Rebirth 99 to become a car giant

Throughout early December, the popularity of China's automobile industry was basically dominated by Nanshan Group.

Nanshan Battery, in particular, has completely entered the public eye this time and is out of the circle.

However, the more rapidly changing the market is, the more news will emerge.

Just when everyone thought that 2009 was going to end like this, on December 22, Imperial Auto Group officially announced a big news.

This immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the Chinese automobile industry.

Mi Ying naturally reported to Cao Yang immediately.

"Mr. Cao, according to the news last night, the Imperial Automobile Group has completed the acquisition of the relevant intellectual property rights of the Swedish Saab Automobile Company, including the current three vehicle platforms including the Saab 9-5 and 9-3 and two series of turbochargers. Technical ownership of compression engines and gearboxes and partial production and manufacturing molds.”

"As the pioneer of turbocharged engines, Saab has always occupied a supreme position in the hearts of foreign car fans. What Saab technology has gained is consumers' recognition of power technology."

"I feel that this acquisition by the Imperial Auto Group is to completely form its own powertrain technology and vehicle model platform."

"It is very likely that they will no longer purchase engines and gearboxes from our group in the future."

When reporting to Cao Yang, Mi Ying naturally focused on the impact of this incident on Nanshan Group.

Instead of simply explaining it to Cao Yang as if it were an interesting thing.

Nanshan Group is now China's largest auto parts supplier, and almost all OEMs use some of the parts produced by Nanshan Group to a greater or lesser extent.

Among them, various independent brands purchase large quantities of Nanshan engines and Nanshan gearboxes.

Imperial Auto Group is no exception.

For their own brand cars, some engines and gearboxes are also purchased from Nanshan Group.

Now it has acquired several Saab models and technologies. Although the overall acquisition has not been completed, it is enough for the Imperial Automobile Group.

After all, the reputation of the Saab car brand in China is very low, and the value of buying it back does not seem to be very high.

It would be better to buy back other people's technology and then launch an independent brand belonging to the Imperial Automobile Group based on this technology.

This aspect of work has been discussed within the Imperial Automobile Group for a long time.

"Logically speaking, the background of Didu Automobile Group is not much lower than that of Spring City Automobile Group."

"They are even the owners of the first joint venture car company in China, earlier than Volkswagen."

"However, I haven't made any achievements in these years, and I don't think there will be much achievements in the future."

"The Saab brand was originally acquired by General Motors on a whim, and it has never been fully integrated into GM's system."

"Now it has been torn into pieces by General Motors, divided into several parts and sold separately, and the value is even lower."

"Dedu Auto spent more than 200 million US dollars to acquire such a useless product. It would be better to spend money to introduce engine and transmission technology, or even model platforms, from us."

"This kind of constant buying and selling behavior has allowed other countries to see the charm of China's wealthy people, but the possibility of indigestion in the end is very high."

Even in later generations, few people know about the car brand Saab.

Not to mention that ordinary consumers don’t understand it, even people in the automotive industry are unfamiliar with it.

The news of Teitu Motors acquiring Saab was, to a certain extent, a play on words, making everyone think it was an acquisition similar to Xingchen Automobile's acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover and Geely Automobile's acquisition of Volvo Cars.

Actually that's not the case at all.

Saab's popularity in China is incomparable to Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo.

This is true even when looking at the whole world.

"That's true. Our engine technology and transmission technology are not unsaleable. Great Wall Motor's 1.5T engine uses our technology."

"It's a pity that some companies always feel that the technology of foreign companies they acquire is better than domestic ones."

"In fact, Saab's engine and gearbox technology are already outdated, and they are no match for Nanshan engines and Nanshan gearboxes."

Mi Ying said with confidence.

Even Ford, General Motors, and even BMW are using Nanshan transmission products, and there is no doubt about its advanced nature.

After so many years of publicity, the employees of Nanshan Group have full confidence in their company's products.

It can be said that the brand value of the "Nanshan" brand has increased invisibly over the years.

However, not every company in China's automobile industry holds this view.

For example, Great Wall Motors, which is close to Imperial Capital, appears to be relatively sensitive to the acquisition of Imperial Capital Motors.

"Mr. Wang, judging from the information released by our Imperial Auto Group in the past, their independent brands are mainly focusing on pickup trucks and SUV models. After acquiring Saab's three model platforms this time, although they will also start to enter sedans, It is estimated that it will be difficult for them to develop sedans, but they may eventually make pickup trucks and SUVs better."

