Features
23 Aug 18

GAC eyes Europe, comes to Paris motor show

China’s sixth largest car maker, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co (GAC), has booked a spot in the Paris motor show’s limelight early October. Not much is known about the concept car it will reveal, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see an all-electric sporty SUV appear from underneath its cover.

On its home market, GAC sells cars under the brands Trumpchi, Gonow and Changfeng Motor. It also has joint-ventures with  Fiat, Honda, Mitsubishi and Toyota. Earlier this year it showcased the Enverge electric cross over concept at the Detroit motor show aka NAIAS (pictured).

First, we take Manhattan

GAC wants to conquer the States starting 2019. Not with all-electric cars - Trump forbid - but with conventional combustion engines. Talking about the American president: the cars GAC will be shipping across the Pacific will be models that carry the Trumpchi badge in their homeland. For obvious reasons, the company will rebadge them.  

A year after the American conquest it’s Europe’s turn to welcome GAC on its markets, probably as a provider of affordable electric cross-overs. It joins Chinese OEMs like Borgward, Byton, Chery, Great Wall, Lynk&Co and SAIC, who all promise to give the European, Japanese and Korean brands a run for their money from 2020 onwards. 

Picture copyright: the Verge/Motor1, 2018

 

Authored by: Dieter Quartier