The “Fourth City” of China’s automobile, which has been mentioned in the past two years, once again surfaced and became the focus of people’s discussion.

"Four Cities" with "gold content"

As one of the most modern industrial categories with the longest industrial chain, most categories, and the most prominent social and economic benefits, the automobile industry has always been regarded as a “large-displacement engine” that promotes regional economic development.

The new "Automobile Industry Development Policy" promulgated and implemented on June 1, 2004 clearly stated that the development goal of China's auto industry in 2010 is "to become the world's major automobile manufacturing country, and automotive products meet most of the domestic market demand and enter the international market in bulk." In order to accomplish this goal, it will “form several large-scale automobile enterprise groups with international competitiveness through market competition” and give priority to technological introduction, technological transformation, financing and merger and reorganization.

According to the assumption of relevant national competent authorities, there will be no more than five large automobile enterprise groups that are eligible for priority support policies in China as a whole. In other words, there will be only 4 to 5 cities that will be able to “ride” and enjoy continuous national support in the future.

For every city with a large auto company, the preferential policies promised in the “Auto Industry Development Policy” seem to be only for auto manufacturers or a certain part of the industry, but its linkage effect is enough to affect The direction of the entire local economy.

In this context, the importance of entering the top four of China Motor City is self-evident.

Until today, Qingling is still the first brand of domestic commercial vehicles.

渝 Jing Han secretly competing

Zeng Jianjiang, director of the Automotive Industry Division of the Municipal Economic Commission, stated that as a city with large automobile groups such as Chang'an and Qingling, Chongqing currently only puts forward the slogan of “Creating a Famous City of Automobiles”, but it is definitely the most powerful competition for the “Fourth City”. By.

The report of the State Council’s Industrial Development Research Center predicts that in the next 10-20 years, China may form 16 automotive industry clusters with strong competitive advantages, among which Shanghai, Guangzhou and Changchun will become internationally competitive after 20 years of development. The automobile industry cluster constitutes the “first camp” of the Chinese automobile industry; Chongqing, Beijing, and Wuhan will become the automotive industry clusters with a nationwide influence and be in the “second camp”.

If this kind of prediction eventually becomes a reality, then the "Fourth City" battle that has been quietly launched two years ago is actually a competition centered on the status of the "second camp." The winner will not only secure the “coupon” issued by the country on a steady basis, but will also be given the opportunity to “take a look at all fours”. In a way, this temptation is even more compelling than the national support policy. Heart. As early as a few years ago, it listed the car as one of the local pillar industries, and Chongqing, which has annual sales of automobiles and ranked first in the country for four consecutive years, apparently had the most emboldened and needed to sit on this “chair”.

“Whether it is to look at the product lineage, supporting resources, or to look at the company’s independent R&D strengths and ownership forms, Chongqing is regarded as the most promising automobile base in China.” Dean of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and Automotive Engineering of Chongqing Jiaotong University Professor Du Zixue, director of the Component Industry Development Research Center, believes that the exploration and accumulation in the past 20 years has laid a solid R&D and manufacturing niche for the Chongqing automobile industry, and has foreshadowed the rapid development in the future. The straight up can be a good indication of the problem."

The data shows that in 1996, there were only four vehicle manufacturers in Chongqing, and the annual automobile production and sales volume was approximately 124,000 vehicles, accounting for only 8.5% of the country; in 2005, the Chongqing Automobile Industry Cluster led by Chang'an Group had 10 entire vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers have annual production and sales volume of 674,000 vehicles, accounting for 11.8% of the country's total, which is an increase of 4.4 times and 3.3 percentage points from the previous eight years.

In fact, the rapid growth in vehicle production and sales in recent years is not the most important basis for Du Zixue's confidence in Chongqing becoming the “Fourth City”. In his view, the strong mechanical processing and equipment manufacturing capabilities, the large number of supporting resources, channels, and marketing methods accumulated over the past 20 years with the development of the motorcycle industry, and the inevitable trend of MOFCOM's “two rounds of changing four rounds” are When Chongqing competes with Beijing and Wuhan for the leading position of the “second camp” of China’s autos, it truly reflects the “secret weapon” of late-advantage.

However, the “segment position” of a carmaker is not much lower than that of Chongqing. However, Beijing and Wuhan do not give up the fourth city, especially the former.

Beijing, which has three automobile companies including Hyundai, Jeep, and Fukuda, has seen a rapid development in the automotive industry in recent years compared with Guangzhou. According to the local government's plan, by 2010, Beijing will form a North China auto manufacturing base centered on the “three major segments” of passenger cars, multi-functional off-road vehicles and commercial vehicles, and realize sales revenue of 100 billion yuan.

