Semi-annual report performance is poor Most car companies stick to the annual production and sales target

After sprints for price changes in May and June, the major auto makers reluctantly made the first-half performance look pretty. In the second half of the year, the fierce competition in the market continues to intensify, and the operating conditions of the car companies also begin to diverge.

Recently, the reporter found through investigation that the market started to oscillate in the second half of the year, and individual car companies quietly adjusted their sales targets set at the beginning of the year. The signals released by these released production and sales plans also reflect the actual conditions of various car companies.

The business is polarized Although the Chinese auto market still maintains a positive growth trend, the half-year tasks of most manufacturers in the first half of the year have not reached the standard. According to the statistical analysis conducted by the China Automobile Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as “China Automobile Association”), among the mainstream passenger car companies in the first half of the year, only a few of the Shanghai GM, FAW-Volkswagen, Shanghai Volkswagen, and Changan Ford have successfully completed six months. task.

“Everybody is similar this year, and only a few strong brands have maintained a good upward momentum.” Dong Yang, executive vice president and secretary-general of China Automobile Association, told reporters.

However, under the objective reality of weak growth in the auto market, the car companies did not rush to cut production and sales plans, but instead increased their expectations for market growth. “As long as there is no obvious shift in policy, the market will maintain steady growth. Once the support policy is introduced in the second half of the year, the market will quickly rise. The annual sales plan is still expected to be completed.” A person in charge of the marketing department of a Japanese car company stated that this year In the first half of the year, the performance of various companies was generally weak, but this will not affect the realization of the full-year plan. As long as the marketing strategy is strengthened and new models are supported, there is still an opportunity to drive the market to achieve rapid growth.

It is widely expected in the industry that sales in the auto market in the second half of 2012 will be higher than in the first half of the year. After entering the second half of the year, each car company also began to focus on policy changes, and actively promote new cars, price promotions, in order to stimulate sales growth.

It is understood that the most concerned about car companies is the latest introduction of energy-saving vehicle subsidy policy, many industry insiders predict that this policy will become the new promoter of the auto market sales in the second half of this year.

Dong Yang also stated that this year, the automaker will continue to insist that the Chinese automobile market will have a 5%-8% growth forecast. Each car company should also formulate a reasonable growth plan according to its own strength. “Whether it is a car company with a poor sales target in the first half of the year or a car company with a higher completion rate, it needs to reconsider the sales target for this year. Whether or not to adjust the production and sales plan is the key issue that is worth considering at the moment.” Yang said.

There are car sales targets loose "or adjust the plan, or adjust the marketing strategy, to dealers a promotional power, which is the choice facing most car companies." Car analyst Jia Xinguang believes that the overall growth in the auto market slows down Under the premise, how to maintain a stable growth of the company is a phased task, and under the premise of too much difference with the target, the car company must make a prejudgment on the current situation and make timely adjustments.

In July, Mazda China announced that it would cut its annual sales plan from 270,000 to 250,000. This is the second automaker to voluntarily publicly reduce its annual production and sales targets following Dongfeng Peugeot.

According to statistics, Mazda China's sales growth during the first half of the year was only 1.3% year-on-year, of which, Changan Mazda's sales in the first half of the year were 44,600 units, up 22% year-on-year; while sales of FAW Mazda were down 10% year-on-year, both of which have not completed half a year's tasks. . Industry analysts believe that if Mazda's annual sales volume does not adjust, its completion is quite difficult.

A sales manager of FAW Mazda 4S Store told the reporter that “The annual sales target set by FAW Mazda at the beginning of the year was 150,000, a 9.1% increase from the previous year, while only 50,000 sales were achieved in the first half of the year, and the completion rate was only 33.5%. The general decline in the auto market, there is no new model to market support, we are thinking every day to achieve the goal." It is reported that although Mazda reduced its annual production and marketing targets, the pressure on distributors has been reduced, but it is still not easy to complete the task smoothly. “It takes impulse in the second half to achieve this,” said the sales manager.

In contrast, the Dongfeng Peugeot's adjustment is more pragmatic, from the original planned sales of 240,000 down to 230,000. In the first half of this year, Dongfeng Peugeot achieved sales of 104,000 units and completed 45% of the target set at the beginning of the year. Although the difference is not significant, this time, the downward adjustment has laid the foundation for the realization of the annual goals.

Industry analysts believe that it is not a bad thing for the above two car companies to lower their targets. From the current point of view, in the hope of achieving a hopeless situation for the whole year, we will actively lower production and sales targets, which will reduce pressure on dealers.

Although the major car makers generally expressed a “cautious and optimistic” attitude towards the development of the auto market in the second half of the year, in fact, before the market has yet to release a strong growth signal, it is upside-down to “upgrade” the plan. Emboldened" car prices still exist.

Recently, Dongfeng Honda announced in a high-profile production ceremony at the second plant that although it sold 150,000 vehicles in the first half of the year, it believed that with the 120,000 new production capacity of the second plant and the new CR-V selling hotter this year, it is believed that The sales of 340,000 vehicles can be completed in the whole year, which is a full increase of 40,000 vehicles over the previous year’s sales target of 300,000 vehicles. Immediately afterwards, Renault China formally launched the “Second Phase Recovery Plan” on July 19. Its senior executives revealed in an interview with reporters that Renault’s sales in China have increased by 15% year-on-year in the first half of this year. It is believed that in the second half of the year, Renault will Accelerate further and have confidence in breaking sales of 20,000 vehicles in the third and fourth quarters. Dongfeng Honda deputy general manager Liu Hong publicly stated that this year Dongfeng Honda is expected to usher in a period of rapid growth of more than 30%.

