The car giant started by marrying the daughter of the king

Chapter 403: Marching into Europe and becoming a troublemaker?

Before going to the European branch, Chen Chenxing made a special trip back to China and reported the situation in the Middle East market to Jiang Hui in detail.

This gave Jiang Hui a deeper understanding of the situation over there.

Considering that the next market to be attacked is the most difficult European market, Jiang Hui is also prepared to use some trump cards.

At that time, we will make some noise in Europe, the base camp of the automobile industry, and make Land Rover famous.

"Xiao Chen, European consumers attach great importance to the three traditional components: chassis, engine and gearbox."

"Our Land Rover G series models do not have a particularly obvious advantage in this regard."

"Some European consumers still prefer diesel-powered models, which is our current weakness."

“So if we want to achieve some success in the European market this time, we have to come up with some other tricks.”

Although Jiang Hui has never been to Europe in this life, he is not unfamiliar with the European automobile market.

Compared with other markets, the situation here is indeed more complicated.

However, from the perspective of future generations, it is still easier for Chinese car companies to enter the European market than the American market.

Not to mention it’s only 1986.

"Master, can we also consider developing diesel versions of off-road vehicles and pickup trucks?"

"I see that Toyota LC70 has many diesel versions."

Since Jiang Hui mentioned diesel engines, Chen Chenxing wanted to have a good discussion on this topic.

"The diesel engine version does have a good market overseas, but we have mainly focused on gasoline engines before, and the diesel version will take a few years to be available."

In China, diesel engines give people the impression that they are only used in bulky trucks and construction machinery.

Almost no OEM uses diesel engines in passenger cars.

However, overseas, there are many diesel engine versions of both sedans and SUVs.

The national conditions of each country are quite different.

"The appearance of our current models and the advantages of hot stamping are enough to bring us dividends for several years."

"It would be a good idea to launch a diesel-powered version during the mid-term facelift."

As the head of the sales department, Chen Chenxing certainly hopes that the configurations of various models can be enriched so that the needs of different consumers can be fully met.

"This time when you arrive in Europe, you must first find a way to make some noise in the German market."

"As long as we take over the German market, the difficulty in other countries will be relatively lower."

"In Germany, there are many highways with no speed limit, and the safety requirements for cars are higher."

"You can talk to car magazines, relevant management departments, consumer protection associations and the like."

"We will see if we can cooperate with these institutions to get ahead of the curve and proactively promote requirements for improving the strength of automobile bodies."

"Then our Land Rover G-series off-road vehicle took this opportunity to promote collision safety."

Jiang Hui knew that in the German market, Land Rover could not use the same marketing method as the American market.

After all, without the help of local bosses like General Motors, it would be much more difficult for Land Rover to cause trouble.

However, as long as the safety of the Land Rover G-series off-road vehicles is really good, there is no need to worry that there is no way to deal with it.

Compared to media in other regions, there are a large number of specialized car-related magazines here.

Although these magazines cannot be said to be 100% objective and fair, they still have to maintain their reputation.

The Land Rover G-series off-road vehicle has an absolute advantage in collision resistance, and some magazines will definitely report on it.

By then, some local dealers should be interested in the Land Rover G Series.

Compared with China's later 4S store sales model, dealers in Europe are often responsible for more than one brand.

In the same store, you can often buy cars from several brands.

This is actually beneficial to Land Rover, an outsider.

Otherwise, if we build a large-scale 4S store specifically for Land Rover cars, it is estimated that few dealers will be interested.

Now, just pick up the car and sell it in the store, the risk is much smaller.

"Well, I have already asked people from the European branch to make preparations in this regard."

"At that time, I will promise all dealers that as long as the car is not sold within three months of delivery, we will allow them to return the car to us in full."

"This policy will be effective for the next year."

In order to break the deadlock, Chen Chenxing prepared to use his ultimate move.

You can return the car after picking it up, which is absolutely unprecedented in the automotive industry.

After all, it’s not your car that has quality problems.

"Sure, but if that happens, Land Rover will probably become a thorn in the side of many car companies."

Jiang Hui was naturally well aware of the lethality of this move.

A normal automobile company would definitely not agree to such terms from dealers.

Land Rover is trying to stir up trouble and disrupt the European car dealer landscape.

"Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes and other car companies will definitely be unhappy, but we still have some tricks up our sleeves."

"As long as any car company takes some targeted measures against us, we will take out their best-selling car and conduct a collision test with the Land Rover G series."

"When the time comes, we will invite all kinds of media to participate. Even if the relevant news cannot be reported in the end, it will bring great pressure to those car companies."

"After all, in the face of absolute superiority and objective facts, even if they have the ability to cover up the news, some of it will get out."

This time when Chen Chenxing went to Europe, he did not plan to sell cars normally.

In a mature automobile market, Land Rover has no reputation and is still a Chinese automobile company.

If normal marketing methods are used, it is estimated that no consumer will be interested in the Land Rover G Series.

In order to survive, you have to do something.

Anyway, sometimes, black and red are also red.

As long as the Land Rover G Series becomes famous, even if various car companies and parts manufacturers purchase it for research purposes, they can sell hundreds of units.

With these hundreds of vehicles being issued, dealers' interest will also increase.

At that time, for their own interests, dealers will actively recommend the Land Rover G Series to consumers and introduce its advantages to them.

It would be best if some car magazines could publish related news.

"Okay, you can do whatever you want."

“At that time, we can also start the sales business of hot stamping parts.”

"After what you did, I think European car companies will become more interested in hot stamping parts technology."

"Automakers like GM and Ford have already started to take action, and I don't believe European automakers will remain indifferent."

As the birthplace of hot stamping parts technology, European car companies were the first to use this technology.

According to historical development, Volkswagen and other automobile companies were also the first manufacturers to start using hot stamping parts on a large scale.

While Toyota and other Japanese automakers are still considering whether to use hot stamping technology for B-pillars, Volkswagen's Audi and other models have already used more than 20 hot stamping parts on a single car.

Now that Land Rover has taken the lead, the other party will definitely be faster in this regard.

"No problem, but European parts companies will probably not remain indifferent."

"I heard that Benteler and Gestamp are both researching hot stamping technology."

“It may not be that easy for us to win hot stamping orders as quickly as in the American market.”

Chen Chenxing told the information he had learned.

As the birthplace of the automobile industry, it is not easy for Chinese automobile companies or parts companies to make a splash in Europe.

Especially since it is only the 1980s, China's automobile industry has no presence in the world at all.

"Faced with different markets, our bottom line is that we can be flexible."

"We can cooperate with Bentler or Gestamp."

"Whether it's a joint venture or a technical collaboration, as long as we can make money, that's fine."

"Of course, we must be careful not to let them easily steal our core technology."

Jiang Hui did not expect to monopolize hot stamping technology in Europe. This was simply unrealistic.

The auto parts industry here is very developed, and you can find manufacturers producing all kinds of parts.

Nanshan Technology's hot stamping technology is essentially derived from Europe, but it has achieved large-scale commercial production more quickly.

As long as European companies are willing to invest manpower and material resources and spend a few years, they can also achieve large-scale mass production.

Nanshan Technology just got there first.

In this situation, Jiang Hui was considering how to take advantage of this opportunity to maximize his benefits.

Don’t think too much about other things.

"If we can accept cooperation with local parts companies, then this matter will be much easier to handle."

It will also be easier for OEMs such as Volkswagen to accept it.

"In the early stage, we exported parts from China, and then produced them at our European partners."

“We realize additional revenue by selling hot stamping materials, dies or related production lines.”

"Maybe this cooperation case can become a benchmark case for export and foreign exchange earnings."

Chen Chenxing thought about it for a moment and felt that this matter was very promising.

In recent years, almost all domestic factories have been trying to import equipment from abroad.

If the BMW Group can sell its hot stamping production lines in a package to European parts companies, it will definitely be a very good result.

Through this kind of transaction, BMW Group can also make money on the production line, and do to Chinese companies what European and American companies did to them.

It is clearly a production line worth tens of millions of RMB, but it can be sold at a price of tens of millions of US dollars.

The profits behind this are definitely very considerable.

In the future, Nanshan Technology can fully utilize the money earned from selling equipment to achieve capacity expansion and technological upgrades, thereby ensuring its leading position in the hot stamping field.

……

After reporting the various arrangements of the European branch to Jiang Hui, Chen Chenxing soon officially flew to Germany and started a new expansion journey. Along with his various actions, the automobile companies and parts companies in Europe all responded.