Wuhan, which is known as the Dongfeng base camp, is not to be underestimated in its automotive manufacturing capabilities. As one of the “oldest three” of the new China auto industry, today’s Dongfeng Group has fallen far behind FAW and SAIC, but this one is famous for trucks. For more than ten years, it has successively listed Peugeot, Citroen, Kia, Honda, Nissan and others. The introduction of internationally renowned brand cars into the country's veteran car companies is still worthy of the name "car giant."

The development of the car becomes a "soft rib"

On the brand, Chongqing has Chang'an (Chang'an Ford, Changan Suzuki), Qingling, Hongyan, Yutong, Lifan, and Dima; on models, there are mini cars, cars, passenger cars, and light and heavy commercial vehicles; on the production and sales, keep on year after year The fourth in the country; On the scale of the supporting system, there are large and mature industrial clusters—Chongqing, which is ambitious to build a famous automobile city, seems to have ensured its leading position in the “Fourth City” competition. But things are not so simple.

Not long ago, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers announced the ranking of the production and sales of national automotive companies in the first half of this year. However, when major domestic media reported on this, they invariably “forgotten” the Chang’an Group, which ranked fourth in the country consecutively, because they At the time of reporting, the focus was on cars rather than the production and sales ranking of cars.

"Although it is a mistake, it just points to the soft underbelly of Chang'an and Chongqing's auto industry - too little passenger cars." Du Zixue said that according to China's current automotive classification standards, mini-vehicles and cars are passenger cars, but today people When referring to passenger cars, it is often customary to equate passenger cars with cars. Du Zixue believes that the reduction in external recognition brought about by this misunderstanding will have a very negative impact on Chongqing’s struggle for the “Fourth City”.

The industry believes that "taking a big morning and catching a late set" is the main reason why Chongqing's auto industry has fallen into this embarrassing situation. As early as the early 1990s, Chang’an Alto sedan became the first brand of domestic mini-jiao. However, in the following years, there were no other companies, brands, and models added to the ranks of the sedan. Until 2001, Changan and Ford established a strategic cooperation. relationship.

At the same time as Chongqing “A Alto Ao Tianya”, other cities in China have accelerated the speed of car projects and caught up with the “blowout” of the private car market that began in late 2003. In particular, Beijing and Wuhan not only occupy the geographic positions of the logistics hubs in North China and Central China, but also occupy a place in the "new three samples" and "three-year samples" of household cars in China by virtue of Elantra and Beverly respectively. The market share and brand advantages have been appear. Although Chongqing has international famous brand resources such as Suzuki, Ford, Mazda, Volvo, etc., in recent years, there has not been a model that can be discharged into the top five of the domestic car market.

“The sedan will be the main force for the future growth of the Chinese auto market. How to adjust the local auto product structure is a major concern for the government and the company.” Zeng Jianjiang believes that the relative disadvantages of the current production of sedan cars in the domestic market are involved. From the host plant to the supporting companies and from product development to marketing, it can be a complete solution to the problem. “In this process, the government can only play a role of guidance and support. The rest is only Can rely on companies to consciously complete."

State-owned privately-owned "attack" cars

The Chang’an Group is undoubtedly the typical “self-conscious” that Zeng Jianjiang said. As a leading company in the Chongqing automobile industry, the Changan Group, which officially entered the automotive industry in 1986, was no longer satisfied with being the “leading player” of Chinese micro-vehicles as early as the end of the 1990s.

In 2001, Changan Group launched its own brand car development project and launched its first independent intellectual property car CM8 in September 2004. For this hugely expensive “quasi-car”, Yin Jiaxu, the then president of Chang’an Group, positioned it as an “experiment” for Chang’an from Weixiang, and Chang’an Group “developed a business based on micro-based and sedan-based. The new development strategy of “entering the service” will focus on “independent research and development, independent brands”. The already listed Landwind Fashion (CV9) and the soon-to-be-off Changan CV6 are the two "fruits" that Changan has developed under its own independent thinking.

At the same time, Yin Mingshan, who has “pulled” Lifan into a Chinese first-line motorcycle company for more than a decade, has also started the long-term journey of “MoMo” from 2002 and has extensive cooperation with global automotive R&D institutions. The emphasis on independent intellectual property rights has created a new model of “opening a car” for local private enterprises.

Du Zixue believes that compared with Changchun, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Wuhan, Chongqing automobile companies’ right to speak in terms of brand and technology will transform the Chongqing automobile industry into incomparable follow-up advantages for other cities. At present, the Chang'an Group has built a global uninterrupted simultaneous development platform across Chongqing, Shanghai, Italy, and Germany. The strength of its automotive engineering research institute in Oubei has reached the top level in the domestic industry; Lifan is also On the basis of opening the door and building a car, the overseas design R&D center was planned. An executive from Lifan Passenger Vehicle Co., Ltd. has now gone to Europe to recruit troops and build its own multinational R&D platform.

