[Aika Car Aika Perspective Original]
Introduction: Young people do not know that steel cannons are good, and mistake SUVs for treasure. Hao Shou wanted to go crazy, but the steel cannon was nowhere to be found.
Two weeks ago, a domestic spy photo of Elantra N really excited me for a while, and even began to look forward to the beautiful picture after getting the test drive, completely disregarding the fact that modern officials did not explicitly say that they would officially introduce this car into the country. The reason for such excitement is that there are more than ten electric models, SUVs released or listed almost every month, it is becoming more and more difficult to find a fun and not too expensive civilian steel cannon, and even the frequency of the word "civilian steel cannon" is getting lower and lower, and it is gradually forgotten.
Excitement to excitement, the truth is still to be said: completely unoptimistic about the market prospects of steel gun models including the Elantra N (if introduced) in China.
Roughly counting these years, we have "sent" Fox ST, Carnival ST, Octavia RS, and also waved goodbye to Suzuki Speedwing and Civic Si, and rubbed shoulders with Megane RS and LEON CUPRA... This list of names is long enough to surprise that the Chinese people have had so many "small space", "poor practicality", "no cost performance" but interesting enough choices.
From the debut of the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 2021 to the exposure of domestic spy photos half a month ago, although the modern official has not yet spoken out, there are various indications that Elantra N still has a high probability of being introduced into The Country.
But why did they, which were once in the world's largest auto market, choose to withdraw? Isn't the renminbi fragrant?
Now that you think about the Internet to look up the sales data of these models that have been "delisted" from the Chinese auto market, it is quite difficult, but there are still some clues from other sources: in a recall in June 2016, Suzuki China officially recalled a total of 288 Speedwings sold in the Chinese market from December 2014 to October 2015, with an average of less than 30 units per month In 2020, Volkswagen recalled a total of 1084 SEAT LEONs produced in 2011-2012 sold in Chinese mainland (including fr, FR+, and other non-high-performance versions, as the most expensive CUPRA in the whole series can be imagined to have sales)...... With such dismal sales data, it is no wonder that small steel cannons have fled the Chinese market.
There were so many options in front of us, but in the end they all left us.
Let's look at what is still adhering: if the niche models of the previous two imported brands are not representative, then the Golf GTI and Lynk & Co 03+ can always be counted as representative models of the domestic "civilian steel cannon" industry: According to the data of many institutions, the annual sales of the Golf GTI in 2021 are about 3,000-4,000 (thanks to the eight generations of GTI listed in September); Lynk & Co 03+ from August 2019 to January 2021, with more than 10,000 units sold in 17 months. For the steel gun model is already a miracle, but the average monthly sales are only about 500-600, a proper edge model.
Even if it is a representative model of the steel cannon camp, the sales of golf GTI and Lynk & Co 03+ are difficult to call ideal.
The "car" has gone, and the life left behind is not very prosperous, and the steel cannon is not satisfied with the water and soil in the country. The reason is that in addition to the macro policy in recent years for fuel vehicles is indeed not good enough (for performance cars, especially civilian steel guns are particularly unfriendly), the lack of maturity of automobile culture and other objective factors are not mentioned, "whether the car companies for their own steel gun models have really been carefully operated" is also worth considering.
Let's take the benchmark model Golf GTI as an example, the eighth generation GTI engine is not updated with the overseas version (EA888 Evo4), and the VAQ front axle electronically controlled limited-slip differential is not provided... For this kind of "characteristic" reduction, which of the prospective car owners who are really willing to pay money will not understand and which will not mind?
The domestic eight-generation GTI has not updated the EA888 Evo4 engine at the same time as overseas models.
At the publicity level, in addition to the large-scale publicity and experience activities carried out by Lynk & Co 03+ in the early stage of listing, there have been few cases of large-scale experience activities for car owners or potential users in recent years. Imagine how many consumers would have known that the car was tuned by the Polestar team (now renamed Cyan Racing), the former Volvo's high-performance division, without the massive publicity campaign of the year? How many users can understand the role of carbon fiber kits in increasing downforce, and how forging rings help to reduce vehicle weight? If there is no similar publicity for models and brands, I am afraid that in the eyes of many non-car enthusiasts, the aura of your Golf GTI is far better than that of a leopard known as "benchmarking AMG".
