As European automaker focus expansion plans on the BRIC markets, including China, the Chinese are looking the other way towards Europe, including commercial vehicle sectors.
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“We have 133 Chinese companies exhibiting at the show,” said Matthais Wissmann, president of the German automotive trade association, VDA, referring to the Hanover commercial vehicle exhibition. “That’s three times as many as at the previous show two years ago.”
Admittedly, most of these companies are small components manufacturers, eyeing European supply deals. But one particularly impressive Chinese exhibit attracted lots of attention – FAW (First Automotive Works), China’s second-largest automaker, displayed two impressive heavy trucks.
“We do not have any plans to sell these trucks in Europe, but we want to test reaction to them,” spokeswoman Kiki Liu said.
The vehicles, 4×2 tractors from FAW’s J6P series, have Euro 4-compliant FAW-made engines, and components from global tier one suppliers, including Eaton axles, ZF transmissions and Bosch fuel injection.
Build quality was impressive and exterior cab styling well up to current European standards.
Perhaps the truck sector will be an easier route for the Chinese to enter Europe, and we’ll be seeing FAW’s ‘winged 1’ logo on local motorways in future.