"In this way, it will be our most direct competitor to Great Wall Motors."

In the same region, companies with similar positioning will obviously be more competitive.

Imperial Motors and Great Wall Motors are definitely in the same big area.

No wonder Lian Furong was worried after hearing that Teitu Motors had acquired Saab's technology.

Northern car companies often sell well in the north.

The market is just that big. As competitors become stronger, the threats to you will naturally become greater.

"The internal system of Teitu Motors is relatively rigid. Although it has spent a lot of money to acquire the technology of several Saab models, it is hard to say whether it will suffer from indigestion in the end."

"And Saab's engines and gearboxes are not necessarily better than the Nanshan Group's technology currently used by various independent brands."

"Perhaps by then the Imperial Automobile Group will have spent a lot of money, but the products will not be as good as ours."

Although Wang Ying can also feel the threat posed to him by the Imperial Automobile Group, he is still relatively stable.

After all, it will take time for the Imperial Automobile Group to truly pose a threat to Great Wall Motors.

And Great Wall Motors will not stand still and wait for everyone to catch up.

For Great Wall Motors, surpassing Chery Automobile is the most important goal now.

"Having said that, today's consumers often feel that foreign technology is better than domestic technology."

"Saab is a European car company. Their chassis and power have always been relatively good. They were even the first car company to launch a turbocharged engine."

"In this case, if guided properly, it will be very beneficial to car sales."

As the head of the sales department, Lian Furong has a good grasp of consumers' mentality.

He is relatively clear about what everyone cares about and what is a waste of money.

He is partly responsible for Great Wall Motors' rapid development in recent years.

"Let's take a look at the situation first. I think the Imperial Automobile Group may be self-defeating this time and wasting money in vain."

After Wang Ying said this, Lian Furong didn't worry about it anymore.

However, he arranged for someone to keep an eye on the dynamics of the Imperial Automobile Group.

Everyone is watching the actions of the Imperial Automobile Group, and there must be some movement within the initiator.

"Director Xu, the group's acquisition of Saab is still hot. I think we can take this opportunity to announce the name of our own brand model as soon as possible."

“This way we can quickly let consumers know our brand.”

Within the Didu Automobile Group, General Manager Ma Guojian is reporting to Chairman Xu He.

Over the years, Didu Auto Group has rarely become the focus of attention in the industry.

This feeling is so wonderful.

Ma Guojian is eager to make further achievements on this basis.

Xu He naturally supported this.

"Old Ma, you are thinking of joining me."

"I have already thought about building an independent brand belonging to the Imperial Automobile Group based on the Saab platform. I have even thought about the name. It will be called Imperial Saab."

"When the time comes, our Shenbao brand will directly compete with Mercedes-Benz when promoting it, letting everyone know that independent brands can also make good cars."

Xu He still has very high expectations for Didu Auto's independent brand.

Saab Automobile Company was born out of an aircraft manufacturing company. The power configuration and operating experience of the automobiles designed by Saab are very excellent.

Saab Automobile not only merges Scania's automobile manufacturing technology, but also integrates Swedish aircraft manufacturing technology and experience, which is why its positioning is relatively high-end.

During the acquisition of Saab, Xu He also had an in-depth understanding of the history of the brand.

In addition, Didu Benz was jointly established by Didu Automobile and Mercedes-Benz Automobile, and Xu He hoped that his own brand would take a mid-to-high-end route.

I use high-end brands to produce mid-to-high-end models, directly letting everyone know that Saab is designed to be at the level of Mercedes-Benz, but the price is much cheaper than Mercedes-Benz.

Xu He feels that such an independent brand can definitely win the favor of the market.

"Imperial Capital Shenbao?"

Ma Guojian's eyes lit up, he didn't expect that Xu He had already thought so far ahead.

"Director Xu, does this name have any special meaning?"

This question immediately opened up Xu He's desire to talk.

He had been thinking about the name for a long time, but it combined a lot of allusions and meanings, and now it was just right to show it off.

"Gentleman means belt. In the past, people wore large belts to tie their waists and hang the rest as decoration to show respect and self-discipline. In modern times, it extends to those who pay attention to etiquette externally and have cultivated taste internally, such as: Gentlemen. They are modest in appearance but strong in heart. They have ideas and value practice. They are the stabilizing force for social progress in every era."