Brands don't give users the opportunity to experience products like steel cannons with multiple sensory stimuli as their biggest selling point, so how can non-heavy car enthusiasts understand the story behind them?
The long-term decline of civilian steel guns has allowed some "sports models" with high-profile appearances to become popular in China.
Spending money on "driving control meetings", "experience camps", and "XX tours" is still useful after all. Otherwise, could the money of BMW and Porsche be blown by the wind?
Pulling it a little farther, pulling back, if Elantra N finally decides to introduce, how to avoid repeating the same mistakes?
Unlike the Civic TYPE R that has been determined to be introduced within the year, Honda itself has many owners/fans in China, and its sales volume has been at the forefront for many years, and the TYPE R has a considerable mass base; on the other hand, the Elantra N can be counted as a blank piece of paper in China, and Hyundai has continued to decline in sales in China since 2017 (in fact, it is not only Hyundai that is in a dilemma, according to relevant data, the market share of Korean cars in January 2022 is less than 2%).
The TYPE R, which has been determined to be introduced within the year, has a considerable mass base in the country, which is unmatched by the Elantra N.
At the time when the brand influence and product sales were not very prosperous, still considering the introduction of a model with such a niche positioning, people could not help but sigh that in addition to the modern "head iron", they also had a little more goodwill and respect for the Korean company (it was really rare to have the same attitude towards Honda's decision to introduce TYPE R).
Since word of mouth also needs to be accumulated from scratch, it is a good strategy to learn from the operation of Lynk & Co when Lynk & Co launched Lynk & Co 03+, not to mention that Hyundai N has also won the dominant performance in WRC and WTCR and other events, which can be used as a promotional point for Elantra N to popularize the N series of N-series Genes to domestic consumers, as well as the transplantation of WRC racing technology by Elantra N at the mechanical level.
Compared to the regular Version of the Elantra, the Elantra N, which has track genes, has made several enhancements to the body, and is also equipped with an integrated drive axle inspired by WRC racing.
Of course, in essence, the biggest selling point of steel cannons and cannons is actually sensory stimulation, and sensory stimulation needs to be experienced by practice, so while cooperating with the publicity, it must be an essential link for potential users to experience directly on the track. If possible, you can consider preparing a few more "sporty-looking" models of certain brands as a comparison (similar to operating some independent brands to play a thief). I believe that as long as you run a few more laps under the guidance of professional coaches on the track, even people with dull senses can experience the huge difference in performance between the steel cannon and those "mother cannon" models launched to cater to the fun of "ghost fire" youth.
Brands such as BMW, Porsche and other brands, their sports reputation accumulation and precipitation, in addition to relying on the outstanding performance of various car events, but also due to the marketing strategy of "long-term cultivation of users through holding various driving control training/experience activities".
With the combination of one move and one static, coupled with the cultivation of users for a longer time and more sustainability, the modern N department and Elantra N will not only play the role of a hurried passerby at least in China. You ask about sales? No one really hopes that the introduction of a niche model will be able to stop the decline in Hyundai's sales in China year after year, right? Isn't the greater significance of the introduction of Elantra N, like Genesis, to enhance the brand image of modern and even Korean cars, and then to increase the sales of family models?
Conclusion: The definite introduction of TYPE R and the greater possibility of the introduction of Elantra N seem to have shown signs of recovery in the domestic civilian steel cannon market that is close to extinction, but if you want these large toys, which are known as "low cost performance" in the public's mouth, to remain in the domestic market for a longer time, and then provide a more class of choices for car buyers with niche needs, in fact, car companies need to put down the obsession of "selling cars" for a short time and cultivate them with an unconventional business idea for a long time. If it is only a short-term test of the water, the sale of one or two years will disappear without a trace, the harm is not only the feelings of the owners of the car that have been purchased, but also the negative effect on the brand image.
Highlights review:
High probability into the country Elantra N spy photos / patent diagram exposure
Golf GTI vs Lynk & Co 03+ Youth Carnival!
Performance re-feeding track test drive Lynk & Co 03+Cyan customized version