After careful observation, it is not difficult to find that the two high-profile car companies have one thing in common, that is, there is a mid-to-high-end applauded SUV models. A market analyst analyzed, “It can be said that the hot sales of the new CR-V and Koreo proudly made Dongfeng Honda and Renault dare to make a high-profile voice.” The source said that the current auto market does not maintain high growth except in individual market segments. Too many highlights.

But at the same time, many experts pointed out that Dongfeng Honda's plan to increase production and sales, especially to increase the supply of new CR-Vs, may not be a good thing. "Dongfeng Honda apart from the CR-V, the sales of other models are very general." A person in charge of the Beijing Yayuncun Automotive Trading Market said that although Dongfeng Honda's models have continued to increase in recent years, in fact sales and dealers' profits Just rely on a CR-V model to support. “It must be admitted that East Honda has done a great job in CR-V marketing.” According to the person in charge, CR-V can be said to be the best case of “hungry marketing” and its relationship between supply and distributor effectiveness. Very delicate.

After visiting the market, the reporter found that in addition to the new CR-V sales, other Dongfeng Honda models performed generally. Civic discounts have already exceeded 20,000 yuan, and the discount rate for Siming, which has only been listed for three months, has exceeded 10,000 yuan, and the dealers have sufficient vehicles. This contrasts sharply with the hot sales of the new CR-V. “The competition is too fierce and the car is not strong enough.” A Dongfeng Honda dealer admitted to the reporter that the main force of their sales was the new CR-V. “The car is very hard to sell.”

Over the years, CR-V market has always been tight, is the main source of dealer profits. However, recently, with the increase of competitors and the increase in the supply of vehicles, the price of new CR-V has also become loose. A survey by the reporter found that although the price of the 4S store is still strong, the new CR-V at the second-tier dealers in the Beijing auto market now has a cash discount of up to 20,000 yuan, which was absolutely absent in the past.

"For the phenomenon of new CR-V losing power, manufacturers should be vigilant," a market analyst said. Although hunger marketing is discouraged, the supply of cars and the market price of cars are too high for Dongfeng Honda who relies too much on the new CR-V. However, the relationship must be carefully controlled. "The actual situation in the market is that if there is sufficient inventory, it is difficult to expect this car to benefit." The person said.

Dongfeng Honda clearly understands this and continues to accelerate the launch of new models. According to the plan, Dongfeng Honda will have five new models on the market in 2012. Currently, the new CR-V, Siming, and Airlie have been launched, and there will be two models in the second half of the year. “We hope that Dongfeng Honda will have several more impulse models to end the CR-V's car battle' and diversify its operational risk,” the source said. Business Daily Reporter Lan Zhaohui Wang Wanli/Wenhe Photographic Market Observations Most car companies are gradually maturing. In fact, as of now, only a few companies have truly adjusted their annual plans, and are optimistic about the auto market in the second half of the year. Next, most car companies have made it clear that they will not adjust their production and sales targets.

In the interview, most senior executives told reporters that they still have strong confidence in the development of the auto market this year. Everyone clearly hopes that through the efforts of the second half of the year, the gap in the first half of the year can be restored and the annual goal can be achieved.

However, according to the analysis of Gasgoo.com, for auto companies with a target completion rate of less than 45% in the first half of the year, it will be difficult to complete the sales target for the whole year. If there is no vigorous promotion, there will be no competitive power. The launch of new products on the market drives sales, and it is difficult for these companies to achieve sales targets for the entire year.

Jia Xinguang said that the sales of most car companies in the first half of this year have not reached half, and car companies can voluntarily reduce their sales target is an attitude to actively respond to new market conditions. “The re-adjustment of sales targets by car manufacturers in the context of declining sales this year is a re-understanding of the market situation and a responsible attitude in the development process. This adjustment is a rational return of car companies’ blind pursuit of ultra-high growth. It shows that car enterprises are gradually becoming mature," Jia Xinguang said.

Since the beginning of this year, the entire Chinese automotive industry has experienced a drastic change in the degree to which it has been exposed. At the end of 2010, the total passenger car control in Beijing has caused major car companies to feel the pain. This year's purchase in Guangzhou made everyone feel the chill. Regardless of how reluctant the major auto makers are, in the face of more and more restrictions on the purchase of cities in China, auto companies have to change their strategies in response to changing market conditions.

Industry insiders predict that due to the unsatisfactory performance in the first half of the year, most companies bet on the second half of the year, coupled with the continuous expansion of production capacity, the price war will be unstoppable, and the competition in the second half of the auto market will be intensified.

It can be predicted that with the gradual brightening of the auto market this year, more and more car companies will gradually adjust their production and sales plans. After all, the current adjustment is beneficial to the growth of the company. Experts said that if car companies continue to follow the unreasonable sales targets, they may face greater pressure and even damage the brand.