BIG, MEAN, and GREEN
The sprawling complex of the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) is soaked by steady sheaths of rain— adding to a blanket of chill in the low tens. Still, press from all over the world stream in droves, pushing their way excitedly to enter the 17 hall-venue with 200,000 sqm. of indoor space and an additional 50,000 sqm. in tents outside.
It was a fitting site, indeed, for the unmistakable draw of the massive Auto Shanghai Show—the oldest professional international automobile show in China. Its 15th biennial staging underlines not only the increased primacy of Chinese automotive market, but the rapid growth of its domestic production as well.
There may have been a time in the past when green was novel. But by the looks of things here, a more responsible footprint is expected from vehicle manufacturers of all stripes and sizes. The fiat is clear: mankind will be getting into a viable, sustainable eco-future aboard alternatively fueled vehicles. Even as the tried-and-tested internal combustion engine continues to be the vehicular power plant of choice, scientists, engineers, and boardroom executives have trained their sights on hybrids, electrics, and alternative fuels.
The proof is in the pudding, of course, and I have some. Consider that iconic German marque Porsche— long known for its brutal, robust performance—now releases an electrichybrid combo engine for a new variant of the Panamera saloon. The Panamera S E-Hybrid musters an impressive fuel consumption figure of three liters per 100 kilometers.
That certainly affirms that a wind of change is sweeping us into a time that could potentially unshackle us from the whims of oil. Porsche AG chairman Matthias Müller reminds us that this paradigm actually adheres to the core competence of the company— performance and efficiency.
The number of brands represented here under the aegis of the Volkswagen Group alone is staggering: Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Ducati, Scania, Man, and Porsche. Add to this mix an array of Chinese brands (many of which we haven’t even heard of in the Philippines), and other marques from Asia, Europe, and America—and you have one complete and comprehensive show.
Aside from car, bus, truck, and special-purpose vehicles brands are a multitude of car parts, components, and accessories distributors and manufacturers. If you’re inclined, you could presumably assemble your own vehicle in the premises. Seriously.
One could understand the full-on support of the Volkswagen Group for China. This year, the company commemorates 30 years of a “successful, sustainable partnership” with the Asian superpower. After the first Volkswagen Santana rolled out of the assembly line
in 1983, VW reached an incredible one million units in 1998, while FAW-Volkswagen topped the same figure with the Jetta in 2006. All told, VW has invested some 15.7 billion Euro in the country.
Bentley Motors chair and CEO Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber gave a sneak preview of the new Bentley Flying Spur on the eve of the auto show. The luxury sedan, said Shreiber, has been “redesigned and reengineered” to be “lighter, faster, and more fuel e¯cient.”
Meanwhile, Audi AG chairman Rupert Stadler introduced the A3 Sporty Sedan. “You know, designers love flowing lines. They avoid everything that has corners and steps, especially in the compact sedan class,” he shares. “When Audi creates designs, it always results in appealing lines and curves.”
Stadler has a reason to be bullish about the new A3; Audi has been the no.1 premium brand in China for an incredible 25 years. The Audi market here is the second biggest in the world. Stadler further tells that the company recently presented its very first plug-in hybrid, the A3 E-Tron.