A China state-owned automobile manufacturer has announced plans to enter Mexico.
Chang’an Automobile Group, better known as Changan Motors, will market five models through its local partner Motor Nation in 30 dealerships and will open five brand only showrooms in large cities.
Changan Motors is one of China’s “Big 4” automakers, along with Dongfeng, FAW and Shanghai General Motors, which partners with U.S. giant General Motors. Changan is present in more than 60 countries in the world and is more than 150 years old.
The models are to be sold in Mexico are the compact sedan Alsvin; the sports utility vehicles CS35 Plus, CS55 Plus Turbo and CS75 Plus Turbo; and the mini-SUV Uni-T.
Prices start at 259,900 pesos (about US $13,000) for the Alsvin, 300,000 to 415,000 pesos for the CS35 Plus and the turbo model ($15,000 to $20,700) and 490,000 to 560,000 pesos for the CS55 Plus ($24,400 to $27,900). Prices for the other models were not available.
In 2020, Changan Motors produced more than 2 million cars. The company was founded in 1862 by Hongzhang Li as a weapons manufacturer. In 1957, he entered the automotive industry.
In 2009, China produced 13.79 million vehicles, surpassing the United States as the world’s largest automobile producer by volume. Now, China dominates: in 2020 the Asian nation produced more than 25 million vehicles, while the United States produced fewer than 9 million, according to Statista.
Mexico produced 3.04 million vehicles last year and 3.75 million in 2019.
With reports from Dinero en Imagen