"Bao is a name that people give to people or things they cherish, reflecting the importance people attach to these people or things. Bao is precious, cherished, and worth collecting."

"Shenbao means 'Shen's Treasure'. The Shenbao brand name not only combines the connotation of traditional Chinese culture, but also incorporates the essence of modern Western thought."

"This combination of Chinese and Western cultures is the best example of how Didu Motors adheres to the value concept of 'perseverance in making cars', inherits advanced Nordic technology, and builds China's leading independent automobile brand."

“For those modern gentlemen who work seriously, respect others, and have connotation and taste: Saab provides them with high-performance cars that they value at different stages of life achievement. This is not only an affirmation of their hard work, but also Provide them with the motivation to continue to improve.”

Xu He's words made Ma Guojian's skin crawl.

To be able to be the general manager of Imperial Automobile, Ma Guojian's level is actually not bad at all.

He actually knew that the word "SAAB" was actually the translation when "SAAB" was first introduced in Hong Kong City.

When it was introduced into the country in the early 1990s, it was as famous as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other high-end cars. Its outstanding performance earned it the praise of the "king of front-wheel drive".

Saab has created many precedents in the history of automotive technology, such as "the first to apply aviation turbocharged engine technology to civilian vehicles", "rear-wheel follow-up steering system", and "reindeer antler safety body". Its technology and safety The persistent pursuit made it become the car used by the Swedish royal family.

However, in the face of the leader's desire for performance, this information must be selectively treated as unknown.

Anyway, the name "Shenbao" was something that few Chinese people had any impression of before this.

Even professionals in the automotive industry, not many people have heard of it.

Now that Xu He has given it a rather special meaning, let’s regard Xu He’s explanation as the most authoritative.

"Dr. Xu, this name is really great."

"The success of Xingchen Motors has proven that China can also have its own luxury car brand."

"Our Saab Motors can become an independent luxury brand as famous as Xingchen Motors in the future, and it will definitely make everyone's eyes shine."

Although Ma Guojian knows that it is very difficult to achieve this goal, it does not seem to be very difficult to think that the Imperial Automobile Group already owns the technology of Saab's three model platforms and can make changes on this basis to launch its own new models. .

With Saab as a luxury brand, as long as the marketing is good, it doesn't seem impossible to catch up with XBBA in domestic sales?

“The target group of Shenbao is the ‘rational and enterprising middle class of society’.”

"They rely on their professionalism and strength to strive for career success and family happiness. They make money and spend money seriously. They are the driving force for social progress and urban development."

"High-performance cars are a boost in their enterprising journey and an affirmation of their down-to-earth and persistent spirit. They deserve a good high-performance car!"

"Lao Ma, I named the mid-to-high-end brand after 'Shenbao', which is both 'inherited and well-organized' and the best explanation for the acquisition of Saab's core intellectual property by Didu Auto. Pursue the best interpretation of the car-making concept.”

"I hope that you will personally follow up on the new models of the Shenbao brand in the future, so that our new products can become comparable to the Mercedes-Benz E series and create a market that is unique to us."

When Xu He said this, Ma Guojian's pressure suddenly increased.

Is Saab's first car really going to compete with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Isn’t this difficult for yourself?

However, he could only bite the bullet and accepted the task.

Otherwise, what can be done?

At the same time, Imperial Automobile's marketing plan has also begun to be promoted.

"Mr. Cao, I heard that this time, Didu Automobile spent 100 million yuan in special publicity expenses in order to promote the fact that Didu Automobile Group acquired Saab and then established the new Shenbao brand."

"They have even cooperated with some websites to launch relevant topics to track and report on this matter."

"According to the soft article they provided, Imperial Automobile has a very ambitious plan this time."

Yu Yu cleverly found a good opportunity to report to Cao Yang face to face.

As a subordinate, if you can't show your face in front of the leader often, it will be more difficult for you to get promoted and get a salary increase.

Yu Yu naturally understands this truth.

So she kept creating opportunities so that she could appear in Cao Yang's office to report information.

"The performance of Saab cars is indeed relatively good. After all, it is a company with a background in aircraft manufacturing and has an extraordinary pursuit of performance."

"However, across China, few consumers now truly recognize Saab as a brand comparable to Mercedes-Benz and BMW."

"In the eyes of most people, Saab is at the same level as Volkswagen, Peugeot and Citroën. It is even worse than these brands and can only be compared with the lower-level Skoda and Chevrolet."

