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A Slew of Models from Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford: |
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The production volume in 2003 was 387,000 units, an increase of 54,000 units compared to the previous year. The top-four producing companies are Kuozui Motors, Toyota has invested more than half the capital; China Motor, in which Mitsubishi Motors is an investor; Yulon Motor, which is allied with Nissan; and Ford Lio Ho Motor, a subsidiary of Ford. These companies account for a little less than 90% of total production volume and all have centers for redesigning models targeted to the Taiwanese and Asian markets. They also they supply interior and exterior components for their Asian manufacturing bases. In this segment, the role of that Taiwan plays in the Chinese operations and businesses of each of these companies is becoming more significant. Between 2003 and 2004 the following makers started production in China. (Details are as follows) Toyota: the Vios and the Corolla (Taiwanese name Altis), redesigned by Kuozui Motors; Nissan: the Sunny (Taiwanese name Sentra) redesigned by Yulon Motor; Ford: the Mondeo (Taiwanese name Metrostar) and the Escape, redesigned by Ford Lio Ho Motor. The Teana, which Nissan plans to start manufacturing in the second half of 2004 in China, is also expected to be redesigned by Yulon Motor. China Motor also started manufacturing the Lancer, the Savrin, and the Veryca (based on Mitsubishi's Town Box Wide) that are the company's own designs developed with technical support from Mitsubishi Motors. The vehicles are being produced at Southeast (Fujian) Motor under a local brand name. ■New-vehicle Sales Recovered to 400K-unit Level: Toyota Leads in Both Production and Sales Volumes New-vehicle sales (based on the number of license plates issued) in 2003 in Taiwan reached 414,000 units, an increase of 15,000 units compared to those of the previous year thanks to an economic recovery. This is the first time in three years, since 2000, that sales volume reached a level of 400,000 units. Taking a look at the figures by each manufacturer, we see that Toyota stands out. Toyota (including Lexus) has kept its top spot from the preceding year. China Motor, in which Mitsubishi Motors has invested, was in second place in spite of a decrease of 15,000 units. Next followed Nissan (including Infiniti), Ford, and Mazda. Taking a look at sales by model, we find that Toyota's Corolla Altis was the top selling model, while Toyota's Camry and Vios also made it into the top ten. New-vehicle sales between January and June reached 254,000 units, a 27% increase compared with the same period last year. Sales volumes for the full year at Toyota's sales agent, Hotai Motors, are expected to reach 470,000 units and at Honda Taiwan they are expected to be between 440,000~450,000 units.
■Sales Ranking of Japanese-brand Models in Taiwan (2003)
■Lifting the Import Ban on Diesel Engine Vehicles In January 2004, Taiwan lifted the ban on importing and selling small diesel vehicles for the first time in 20 years. DaimlerChrysler (DCX), Land Rover and Ssangyong Motor started selling diesel vehicles in the country. BMW and the Audi/VW group are also planning to sell diesel engine vehicles in Taiwan. The lifting of the ban is one of the conditions for Taiwan's acceptance into the WTO in 2002. The diesel fuel price in Taiwan is approximately 15 Taiwan yuan per liter and gasoline is approximately 22 Taiwan yuan per liter. ■News Related to Taiwan Lifting Import Ban on Small Diesel Vehicles in January 2004 (as of July 2004)
Vehicle production volume in 2003 reached 387,000 units, an increase of 54,000 units compared to the output of the previous year. The production volume between January and June 2004 also has increased by 19.8% compared to that of the previous year, to 219,000 units. When we look at each brand, we note that the production volume of Kuozui Motors exceeded that of China Motor, which had topped the ranking up until 2002. After the four companies that were at the top (Kuozui Motors, China Motor, Yulon Motor and Ford Li Ho Motor), Prince Motors that manufactures Suzuki brand models held fifth place while Honda Taiwan (Honda's wholly owned subsidiary that started manufacturing the CR-V in January 2003) was in sixth place, selling 12,535 units. Between January and June 2004, the number of vehicles that Honda Taiwan produced exceeded that of Prince Motors. Production volume at Sanyang Industry, which manufactures Hyundai-brand vehicles, is on the rise.