Accompanied by the company's independent R & D results have been baked, the type, quantity and grade of production cars are also rising. In August of this year, Changan CV6, the first fully self-developed sedan produced by the Chongqing headquarters of Changan, will go offline, and Lifan and a European company will also jointly launch a mini car with Chery’s QQ as a competitor early next year. According to incomplete statistics, in the next two years, Changan and Lifan will launch at least 3-4 new cars, plus Changan Suzuki and Changan Ford will launch new cars. The production of cars will reach more than 15 kinds by 2008.

Zeng Jianjiang disclosed that the goal of the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” of the city’s auto industry is that by 2010, the city’s total vehicle production capacity will reach 1.5 million, and actual production and sales will account for 15% of the country’s total. Among them, the proportion of cars will jump from the current 25% to 70%.

"While consolidating the first national micro-vehicle production and sales nationwide and light commercial vehicle technology, it will strengthen the key products that have a large growth potential and a relatively high share in the two domestic markets for cars and heavy-duty vehicles," he said. Seize the position of 'Fourth City'.

Daily reporter Wang Haida Zou Mi

Recalling Chongqing Automobile Industry from Eight Keywords

Jeep of the Yangtze River: In 1958, China's first self-developed jeep, the Yangtze River Jeep, was launched in Chang'an, and the output reached 3,000 vehicles. In the second year of the founding of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the military ceremony, the Changjiang Brand Jeep phalanx drove onto Chang'an Street and was reviewed by the party and state leaders. In the early 60s of the last century, the country decided to move its military Jeep development project to Beijing, and Beijing's Jeep will follow.

Chuan Steam Plant: In the mid-1960s, the construction of the third line began. A large number of military and equipment manufacturing companies responded to the national call to move to the Southwest, and the concept of establishing the third automobile manufacturing plant in Chongqing Shuangqiao was immediately released. Later, due to various reasons, the three steam planned to strand, the factory has been built to become the later Sichuan automobile factory, later renamed Chongqing Hongyan automobile factory.

Changan Micro-vehicle: After the reform and opening up, the military enterprises stationed in Chongqing began to produce civilian products according to the idea of ​​combining peacetime and warfare with military and civilian integration. After Jialing and the successive launch of the motorcycle project, Changan turned his eyes to the extremely short-lived car. In the mid to late 1980s, after several frustrations, Chang’an eventually obtained the qualification to produce micro-cars under the full support of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and the municipal government. The “leading faucet” of micro-vehicles in China was born.

Qingling Light Truck: In 1985, the Chongqing Automobile Manufacturing Plant and Japan Isuzu signed an agreement on the introduction of models, technology, and management, becoming the only company in the country that has obtained the Isuzu trademark authorization. Subsequently, Qingling N series light commercial vehicles and multi-functional off-road vehicles were listed one after another. The former became the leader of domestic commercial vehicles. Until today, Qingling is still the first brand of domestic commercial vehicles.

Alto: In 1992, Suzuki of Japan was optimistic about the huge potential market for private cars in China. The joint venture established Changan Suzuki with Chang'an to produce Alto cars with a displacement of 1.0 liter. The history of Chongqing not producing sedans ended. Because the price is far lower than Santana, Jetta and other domestically-made cars on the market at that time, Alto quickly became the first choice for private car purchases, and it became one of the “three tops” for private car ownership in China several years later.

Changan Ford: In 2004, the first car with a price of more than 200,000 yuan was introduced at Chang'an Ford Motor Co., Ltd. This was also the second Ford model launched in 2001 by Changan Ford in the past three years. The previous car was named Carnival. The appearance of these two vehicles has enabled the production of passenger cars to have the basic ability to impact the domestic and high-end sedan market. After the Fox listed in the following year, the number of sedan-produced cars has increased to five, forming 1.0 liters, 1.3 liters and 1.6 liters. , 1.8 liters, 2.0 liters, and 2.5 liters of 6 displacements of a complete sedan product lineage.

Detroit: The rapid development of the domestic automotive industry has made the auto parts industry a new “hot” investment. At the beginning of this century, the Chongqing municipal government made a decision to develop auto parts industry relying on local machining resources. Since 2004, the city leaders personally led the team and organized local auto parts companies to participate in the SAE in Detroit for three consecutive years. At the annual meeting, it coordinated with various multinational car manufacturers. Three years later, Chongqing's spare parts enterprises have ushered in foreign joint venture partners. After Chongqing exported motorcycles and general-purpose engines, it found "third pillar."

From Momo: After more than 10 years of technology and capital accumulation, Chongqing's private motorcycle companies have started to change from "two rounds to four rounds" since 2003. The 2005 International Auto Show in Chongqing, Lifan 520 debut; the same year, Zongshen through the acquisition of Anhui Tongbao into the micro-vehicle manufacturing sector, while the Luan Group and Dongfeng Group, began production of Dongfeng Xiaokang minivan.