Paris show, plus the upcoming Detroit show will highlight approaching expansion moves in the China market by global producers.
Increased sales are foreseen for more expensive cars, including safety ratings and fixtures fresh from styling studios. Automakers are enthusiastic over record-show crowds-in U.S. and Europe (Audi, BMW, Dongfeng, PSA, VW, Volvo and Daimler stole the show in “Parigi” (PARIS).
Already Volvo has teamed with China giant Geely Auto amid plans in 2015 to launch a midsize sedan rivaling its EC7 by the start of the 2015-16 model year.
Geely is inspired by the Hyundai-Kia strategy of offering extended warranties and attracting western customers with 5-year/100,000-mile warranties and economical advances such as those at Geely, The Great Wall’s econocar- and the iconic MG6 sedan and Fiat 500 subcompact are an affiliate of Chrysler and a likely user-to-be of a battery generated engine as early as 2016.
In launching new-idea systems or diesel engines, automakers are pressured to avert breakdowns or unexpected collisions. For instance, new-born concepts and systems are inspected (or will be) when the time comes (in 2020) to test Nissan’s “autonomous” driving concept among consumers by 2016 (as Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn predicts, as well as all the upgraded safety systems by 2017, automated lane controls, forecast as viable by Japanese automakers in a united group, by 2017.
Spurred by Nissan’s success with the 100% electric Nissan Leaf, and its 100% safety rating’s from the NHTSA, Ghosn and Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, are angling to finish first worldwide with safety controls and 100% electric cars .
So called “Autonomous” driving is moving forward at a fast rate, too, but legal constraints and traffic-jam forecasting is far from being legalized without clearance by regulators.
Watch for Ghosn to step out first in the race for hands-free parking and traffic-lane controls on Infiniti, Mercedes, Nissan and PSA Renault and Peugeot cars, with other Japanese brands following suit at home and with exports to trial-balloon countries like Israel and Denmark and brands like Subaru, Nissan, Honda, Infiniti and Toyota.
ED NOTE: China is calling the shots on advanced safety controls and autonomous (driving included)
The Paris show pointed the way on driver’s-control measures being tested at two Southern California and Hawaii shows .
Although Geely has teamed at the Paris Show, its Volvo and domestic-car exhibits, while serving notice of plans to replicate the blockbuster Alfa Romeo 4C, so admired by young Chinese.
Has any 2105-model car been any more intensely greeted than the “finally” received Alfa Romeo 4C/237 hp 4 club coupe?
A candidate for champion “segment” car prior to its being segregated from advancement ranks, the Alfa Romeo 4C is priced at $32,000 for a base model with a mid-engine annual transmission and up to $40,000 with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Proclaims Motor Trend, the 4C “is fun as a great driver’s car but is kind of like a race car that is as wonderful as such.”
