Motor Vehicles and Parts News
- Volkswagen debuts Magotan,challenging Toyota's Camry
Date: 16-Jul-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
VOLKSWAGEN AG, the biggest overseas carmaker in China, started selling Magotan sedans in the country last week, challenging Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry.
The car, equipped with a 1.8-liter or 2-liter engine, is priced from 192,800 yuan (US$25,000), Volkswagen said in an e-mailed statement. Toyota's China-made Camry starts at 197,800 yuan.
Volkswagen, based in Wolfsburg, Germany, plans to add as many as 14 new models in China by the end of 2009 in a bid to maintain its market lead. The company's Santana and Jetta sedans claimed the top two spots in first-half sales rankings in the country. The Camry, which went on sale last year, was ranked fourth.
'The Magotan helps to diversify FAW-Volkswagen's product structure, allowing us to be more competitive in the market,'An Tiecheng, president of FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co., one of Volkswagen's China ventures, said in the statement.
Volkswagen had about 19 percent of China's car market in the first half after boosting sales by a quarter to 431,369.
FAW-Volkswagen, a venture with China FAW Group Corp., will make the Magotan, which sells as the Passat in Europe. Volkswagen also has a venture with Shanghai Automotive Co., the listed unit of SAIC Motor Corp.
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