Even if the original is facing the impact of new energy, but the current gasoline version of the "performance car" emerges in an endless stream, for young people's "passion" for the car finally has a place to release.
In fact, imported performance cars have always been sold in China, especially German brands, and the products provided are also very rich.
However, new cars made in China by Chinese brands and joint venture brands are also gradually providing "performance versions".
Whether it is a shadow leopard of more than 100,000 yuan, or a lynk & Co 03+ of 200,000 yuan, or the upcoming introduction of Civic Type R, there are now more and more new cars that emphasize sports attributes.
Regardless of the strength of these "performance cars" in the end, the news that these models are about to appear in China alone can make people excited, so what is the reason why both Chinese brands and joint venture brands choose to lay out performance cars? And what performance cars will appear in China? Today, I will talk to you.
Honda Civic Type R and other performance cars will be introduced to China
In January, the news that the Civic Type R or will introduce Dongfeng Honda domestic production was exposed, which completely ignited the passion of Honda powder, and in the eyes of many fans, this god car not only represents the top level of the front-drive performance car, but also has almost become the faith of Honda powder.
In the recent past, the news that Hyundai Elantra N may be domestic has also successfully attracted the attention of performance car fans, although its reputation in China is not as big as the Civic Type R, but in terms of performance, the 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.3 seconds is eye-catching enough.
In addition to joint venture brands, independent brands also have new cars worth paying attention to, such as the 2.0T version of Changan UNI-V. Although the official did not publicize the positioning of its performance car, in the eyes of young consumers, the "human setting" of frameless doors + electric rear wing + coupe model + 2.0T engine seems to be enough to be in the category of performance cars, after all, Shadow Leopard does not have these.
In addition to the above performance cars that are determined to appear, the relevant introduction of the new Nissan Z appeared on the official website of Nissan China, which also caused people to have a lot of reverie.
Young consumers have become the main force of car buying
Whether it is a Chinese brand or a joint venture brand, the reasons for the continuous introduction of performance cars are mainly divided into two parts, one part is the market reason, and the other part is the benefit to the brand itself.
First look at the factors of the market part, the current automobile market is dominated by young consumers is already a fact for all to see, and the post-90s or even post-00s have become the main consumer groups, which also determines the product layout of each brand. They clearly prefer sporty design and more power.
This also makes brands strive to create their own youthful image and products, the most obvious example is the Audi A6L, this generation of models using a more youthful design, almost completely with the previous "official car" calm image goodbye, and actively open up the young market.
A shift in the concept of consumption
Before 2010, domestic performance cars were rare, because at that time, consumer demand for cars was to meet the needs of the whole family, low cost of the car and durable, and a car for 8 years, 10 years is also common.
But now the concept of young consumers has changed significantly, with the development of the national economic level, families with multiple cars are more common, which will make some consumers begin to pursue personality and meet their preferences when buying a second car, coupled with the shortening of the car replacement cycle, it will begin to make niche performance cars be selected by more consumers.
It has a positive impact on enhancing the brand image
In addition to market factors, the launch of performance cars also has a positive impact on the brand itself, first of all, to enhance the brand's youthful image.
For example, Honda, Civic Type R itself has a good reputation and prestige in the eyes of domestic car fans, after the introduction of domestic, will further enhance the brand awareness, even if the budget is limited and can not afford to buy Type R consumers, may also be interested in the ordinary version of the Civic, thereby increasing sales, which may have a positive impact on both the brand and the actual sales.
For example, Hyundai will introduce Elantra N into China, and the impact on the brand will be even greater. Because in the eyes of most consumers in China, the modern brand image may be economical and durable, and performance and sports do not have much to do with it, and the excellent performance of Elantra N (can be found in the "Looking for a Driver's Car" program to find answers) If it is understood by the majority of consumers, it may subvert the image of the modern brand, thus opening up the market for subsequent products.
Even if the launch of the performance car does not take advantage of the brand rejuvenation, the brand awareness will also have an impact, such as Mercedes-AMG A35L and Trumpchi Shadow Leopard, these two cars have caused heated discussion after the launch, no matter what the final result, at least let more people recognize these two cars, which is also a success.
Can you salvage a fortune with a performance car?
In addition to the positive impact on the brand, can the launch of performance cars benefit manufacturers in terms of practical benefits? The answer is obviously no, from the performance car model alone, the probability will be to lose money, but from the perspective of the entire car series, such as Civic + Civic Type R, there may be hope.
For performance cars imported directly from the vehicle, such as models such as bmw M240i, subject to factors such as import taxes and fees, the pricing is destined not to be too close to the people, so the audience is limited. So what about domestically producing performance cars to reduce costs, thereby reducing prices and increasing sales?
In fact, it is not very good. For example, the Honda Civic Type R is assembled and sold in the form of CKD, that is, parts are imported and assembled in China, which will not reduce the cost too much. And even if it is fully localized, performance cars are always niche models, and monthly sales are limited, so they will not generate huge profits.
And the development of the performance car itself also needs a lot of money, such as the Elantra N, although the body is the same as the ordinary Elantra, but the engine, chassis, suspension and other parts all need to be redesigned and adjusted, which will not only cost a lot of money, but also need time costs, so the performance car is more like a brand totem.
summary
Whether it is the introduction of joint venture brands or the continuous development of Chinese brands, it is a good thing for consumers. Consumers with sufficient budgets can choose products with stronger performance, and for ordinary consumers, although the domestic "performance car" mentioned in this article still has room for improvement in performance, it is good that the "face project" is in place, and the atmosphere of experiencing the performance car can also be satisfied.