"Lucas, according to what you said, although the BMW Group is a Hong Kong-funded enterprise, it is currently the largest automobile company in China."

"Land Rover, as a brand under the BMW Group, has now opened up the American market."

"After Land Rover G Series was rebadged as Buick G Series in America, sales were very good?"

Although Volkswagen has already cooperated with China, it is still relatively unfamiliar with China's overall situation.

After Chen Chenxing's aggressive moves in Germany, many car companies have taken notice of Land Rover, the outsider.

As the chairman of Volkswagen, Schmidt specifically called back Lucas, the general manager of Shanghai Volkswagen, to report various information related to BMW Group and Land Rover.

At the beginning, Schmidt felt that he attached great importance to Land Rover, otherwise he would not have called back the general manager of the joint venture to make a report.

But after listening to the report, he felt that he still didn't take Land Rover seriously enough.

This is totally a dragon crossing the river.

"Yes, as far as I know, the production of Land Rover G series models now exceeds 10,000 units per month."

"Most of them are exported to the United States and sold by General Motors under its own brand name."

"Another part is exported to the Middle East market and sold in China."

"Now they are obviously eyeing the European market and want to replicate the success of the Land Rover G series here."

Lucas gave his reply very affirmatively.

When he was in Hua Xia, the staff of the Shanghai Automobile Sales Department would report the market situation to him regularly every month.

As the largest automobile company in China, BMW Group is naturally the most important reporting entity.

BMW Illumination, Mercedes-Benz sedans, Land Rover G series models, each of these products is so unique, and there are many things that Volkswagen can learn from.

So Lucas specifically studied a lot of relevant information.

I didn't expect that this report back to the headquarters would actually come in handy.

According to Volkswagen's internal organizational structure, there are still several levels between Lucas and Schmidt.

If it weren't for this incident, Lucas would not have had the opportunity to report directly to Schmidt.

After all, the current Chinese market is not as important as it will be in the future.

Naturally, the status of the general manager of the joint venture within the Volkswagen Group was not as high as it is in later generations.

"After the Land Rover G Series uses hot stamping technology, has the body strength really been greatly improved?"

Although he had just listened to the report, Schmidt still found it a little unbelievable.

When did the technology level of cars produced in China become higher than that of European and American car companies?

This completely overturned his cognition.

You should know that when Volkswagen was discussing a joint venture with the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant, it also learned about the situation of China's automobile industry.

At that time, Schmidt did not have any special feelings other than that the Chinese automobile market was a blue ocean.

I didn't expect the situation to change so quickly.

"From the technical principle of hot stamping parts, the strength of hot stamping parts is indeed much higher than that of traditional cold stamping parts."

"General Motors in America has specially organized a collision test between the G series and Toyota and Nissan models."

"I've read some related reports, and the test results are very exaggerated."

"The body strength of the Land Rover G series is much stronger than other models."

Once again, Lucas answered in the affirmative.

This kind of thing can be figured out with just a little investigation.

If he gave wrong information and caused Schmidt to make a wrong decision, he would be blamed.

“It seems that we really need to take the market performance of the Land Rover G series in Europe seriously and also consider the use of hot stamping technology.”

After thinking about it for a while, Schmidt came up with an idea.

Although cars have been around for hundreds of years, a new round of changes seems to be beginning now.

Whether it is changes in electronic and electrical related fields or changes in styling and appearance design, there are obvious differences compared with previous years.

Volkswagen aspires to become the world's largest automobile company, so Schmidt's ideas will naturally be a little different.

Other car companies have taken the same action as Volkswagen.

BMW even had in-depth communication directly with Nanshan Technology, which took the initiative to contact it.

"Walls, our design center has confirmed that after using a large number of hot stamping parts, the collision strength of the 7 Series will be greatly improved."

"This is very important for us to establish the 7 Series in the luxury car segment."

"Otherwise, if we launch the new generation 7 Series in the second half of this year and our competitors use it to compete with the Land Rover G Series, it will cause us great trouble."

As BMW's design director, Vardy actually started confirming the situation of Land Rover G today.

America is the world's largest automobile market, so BMW is naturally very concerned about various developments happening there.

The groundbreaking collision test conducted by General Motors previously shocked many car companies in the industry.

