By : John McCormick
BEIJING, China -- If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then to judge by the Beijing auto show, China's local auto industry is on an unprecedented charm offensive.
The clones of western automotive designs found scattered through the Beijing exhibition halls are quite blatant, yet most of the affected companies are just shrugging their shoulders. "At least they are doing it to just about everyone," said one resigned automaker executive.
Another way to look at the design piracy is that it is evidence of a country whose auto industry is in its early evolutionary stages, not unlike the process that occurred in Japan and Korea as those markets grew up.
In China's case, it's important to see beyond the knock-offs and note, as is evident at the Beijing show, the signs of original and creative thinking from Chinese automakers and their designers. To the trained eye there are plenty of signs that the local industry is moving on from the carbon copy stage.
Some industry analysts say it will be 10 years before Chinese automotive engineering quality meets western standards, but I believe the country's automotive designers are progressing much faster.
General Motors' chief designer, Ed Welburn, has an interesting viewpoint on Chinese automotive design. He hopes that local designers will not feel compelled to adopt western design trends and themes. "I hope they create their own design language for vehicles going forward, derived from their own unique culture."
Aside from design, it's clear that the Chinese consumers (and those in other Asian countries such as Korea) have markedly different vehicle priorities than do Americans and Europeans. For example, they are less interested in the performance aspects of a vehicle, because much of their driving is done in crowded city environments and average speeds are low.
Instead of power, the focus for many buyers in China, even in the entry level segment, is on vehicle refinement, meaning lack of noise and vibration, as well as ride comfort, plus excellent interior quality and fit and finish. In Korea, the prevalence of speed bumps on roads means a softer than usual suspension is desirable
Already this different emphasis has resulted in some interesting variations on existing U.S. and European models that have been tailored to Chinese tastes. One instance is the Buick Regal, which GM used to enter the Chinese market a decade ago. Buyers in that market segment are often chauffeur driven so the rear seat compartment was enlarged at the expense of the driver position. Even in smaller cars, buyers sometimes use a chauffeur and sometimes drive themselves, so modifications have to be made.
The new Cadillac CTS, now being launched in Asian markets to very positive reviews, was also nuanced for local tastes, with an effort to maximize rear seat room.
At the Beijing show, the great majority of vehicles from native Chinese automakers are aimed at the mini and small car sectors, as well as the important small commercial van segment. The latter are used widely for business and personal travel. Though most Chinese are shopping for smaller, lower priced vehicles, there are plenty of very well heeled consumers among the nation's 1.3 billion-strong population. And that explains why the biggest crush of visitors in the show halls was to be found in the aisle between the Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti displays. Though many in the crowd were simply eyeing the exotic machinery, there were also probably more serious buyers for these capitalist toys than you would find at a typical western auto show.
It's obvious from a tour of the show that there are more Chinese auto companies playing the field than can possibly survive in the long run. But even with consolidation in the industry, it's also clear that China is going to be the world's most promising automotive market for years to come.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at john.mccormick@detnews.com
The clones of western automotive designs found scattered through the Beijing exhibition halls are quite blatant, yet most of the affected companies are just shrugging their shoulders. "At least they are doing it to just about everyone," said one resigned automaker executive.
Another way to look at the design piracy is that it is evidence of a country whose auto industry is in its early evolutionary stages, not unlike the process that occurred in Japan and Korea as those markets grew up.
In China's case, it's important to see beyond the knock-offs and note, as is evident at the Beijing show, the signs of original and creative thinking from Chinese automakers and their designers. To the trained eye there are plenty of signs that the local industry is moving on from the carbon copy stage.
Some industry analysts say it will be 10 years before Chinese automotive engineering quality meets western standards, but I believe the country's automotive designers are progressing much faster.
General Motors' chief designer, Ed Welburn, has an interesting viewpoint on Chinese automotive design. He hopes that local designers will not feel compelled to adopt western design trends and themes. "I hope they create their own design language for vehicles going forward, derived from their own unique culture."
Aside from design, it's clear that the Chinese consumers (and those in other Asian countries such as Korea) have markedly different vehicle priorities than do Americans and Europeans. For example, they are less interested in the performance aspects of a vehicle, because much of their driving is done in crowded city environments and average speeds are low.
Instead of power, the focus for many buyers in China, even in the entry level segment, is on vehicle refinement, meaning lack of noise and vibration, as well as ride comfort, plus excellent interior quality and fit and finish. In Korea, the prevalence of speed bumps on roads means a softer than usual suspension is desirable
Already this different emphasis has resulted in some interesting variations on existing U.S. and European models that have been tailored to Chinese tastes. One instance is the Buick Regal, which GM used to enter the Chinese market a decade ago. Buyers in that market segment are often chauffeur driven so the rear seat compartment was enlarged at the expense of the driver position. Even in smaller cars, buyers sometimes use a chauffeur and sometimes drive themselves, so modifications have to be made.
The new Cadillac CTS, now being launched in Asian markets to very positive reviews, was also nuanced for local tastes, with an effort to maximize rear seat room.
At the Beijing show, the great majority of vehicles from native Chinese automakers are aimed at the mini and small car sectors, as well as the important small commercial van segment. The latter are used widely for business and personal travel. Though most Chinese are shopping for smaller, lower priced vehicles, there are plenty of very well heeled consumers among the nation's 1.3 billion-strong population. And that explains why the biggest crush of visitors in the show halls was to be found in the aisle between the Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti displays. Though many in the crowd were simply eyeing the exotic machinery, there were also probably more serious buyers for these capitalist toys than you would find at a typical western auto show.
It's obvious from a tour of the show that there are more Chinese auto companies playing the field than can possibly survive in the long run. But even with consolidation in the industry, it's also clear that China is going to be the world's most promising automotive market for years to come.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at john.mccormick@detnews.com
