THE WEEK THAT WAS: Will Qi Chen lead to ka-ching in China?

Interesting news this week that Nissan’s local partner in China is developing a new range of cars under a unique local new brand.

Venucia (Qi Chen in Chinese) will launch in 2012 and Dongfeng Nissan will then sell passenger cars under both Nissan and Venucia brands in China. There have been reports the brand will kick off with no-frills cars aimed at the ‘hinterland’ and I thought that the alliance had a brand that does that already – Dacia, also often sold as entry level Renault.

Speaking of China, the other news of interest from there this week was Ford partner Chongqing Changan talking about taking the JV beyond the country (you’ll recall the complex three-way tryst involving Mazda is ending). Rival SAIC-GM is doing this and like that partnership’s Wuling, Changan some nice little commercial vehicles that could do well in developing markets like India, towards which SAIC products are already bound. Building locally isn’t a problem as Ford has plants in India and a number of ASEAN markets as well as an established CV-building unit in Turkey.

From South Korea came news of a Mando supply deal with BMW though getting detail out of the latter was like pulling teeth, our intrepid reporter noted. Meanwhile, we took a look at Europe’s 2011 prospects and there were some cautious but positive views by senior Ford people on both sides of the Atlantic.

And the automaker itself has been attracting praise for the high perceived quality of the latest Mondeo. I’ve never driven one but a mate is on his third taxi and those guys do not buy rubbish.

Have a nice weekend.

Graeme Roberts
Deputy/News Editor
just-auto.com