And this is what comes to offer our customers

There is pure illusion, lovers of Chinese automobiles are still rare in the West. Also need to move, when a majority of the automobile production made behind the great wall is as fragile as a 2CV to crash-test Of course not, even as a good third of Chinese vehicles are counterfeits of foreign successful models: as this amazing BMW X 5 signed for a certain Shuang Huan who drew the ire of Munich! But it would be wrong to focus on what is, soon, more than a caricature. The Middle Kingdom, with its annual growth to more than 10, is also able to exploit. Last performance date: it is from the largest market of bicycles in the world to the most important market of cars within a decade! Other figures are dizzying: 13 million new cars (6 times more than in France) have found takers in China in 2009. And the pace where will things ( 100 more sales in a number of local manufacturers), the annual 25 million could be achieved by 2015... Bread blessed in times of crisis. And blessed bread for everyone. This is also the good news.

Because behind these record sales lie, of course, the missing margins in the United States and Europe, but also technological development opportunities - including the ability to manufacture batteries for electric cars - costs and delays reduced, very reduced... Result: last car show in Beijing - two years of existence and already over 800,000 visitors, almost as much as in Detroit - person was on the call, starting with the most prestigious brands of the world.

As we explain the French-speaking guides, operating one of the nine devices encircling Beijing: "Chinese millionaires probably do not have your intellectual sophistication to appreciate such or such beautiful car, on the other hand, they have the money for all afford them and with all the options." Ferrari perfectly understood. The Italian brand also faced a challenge for her unpublished: awareness. "Communist China has blurred the cues," says Francesco Bali, Director of Ferrari West Europe." When we opened two years ago, most of the Chinese had never heard our name! Like many exclusive brands, we have therefore provided on our elitism. And this is what comes to offer our customers. Indeed, few of them ask to try. "In a world that worships limousines, the Ferrari are - surprisingly - considered to be of small cars. Consequence: the Italian manufacturer has up to 30 of clients (versus 5 for the rest of the world) and the average age of purchasers is close to 40 years (against 50 years around elsewhere)! The ever.

As the number of BMW and Mini sold last year, Beijing and Shanghai: almost 100,000. What do to at the outset of the larger China Blue and white Helix brand export market. Same satisfaction among Audi 60 of the production of A6 - full option, V6 or V8, specially extended to the Asian market - found takers in the Middle Kingdom. In other words, the more luxurious and more expensive. This performance has whetted the desires of the VW cousin. To such point that the German mark - particularly well established in China-a decided to present the new version of his limousine Phaeton, nor in Germany as usual, but Sanya - the local Saint Tropez, in three-hour flight from Shanghai. Well took it. Chinese press delighted, car perfect for huge highways and already commands flocking. More than a third of the production of the Phaeton has made a career on Chinese roads this summer.

It is now also in China that are the most beautiful French cars. By giving carte blanche to the Citroën design, newly installed teams in Shanghai, Jean-Pierre Ploue, Director of design of PSA, and his men have recently given birth to a marvel. Exposed with great pomp at the Universal Exposition, the Metropolis - name of the phenomenon - exhales perfume of originality (what silhouette), ingenuity (hybrid mechanical) and Plume (what charisma) that it was more seen since the original DS. His own admission, even the Paris headquarters of the mark to the rafters has been taken of course by both prowess. "We are going to think seriously about its marketing, said Jean-Baptiste Thomas, the Director of the communication. In China, first of all, it goes without saying, but perhaps also in France. "The revival of the hexagonal luxury on four wheels made in China: this is no shortage of salt! On their sides, the Chinese manufacturers hone their ambitions. Unregulated derided for the poor quality of their models and their art consumed the copy, they, however, raised a financial Treasury. A Barbary Macaque to, today, to be heard, or even to play the saviour of Western automotive industry in difficulty. Volvo - that no Western Group wished to redeem even some months - ago, thus, applauded the arrival of Geely, its new Chinese owner. An owner happy to afford security and electrical technology expertise. At the last show in Beijing, Geely engineers have, in General, surprise Gleagle IG (for Intelligent Geely) a revolutionary concept city car wired - in every sense of the term - with doors "Butterfly" (such as the sublime Mercedes of the 1950s), the solar panels on his roof and offering the customer the choice between a traditional or electric engine all for an incredible price of EUR 4 000.

The ecological path is also the path borrowed by Saic and Byd - other major manufacturers of the Middle Kingdom. Program: the promise of a range of hybrid cars by the end of the year and electric by 2012. Better than the program of electric vehicles of Renault and VW. Comments from Chinese officials: "We are convinced that it is the future of automotive and the global environment." We must lead by example, our market is the largest in the world. "China fills in any case his delay with giant steps. Just look at the last Roewe 350, a premium of the size of an A3 Audi model to satisfy him at the time of its stylists pencil. A great adventure to follow in October at the... World of Paris. The Chinese will be there!