Apart from a couple of brands (MG and Great Wall), the Sino influence has been restricted to a smattering of Chinese-built cars (e.g. Skoda Superb and the new LEVC London Taxi), ownership of former Western brands like Volvo and Lotus, and shareholdings in companies like PSA Group. Yet, brands like BYD, Landwind, Chery, Hongqi, Brilliance, Dongfeng and BAIC, among a host of other Chinese government-owned companies, have been very slow to make an impact elsewhere except in their hectic domestic markets.
However, the ‘Challenge 100 Degrees - Geely Goes Global, Powered by Shell’ European Tour concluded recently at Goodwood Circuit, in Sussex. It was signified by Geely Auto Group and Shell signing a global cooperation agreement broadened beyond just lubricants. The conclusion of the event also marks Geely Auto’s active participation in global markets, the sharing of opportunities, reshaping the global industrial chain and accelerating the company’s goal to become a Top Ten global carmaker.
Starting from Xi’an on May 4th, the team drove over 18,000km across Asia and Europe, passing through 58 cities in nine countries and stopping in Moscow, Minsk, Hamburg and Paris prior to Goodwood. They faced difficult road conditions and travelled 108 degrees of longitude, through three different climate zones, to complete the journey, which was as much a demonstration of the Bo Yue model’s ability to drive long distances, as to display its quality, craftsmanship and character.
The Bo Yue is the first Smart Connected SUV produced by Geely. By combining comfort, connectivity and safety, it is establishing itself as the leader in its class. In fact, more than 500,000 units have been sold in the past two years since its launch, thus topping SUV sales in China.
Geely Auto Group's deeper partnership with Shell represents another step in the globalisation of Chinese car brands. In 2018, Geely plans to set up a new design studio in the UK to support Lotus Cars, a company it acquired earlier this year, as well as a new R&D centre in Europe that Volvo (another of its charges) will also use, as it will become an innovation hub for the group’s five research and development centres and five design studios around the world. Geely employs over 15,000 research staff from over 40 countries currently.
The promised surge of new Chinese cars being sold in the UK was stymied by so few of them being able to pass the NCap crash safety tests. However, the more progressive (and aggressive) brands have been tackling the issues with renewed vigour. As a result, it is only a matter of time before a few completely new names will appear on our roads.
