KEY SHOW THEMES TOP 5 PRODUCTION CARS TOP 5 CONCEPT CARS INTERIOR INNOVATIONS EXTERIOR INNOVATIONS TRADE SHOW EXTRAS
MG Emphasizes Britishness In a conference before the Shanghai show, one of MG/Roewe s directors emphasized how the once British brand MG was ours now, and that it would be marketed as a Chinese brand. On the show stand in Shanghai, however, both the stand design, updated MG3 and concept MG CS all made strong references to the company s British heritage. Perhaps most impressively, MG appears to have learned quickly from the success of Mini and has developed a series of distinct yet clearly British inspired graphics and personalization packs.
VW s ibeetle The mythical Apple icar has been a longspeculated invention in the media. Arguably, the special edition ibeetle, seen here, is the closest we have come to the development of an icar. It may appear to be a simple - and cynical - badging exercise, but beyond the badge and integrated iphone 5 doc, this Beetle actually features interior and exterior colorways which match Apple s own chromes, greys and aluminums. It was produced in full collaboration and in agreement with Apple too, and illustrates the influence the Apple brand has over automotive manufacturers.
Asia Goes Camping While the last couple of decades have been dominated by stories of Chinese urbanization, middle classes in China and other Southeast Asian countries, such as South Korea and Japan, have developed the same taste for outdoor adventure as many middle-class westerners. In Seoul and Shanghai, carmakers played-up to this idea of the car being key to the outdoor lifestyle, with several show stands and cars bedecked with camping and outdoor sports gear. Cars: 1. Mazda telescope 2. Hyundai camping zone (Seoul) 3. Chang An picnic set 4. Chevrolet Camping (Seoul) 5. Volvo camping zone (Seoul) 6. Great Wall Wingle Camper
Monograms Interesting typographies, monogramming and details were a common site at the Shanghai show with more wealthy owners adding their own small, personalized details to their high-end products. Most notable were the King and Sheng pair of Koenigsegg Agera R s - one in blue with white, the other white with blue and we suspect a his n hers pair of customer cars. Also notable was the ornate treble clef 5 on the C-pillar of the BMW 5-Series L on BMW s show stand. This is something that is not often seen in Europe. Cars: 1. Eterniti Artemis E 2. Chang An Sedan, crystal VIP 3. BMW 5 Series, treble-clef 5 4. Koenigsegg Agera R, blue on white King 5. Koenigsegg Agera R, white on blue Sheng
Aptera Reappears The Aptera was designed in the US by an independent company as a vision of a more efficient, super-aerodynamic automotive future. Various issues saw the company cease trading in 2011/12, with just a few Aptera 2 prototypes having entered into existence. With this in mind, it was a surprise to see the Aptera reappear in China, with a new badge - Jonway. The rights to Aptera were bought by the Chinese motorcycle/car company which says it plans to start producing the car next year.
Car Popularity in China In the west, a key concern repeated by many automotive executives is that consumers especially younger generations are losing interest in cars. Auto Shanghai allowed only one press day this year. Day two is traditionally also a press day but this year was designated as a trade day, and members of the public could buy tickets. This resulted in throngs of eager people clamoring for views of the vehicles, and crushes similar to a pop concert! The popularity of cars, in China at least, is very much alive and well.
China s car market is booming; unlike in Europe or the US, Chinese consumers are prioritizing cars as desirable consumer goods As an important precursor to the Shanghai show, we visited Seoul Motor Show where South Korean brands, like Hyundai, debuted models that were not seen later in Shanghai Taking place from March 28th to April 7th, Seoul Motor Show drew record crowds, pulling in 340,000 visitors on the opening weekend alone Auto Shanghai was held from April 21st-29th and also drew huge numbers of car enthusiasts, expecting a staggering 800,000 visitors Chinese car brands are becoming much more sophisticated: they are employing experienced European or American designers to elevate their products Chinese brands are also emphasizing luxury through heritage and quality Both domestic and international brands are appealing to the Chinese customer with unusual interior color combinations, advanced technologies and personalization Collaborations are key to add value to a brand, whether with fashion companies, industrial designers or even with Apple