Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Oye Como Va! After nearly 30-year Chinese run, VW's <strike>Quantum</strike> Santana to expire in 2012?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/oye-como-va-after-a-nearly-30-year-run-in-china-vws-strike-q/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/oye-como-va-after-a-nearly-30-year-run-in-china-vws-strike-q/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/oye-como-va-after-a-nearly-30-year-run-in-china-vws-strike-q/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Although the Volkswagen Quantum never became the institution in the States that its successor, the Passat has, the second-generation model, known as the Santana in China, once again proved that Volkswagen is indeed the "people's car." And now, after being built domestically through a joint-venture with Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive since 1983, word is that the venerable sedan's time is limited. According to new reports, the Santana will leave VW showrooms in 2012, meaning that the Santana will have enjoyed a model run of 29 years in China.

Oh, along the way, the car has received a number of updates (a 1986 China-built model is shown) including an enlarged engine with electronic fuel injection, a fifth speed for the manual gearbox, ABS, etc. - but in its bones, the Santana is still very much the same car that plied American roads back at the turn-of-the-Eighties. Despite China's rapidly evolving market, the elderly VW still all but rules many of the nation's roads, particularly in Shanghai, where livery versions of the Santana rival New York's Ford Crown Victoria for ubiquity.

According to TradingMarkets, fully 3.21 million Santanas have been built in China, with 2009's sales already totalling 56,012 units through April.

[Source: TradingMarkets]

Oye Como Va! After nearly 30-year Chinese run, VW's Quantum Santana to expire in 2012? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 May 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ChinaQuantumSantanaShanghaiShanghai VolkswagenShanghaiVolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen QuantumVolkswagenQuantumVW quantumVW SantanaVwQuantumVwSantanaMon, 18 May 2009 18:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing 2008: Volkswagen Lavida meets its home audience]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/beijing-2008-volkswagen-lavida-meets-its-home-audience/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/beijing-2008-volkswagen-lavida-meets-its-home-audience/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/21/beijing-2008-volkswagen-lavida-meets-its-home-audience/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Lavida for China

Shanghai Volkswagen developed the new VW Lavida in China, for China. Now it's made its big debut before the home-market audience in Beijing. Stylistically, the made-in-China design looks oddly dated, quite frankly. The petal-shaped head- and taillamps look like something you might find on a 1990's Korean import and not a newly-minted VW, regardless of origin.

The Lavida's positioned below the new VW Bora (also introduced in Beijing), with a shorter overall length (around 3 inches) but an identical wheelbase, so passenger comfort should be around the same as the larger car. The interior is a blend of familiar VW partsbin stuff with elements that just seem a little odd-looking in a VeeDub, like the silver audio head unit and the silver HVAC knobs set against a healthy dose of woodgrain trim. Power comes from 4-cylinder engines displacing 1.6L or 2.0L, with a six-speed Tiptronic available to handle shifting duties. It may be all-new, but it's also pretty boring.

Gallery: Volkswagen Lavida


All photos Copyright (C)2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

Beijing 2008: Volkswagen Lavida meets its home audience originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto chinaauto china 2008AutoChinaAutoChina2008beijingbeijing 2008beijing 2008 autoshowbeijing auto showbeijing autoshowbeijing motor showBeijing2008Beijing2008Autoshowbeijingautoshowbeijingmotorshowshanghai veshanghai volkswagenshanghai volkswagen lavidashanghai vw lavidaShanghaiVeShanghaiVolkswagenShanghaiVolkswagenLavidaShanghaiVwLavidavolkswagen lavidaVolkswagenLavidavw lavidaVwLavidaMon, 21 Apr 2008 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Volkswagen Lavida - first China-only car caught]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/spy-shots-volkswagen-lavida-first-china-only-car-caught/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/spy-shots-volkswagen-lavida-first-china-only-car-caught/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/15/spy-shots-volkswagen-lavida-first-china-only-car-caught/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Volkwagen Lavida (or La Vida, perhaps) is VW's China-only sedan that will go into production this summer. The car will be built in China by Shanghai Volkswagen, and could get the Chinese produced 1.4-liter TSI engine as well, but is more likely to come with a 1.8- or 2.0-liter engine.

As a testament to VW's commitment to China, they haven't skimped on the car: it gets the PQ34 platform that sits under other VW Group products like the Bora and A4. Planned as a luxury car that will compete with the Buick Excelle, the car is 100 mm longer than the Bora and has been called a "mini Phaeton" by the Chinese motoring press.

The car's design has some split personalities and a bit of Zelig thrown in. If you look at the grille, it's obviously a VW. If you look anywhere else, well, it could be any number of Asian sedans -- but if you know it's a VW, you can also see VW cues, like the rear door line at the wheel well. Shanghai VW is expected to sell 8,000 Lavidas in the second half of this year.

Thanks for the tip, 21cdb!

[Source: The Tycho]

Spy Shots: Volkswagen Lavida - first China-only car caught originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinashanghai volkswagenShanghaiVolkswagenvolkswagenvolkswagen lavidaVolkswagenLavidavwvw lavidaVwLavidaTue, 15 Apr 2008 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Chery Automobile Corp: #3 with a bullet]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/04/chery-automobile-corp-3-with-a-bullet/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/04/chery-automobile-corp-3-with-a-bullet/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/04/chery-automobile-corp-3-with-a-bullet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chery Automobile Corporation is upending the competition in its home market. The manufacturer leapfrogged a healthy three notches on China's sales ranking list in February, in the process marking the first time a domestic has pushed out a foreign joint-venture to take to the podium.

Cherry shifted 21,000 units last month (an impressive 130-percent increase year-over-year), largely on the strength of GM's their QQ subcompact. The latter, a bargain-priced entry isn't exactly a profit center. Xinhua reports that the automaker earns about 500 yuan profit-- about $62 USD. Still, turning a profit on small cars is a difficult business, be it in China or here in North America.

Regardless, Chery's efforts saw it take third place in overall sales during February behind Shanghai GM and Shanghai Volkswagen. It unseeded another Wolfsburg joint-venture, First Automobile Works/VW.

[Source: Xinhuanet.com]

Chery Automobile Corp: #3 with a bullet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Mar 2006 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CheryFirst Automobile WorksFirstAutomobileWorksQQShanghai GMShanghai VolkswagenShanghaiGmShanghaiVolkswagenSat, 04 Mar 2006 16:00:00 EST