"Didu Motors is trying to force everyone to accept Saab's luxury car attributes. I'm afraid it won't be that easy for Saab to successfully inherit its position as a luxury car."

When Mi Ying reported to Cao Yang that the Imperial Automobile Group had acquired part of Saab's technology, Cao Yang expressed his disapproval of the acquisition.

Now when discussing this topic with Yu Yu, the basic position will naturally not change.

Brand is not so easy to create.

Xingchen Automobile's achievements today are the result of Cao Yang's continuous efforts.

From power system to exterior design to marketing measures, all-round efforts have led to the current results.

Your Didu Automobile Group simply acquired some of Saab's patented technologies without even buying back the right to use the Saab brand. It just wanted to create a "Saab" brand on this basis so that everyone would recognize it as a brand. Luxury brand, isn’t that a dream?

There is a high probability that in the eyes of most consumers, "Shenbao" will be a brand on the same level as Chery, Geely, Trumpchi, etc.

Even worse, after all, you were established relatively late.

Luxury brands really don’t just have to be considered luxurious by you.

"That would be true. If Teitu Motors hadn't acquired Saab, I would have gone to learn more about Saab's history. I really wouldn't have had a deep impression of the brand, let alone that it was a luxury brand."

"This time, Didu Auto keeps asking everyone to post soft articles, which may only play a role in increasing Saab's popularity. It is probably still very difficult to really get everyone to recognize Saab."

As the general manager of Autohome, I definitely don’t like a company that wants to challenge Xingchen Automobile’s domestic position.

Of course, when faced with the advertisements sent by Didu Automobile, Yu Yu would definitely accept them.

After all, if you hate it, you still hate it, and if you make money, you still make money. These are two different things.

In the adult world, there is often no absolute black and white.

The world is colorful.

"You don't have to worry about Imperial Motors. It doesn't matter whether it's Saab or Saab. That's it."

"I'm actually a little worried that the actions of the Imperial Auto Group this time will stimulate other car companies, allowing more car companies to use their hard-earned domestic money to 'buy, buy, buy' overseas. That would be a bit regretful. "

Although Cao Yang himself has done the "buy, buy, buy" thing, the companies purchased by Nanshan Group are not at the same level as the things purchased by other companies.

It’s not Cao Yang’s double standard. In the next few years, many domestic companies really suffered a lot in the process of “buy, buy, buy”.

"According to the "Automotive Industry Adjustment and Revitalization Plan", the state guides and supports domestic superior automobile enterprise groups to participate in international competition and cooperation and improve independent research and development capabilities in accordance with international rules and relevant laws."

"Didu Automobile Group promotes the acquisition of Saab technology and takes this as an opportunity to synchronize the research and development of its own brand passenger car products with the international level and reach the leading domestic level."

"It may be difficult for us to refute this approach."

Yu Yu can understand Cao Yang's worries.

Some domestic and foreign laws and regulations are different, and when facing an acquisition, the things that need to be considered are also quite different.

However, many companies have no experience in this area, but they are waving banknotes everywhere to "buy, buy, buy". Apart from making other countries think that the Chinese people are "stupid people and rich in money", they really do not necessarily have any real gains.

Sometimes, there are technologies that you can’t just spend money to acquire.

You need to accumulate step by step. After you have your own foundation, the acquired things will have a stage for further development.

Otherwise, the possibility of indigestion is very high.

"A dozen years ago, Saab's technology was pretty good, but in the past ten years it has been poorly managed and its innovation power is not strong. Although many technologies are mature, they are relatively backward. Compared with Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, there are still relatively large gaps. gap."

"Whether Didu Automobile can really take this opportunity to synchronize its product research and development with the international level and reach the domestic leading level is still a matter of debate."

There are really not many people like Cao Yang who are not optimistic about the acquisition of Imperial Automobile.

If this statement appeared on the Internet, it would definitely be criticized.

After all, current Chinese consumers are still very willing to see domestic car companies acquire some brands or technologies from international countries.

It seems that China's automobile industry is developing very well.

Of course, no matter what Cao Yang thinks, the actions of Imperial Automobile Group will not stop.

Naturally, the Nanshan Group's own actions will not stop.

Soon, a new news will replace the news of Imperial Automobile's acquisition of Saab and become the new hot spot in the automobile industry.