Würzburg/Germany, October 8, 2007
Consumers in Germany are currently eyeing Chinese cars with growing interest but nevertheless are still definitely holding back when it comes to buying one. The main argument in favor of the new makes from the Far East is their price. The reason why buyers are holding back, however, is their concern about the safety of the cars, according to a report published in the latest issue (no. 40) of the specialist magazine for the German motor trade, "kfz-betrieb", which went on sale on 4 October.
After the Landwind and Brilliance's disastrous crash test results, cars made in China have been suffering in general from an image problem. In the run-up to the IAA automobile exhibition in September, the Chinese car importers - Brilliance and China Automobile Deutschland - therefore invested heavily in the safety of their vehicles. Thereupon, the cars began to arouse great interest not only among traders but also among end-consumers.
The magazine considers it realistic to forecast that on the medium term the Chinese vehicles will hold a market share of between 1 and 2 percent. Cheap price tags alone do not suffice for success in Germany and Europe, the magazine points out. It goes on to explain that although this is a major criterion for 48 percent of car buyers, given the fact that wages are stagnating in actual terms, nevertheless it is passenger safety which counts as the most important criterion for 68 percent of car buyers.
Moreover, there are also practical requirements on the part of the buyer. Whereas the importers of Chinese makes of car have lately invested in such things as setting up a smooth and speedy process for supplying spare parts, other accompanying services such as financing facilities are still a rare commodity. Moreover, from a consumer's point of view, the low perceived value of the cars is also a problem.
"kfz-betrieb" is a specialist magazine published by Vogel Auto Media, Würzburg. It is the most widely read specialist magazine in the German car trade, delivering all the relevant information to people in the automobile trade and service sector for the last 97 years. "kfz-betrieb" fulfills the role of official publication of the German vehicle trade association (ZDK), which represents the interests of over 40,000 car deal businesses and repair garages. Current daily news from the entire motor sector is available at www.kfz-betrieb.de and also in the newsletter issued daily.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact:
Andreas Grimm
Head of the "News" Department
Editorial office of "kfz-betrieb" - weekly journal & website
Vogel Auto Media
97064 Würzburg/Germany
Phone +49 (0)931 418-24 95
Fax +49 (0)931 418-20 50
Email: andreas_grimm@vogel-automedien.de