■Major Automakers in Taiwan
■Increased Production In China of Models Redesigned in Taiwan: Exports of Auto-body Components to China Grow Models that Kuozui Motors, Yulon Motor, China Motor, and Ford Li Ho Motor redesigned have started being manufactured in China. In conjunction with this start of vehicle production, the amount of exports of automotive body parts is growing. The export value of auto body components to China from Taiwan saw a sharp rise in 2003, as it reached 340 million Taiwan yuan and is a 350% increase from that of 2002. This amount exceeds the value of exports to Japan. The figure for the period between January and May 2004 has also reached a two-fold increase compared to that of the previous year. ■Taiwanese Redesigned Models Manufactured in China
■Taiwanese Production Bases of Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford Further Their Ties with China ■Toyota: Manufactures the Taiwanese design Vios and Altis at the Chinese base, supplies exterior components Kuozui Motors in which Toyota has invested more than 50% of the capital has expanded its role as a development base for Toyota's models it is marketing exclusively in China and the ASEAN. According to Kuozui Motors, redesigning and development expenses in 2004 reached more than 1.4 billion Taiwan yuan and the company plans to invest an average of 1.5 billion Taiwan yuan annually for redesign/development in the future. Recently, Kuozui Research & Development Center (KRDC) redesigned models of the Camry and minivan Wish for the Taiwan market. The new-model Camry is the one that was launched in 2002 but to which the company made slight modifications such increasing the vehicle's plush, luxury feeling and incorporating equipment upgrades. This new-model Camry was released in April 2004 with a sticker price in the range between 10,000 and 40,000 Taiwan yuan more. The model of the Wish that was redesigned in Taiwan will be manufactured in the third quarter of 2004 at the Chungli Factory of Kuozui Motors. The company has a plan to gradually start producing this model at Toyota's plants in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, and Vietnam from the end of 2004. In 2005, KRDC will redesign the new Altis (based on the Corolla) that will be fully remodeled in Japan. KRDC is also expected to redesign the Taiwanese model of the RAV4 that will also be fully remodeled. Models redesigned by Kuozui Motors are also being manufactured at Toyota's joint plants in China. Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor started manufacturing the Vios, of which KRDC redesigned the exterior, in October 2002; and the Corolla (Corolla Altis) in February 2004. Kuozui Motors is supplying the exterior components. ■Toyota's Models of which Interior/Exterior Modified at Kuozui Motors
■Nissan: Sets up Yulon-Nissan to Support Chinese Operations Nissan created Yulon-Nissan Motor on October 1, 2003, a sales company that is a spin-off from Yulon Motor. Nissan changed the business structure so that it now consigns the production of its Nissan-brand vehicles in Taiwan to Yulon Motor. The investment breakdown in the new company is: Nissan with 40% and Yulon with 60%. Yulon-Nissan Motor provides support to Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. (New Dongfeng Motor), a joint-venture company Nissan established with Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Under the Yulon-Nissan Motor group, there is also Yulon Asia Technology Center (YATC) which supplies interior and exterior components in addition to redesigning models that the Chinese plant manufactures. In 2004, Nissan started manufacturing the Sentra, which is based on the Bluebird Sylphy that YATC redesigned and manufactured as the Sunny at the Guangzhou Huadu Plant in Taiwan. It will also start manufacturing the redesigned Cefiro in the autumn of 2004. The Teana, which will be manufactured at the passenger car plant of New Dongfeng Motor in Xiangfan, Hubei Province from the end of 2004, is also expected to be a model that YATC redesigns. The Teana that YTAC redesigns will be released as the successor to the Cefiro in Taiwan; sales are to start at the end of the third quarter of 2004 at the earliest. ■Nissan's Models (Interiors/Exteriors Modified at Yulon Motor/Yulon-Nissan)
■Mitsubishi Motors: Strengthens Ties with China Motor-Aiming to Expand Sales of Mitsubishi-brand Vehicles in China Mitsubishi Motors, in its revitalization plan announced in May 2004, has positioned its operations in China as the core area for growth and says it will enhance its structure so as to strengthen cooperative ties with China Motor. Mitsubishi is expected to cooperate with China Motor in expanding the sales of Mitsubishi-brand vehicles in China as well as in Taiwan. Mitsubishi plans to switch from using local Chinese-brand vehicle names to Mitsubishi-brand names in conjunction with the launch of new models into China and the realignment of its local sales network. It expects to increase unit sales of Mitsubishi-brand vehicles in China from the estimated 38,000 in FY2004 to 213,000 in FY2008.