Many car companies have purchased the Land Rover G Series and conducted their own low-key collision tests to see if their own models perform so poorly after a collision.

Needless to say, in the face of epoch-making technological advantages, we are all garbage.

Now that Land Rover G has begun to enter the European market, Nanshan Technology has taken the initiative to contact the purchasing departments of various automobile manufacturers.

Therefore, Vardy is very keen to use hot stamping technology on BMW models.

Top-level models like the 7 Series can use it more, and entry-level models like the 3 Series can use it less.

However, key parts cannot be ignored unless the steel plate thickness of cold stamping parts is greatly increased.

But that would inevitably increase the weight of the car, which is not the result the design department wants to see.

"Our new generation of the 7 Series is about to go into production. Is it too late to start thinking about the design of replacement parts now?"

Of course, Walls is also well aware of the importance of the 7 Series to BMW.

In order to counter the pressure from Mercedes, BMW launched a groundbreaking product, the BMW 7 Series.

The 7 Series has undoubtedly been very successful over the years.

The second-generation 7 Series, which will be launched this year, is considered by BMW to be the most technologically advanced model in the world today.

Now that this slogan has been applied to the Land Rover G Series, everyone feels a little uneasy.

“We can make design changes in the simplest way possible, without changing the shape and size of all parts.”

“It’s just a matter of changing the material of the relevant steel plate to make it a hot stamping part.”

"This way, we can meet the requirements in the long-wheelbase version of the car that is planned to be launched next year."

Vardy has obviously thought about this issue.

So the answer was given immediately.

This option is similar to GM's previous choice.

In fact, designers are well aware that using hot stamping technology will definitely be beneficial to improving the strength of the vehicle body.

And from a design perspective, there is no difficulty at all.

If you want to be lazy, just change the material of the parts.

If you want to calculate more accurately, you can reduce the thickness of some parts to further reduce vehicle weight and cost.

BMW does not have much time left at the moment, and directly changing the material is undoubtedly the fastest solution.

"Since you think the plan is feasible, communicate with the procurement center and ask them to take action as soon as possible."

Walls didn't hesitate.

For the BMW 7 Series, the cost increase caused by using hot stamping parts can be completely absorbed.

After all, this is a high-end luxury car, and a price increase of $1000 or so is not a big deal.

Soon, Chen Chenxing received contact from BMW. The two sides quickly completed technical exchanges and started the first round of quotations.

Then, based on the schedule given by BMW, Nanshan Technology officially responded with the time it could respond.

Nanshan Technology’s first order in Europe has been officially won.

This speed is definitely very fast.

BMW gave the order to Nanshan Technology before it even had time to arrange personnel to go to Shenzhen for inspection.

Of course, the other party trusts Nanshan Technology so much mainly because Nanshan Technology has provided a large number of hot stamping parts for the Land Rover G series.

Then General Motors and other automakers have also placed orders with Nanshan Technology.

In an invisible way, this can also be considered a kind of endorsement.

Therefore, BMW can arrange personnel to go to Nanshan Technology to conduct confirmation on site later, and at the same time track the progress of parts preparation.

"Mr. Chen, this time it's all thanks to you. I didn't expect BMW to agree so readily to use a large number of hot stamping parts on the 7 Series."

“Although the planned annual production volume of the 7 Series is only 4 units, the number of parts used is large enough to serve as a very good publicity tool for our company.”

In a tavern in Munich, Liu Yushu and Chen Chenxing were holding a low-key celebration party.

After achieving a breakthrough in the American market, Nanshan Technology quickly obtained new orders in the European market.

Liu Yushu, the person in charge of hot stamping parts, was naturally very excited.

As long as he does it well, he can definitely leave his name in the global automotive industry.

"BMW has chosen to cooperate with us, so I think Mercedes won't have to wait too long."

"Otherwise, if BMW brings out its 7 Series to clash with the Mercedes S-Class, the latter will be put in a passive position."

"However, these OEMs will only consider using us directly at the beginning."

“There will probably be some other ideas for other projects later.”

"It is possible for us to build a factory in Germany or cooperate with European parts companies."

Although Chen Chenxing was very happy, he remained calm.

The current situation is just a good start. It is hard to say whether we can continue to develop in such a good momentum.

(End of this chapter)