In the second half of 2004, China Motor plans to start manufacturing the new Galant which China-Motor Asia Research & Technology Center (CARTEC) developed. China Motor is believed to have invested over 2 billion yuan into the development of the new Galant, twice the usual amount for this type of investment. The purpose is to set up manufacturing in the future at Southeast (Fujian) Motor, China Motor's joint venture in China, as well as to export to Japan for the first time, in line with the Company's overall larger scheme of plans. Southeast (Fujian) Motor in China currently manufactures and sells Mitsubishi Motors' vehicles, which have been redesigned at CARTEC, under its own brand named, SEM. It started manufacturing the Delica in 1997 and the Freeca in 2000, and it started the manufacture of passenger cars in 2003 with the Lancer, followed by the Savrin (based on the Chariot Grandis) in 2004 and the Veryca (based on the Town Box Wide). China Motor invested into a joint venture between DCX and Fujian Motor Industry Group that will be manufacturing vans in China from 2005. This investment further enhances its relationship with DCX. China Motor says that even though DCX's Chinese manufacturing base, Beijing Jeep Corporation, Ltd., currently manufactures both the Mitsubishi Outlander (Japanese name Airtrek) and the Challenger, there is a possibility that the manufacturing of Mitsubishi Motors' models in China could be consolidated at Southeast (Fujian) Motor in the future. Mitsubishi postponed producing the Colt (Z Car), which was scheduled to go into production in 2003 in Taiwan, because it determined that these vehicles would face difficult sales prospects in China and that the production of the vehicles couldn't be shared with Southeast (Fujian) Motor.
■China Motor's Recent Trends in China/India
■Mitsubishi's Models of which Interior/Exterior Modified at China Motor
■Ford: Redevelops Focus, Mazda3 & Others at Ford Li Ho-Starts Manufacturing Escape in China Ford made slight modifications to the Metrostar (Mondeo base), the Ford Escape, and the Mazda Tribute as well as redesigning and developing the new Focus and the Mazda 3 (Japanese name Axela) at the Design and R&D Center of Ford Li Ho Motor. In Taiwan, Ford released the new Escape and the Tribute in May 2004 and it is expected to release the Focus in November 2004. In China, Ford started manufacturing the Mondeo (Taiwanese name Metrostar) and the new Escape in 2004 and is planning on manufacturing the Focus in 2005 at Changan-Ford Automobile. Ford completed a modernization of Ford Li Ho Motor's plant by investing 2 billion Taiwan Yuan in March 2004. This modernization has resulted in improving production efficiency and quality as well as in reducing costs. The Ford Li Ho Motor's plant was certified as the best plant in the Asia Oceania region by Ford Group's internal manufacturing system assessment. Plans are for the plan to begin exporting vehicles manufactured in Taiwan to markets in developed countries such as Japan from 2005. Moreover, since Ford has the capabilities to produce luxury cars in Taiwan it is currently considering producing Volvo-brand vehicles and others. ■Mazda: Sells Record-high Number of Vehicles-20K units in 2003; Plans to Produce Mazda3 on Consignment in 2004 Mazda intends to increase its sales through aggressive initiatives in terms of new-vehicle launches in the Taiwanese market. The sales target of 2004 is 24,000 units, or 4,000 units more than it sold in 2003, the year in which the company sold the highest number of units on record. In July 2004 Mazda launched the Mazda 3. (It consigned production to Ford Li Ho Motor.) As for import models, it released the RX-8 in November 2003 and the Mazda 6 (Japanese name Atenza) in December 2003. ■Mazda's Models of which Interior/Exterior Modified at Ford Li Ho Motor
■Noteworthy Trends at Other Automakers ■Formosa Automobile: Unveils Factory Project in China; Plans to Consign Development of Own-brand Vehicles to Lotus Formosa Automobile, a Taiwan-based Group engaged in plastics, announced in April 2004 that it would build a factory in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China. The model it will produce there is believed to be one that Lotus developed; however, specific details are unavailable based on Lotus' agreement with Proton, its parent company in Malaysia, and also with its Chinese joint-venture partner. Also, Formosa Automobile revealed that it had entered into an alliance with a European truck maker to manufacture large-size trucks in Taiwan. (Specific details are not known). ■Honda: Starts Manufacturing Accord, Following CR-V; Considers Adding the Fit in 2004 Honda started manufacturing the Accord in October 2003. This model is based on the version designed using North American specifications and is the second model the company is manufacturing manufactured at Honda Taiwan, after the CR-V that was released in November 2003. The production volume in 2003 was 12,535 units and the planned production volume for 2004 is 20,000 units. Honda increased the annual production capacity at the Pingtung Factory to 30,000 units in November 2003, and is expected to add the Fit to the production schedule in 2004. The annual production capacity at Pingtung Factory can be increased up to 35,000 units, upon which when it reaches this level Honda intends to build a new factory. Honda plans to enhance its sales structure by adding seven outlets within 2004, bringing the total to 30, and then further expanding its sales network to 40 outlets by the end of 2005. The media in Taiwan in June 2004 announced that the Taiwanese government had requested Honda to establish a R&D center and that Honda's response was positive, claiming Honda said it was studying the matter. However, Honda has made no official announcement on this matter. ■Suzuki: Favorable Sales of Solio; Company to Expand Annual Production Capacity to 30K Units in 2004 A total of 10,000 units of Suzuki's Solio (Wagon R Solio), which Prince Motors released in April 2002, were sold in 14 months. Ninety percent of the buyers of the Solio is the younger generation aged 24~26 and because of this they ended up changing Suzuki's image as an automaker that produces only commercial vehicles. The production volume at Prince Motors in 2003 reached 14,207, an increase of 4,329 units from the previous year, while the production volume between January and June 2004 increased by 64% from the previous year, thanks to the favorable sales of the Solio. Prince Motors aims to become one of the top five companies in terms of production volume by 2005 and plans to expand its annual production capacity from the current 24,000 units to some 30,000 units by investing 750 million Taiwan yuan in 2004. It also is considering adding a few more new models. ■Hyundai Motor: Assemblies Matrix and Getz, Following the Elantra; Considers Assembling the Tucson Hyundai Motor launched the Matrix in June 2003 and the Getz in March 2004. Both these models and the Elantra, which are great selling cars, are assembled at its partner, Sanyang Industry. The Company plans to start importing and selling the Tucson, an SUV, at the end of 2004 and if sales are brisk the company plans to add the KD assembly of the Tucson in 2005. Note that import and sales of the Atoz were terminated following the release of the Getz. The sales volume of Hyundai-brand vehicles at Sanyang Industry in 2003 reached a little over 50,000 units, increasing by 40% from that of 2002, and the target for 2004 is a little over 60,000 units. Sanyang Industry started a sales campaign in July 2004 promoting Hyundai-brand vehicles with loan incentives such as no down payment, no co-signer, and 3.33% interest. There was also a promotion offering 0% loans and payments of 36 installments for the XG assembled at Chin Chung Motor as well as the Santa Fe and Trajet, which are imported. ■Growing Number of Launches: SUVs, Minivans, Compact Vehicles; Fiat Returns with Its New-model Panda There is notable growth in the number of new launches by additional automakers that are releasing SUVs and minivans in the Taiwanese market. In the SUV segment, Volvo and Kia Motors released the XC90 and the Sportage, respectively; while in the minivan segment DCX launched the Town & Country and Citroen launched the C8 and the Picasso. In the compact-vehicle sector, Kia Motors released the Picanto. Although Ford terminated importing and selling the European-made Fiesta and Fusion at the end of 2003 because of the strong Euro, Fiat returned to the Taiwanese market by offering its new-model Panda and DCX released it Smart ForFour. ■Recent News of Additional Automakers
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