Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, March 22nd Question: The 4S shop has received the notice of price reduction, but it is still not easy to "pick up the car immediately at the bare car price"-the high-end car brand has lowered the "guide price" to track down.
Xinhua News Agency reporters Zhou Rui and Wang He
There is still a period of time before the VAT rate of manufacturing and other industries is lowered on April 1. High-end automobile brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Jaguar Land Rover have recently announced the reduction of the "official guidance price". Behind the price reduction is the road to the transformation of China’s automobile market, where everything is easy to sell, and consumers are concerned about how much the terminal price can be reduced. The reporter’s investigation found that at present, the 4S shop has received the notice of price reduction, but it is still not easy to "pick up the car immediately at the bare car price".
High-end brands have lowered the "official guidance price", and some models have been lowered by about 80,000 yuan.
After the China Municipal Government announced that the value-added tax rate of manufacturing industries would be reduced to 13% from April 1st, in the past week, high-end automobile brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo and Lincoln announced in advance that they would lower the "official guide price". In addition, after Tesla announced the price reduction across the board, the China automobile market ushered in a new round of "price reduction tide", and the "official guide price" of some models was lowered by about 80,000 yuan.
Mercedes-Benz announced that it would reduce the suggested retail prices of all Mercedes-Benz and smart models sold in Chinese mainland from 16th, with the highest drop of 64,000 yuan for Mercedes -AMG models.
Volvo announced that it would reduce the suggested retail price of all models sold in China from now on, among which the luxury SUV XC90 had the highest drop of 60,000 yuan.
Jaguar Land Rover also announced that it would lower the price of all models sold in China, with Jaguar brand models dropping by up to 42,000 yuan and Land Rover brand models dropping by up to 85,000 yuan.
This is the third wave of "price reduction" in China auto market since May last year. In May 2018, the value-added tax rate of manufacturing and other industries was lowered from 17% to 16%; From July 2018, the tariffs on automobiles with tax rates of 25% and 20% respectively will be reduced to 15%. Many car companies announced price cuts in advance when the state announced the tax adjustment policy.
Behind the price reduction, the China auto market, which is striding forward all the way, is facing new challenges. In the context of slowing economic growth, China’s automobile production in 2018 was 27.8092 million, down 4.16% year-on-year; The sales volume was 28.0806 million units, down 2.76% year-on-year.
The pressure felt by high-end brand car companies is more obvious. "The main force of this’ price reduction tide’ is high-end brands. An important reason is that its profit margin is high and there is room for profit." Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the National Passenger Car Market Information Association, said.
The "official guide price" has been transmitted to the terminal, but there is still a game between consumers and 4S stores.
How much do consumers benefit from the price reduction announced by automobile manufacturers? The reporter found that the "official guide price" has been transmitted to the terminal market, but under the current sales pattern of the automobile market, it is not easy for consumers to realize the "naked car price to pick up the car immediately".
For example, the sales staff of 4S shops of many high-end car brands in Shanghai said that they had received the price reduction notice from the manufacturers and could refer to it. At the same time, however, some salespeople also said that considering that the models and colors selected by reporters are very scarce in stock, it is likely that they need to make reservations with manufacturers, and the waiting period is relatively long, so it is recommended to choose consumer loans or change options.
"There will be a game between consumers and 4S stores. After the’ official guide price’ is lowered, the actual purchase price of these brands will drop, but there may be some comprehensive costs." Cui Dongshu said.
Despite this, the insiders admit that with the overall cooling of the auto market, the strength of high-end auto brands has eased a lot, and the market is becoming healthier. Cui Dongshu said: "The move of car companies to downgrade is the profit-making gesture taken by enterprises."
Waiting in line without raising the price, "recommending" luxury interior decoration, and waiting for "naked lifting" explosive models for months … Once, the hot auto market forced consumers to accept all kinds of "hidden rules" of 4S stores, especially some high-end brands. However, with China’s auto market, especially passenger car market, bidding farewell to high growth, and parallel imported cars gaining more consumers’ recognition, the phenomenon of "store bullying customers" mentioned above is gradually decreasing, and the survival way of 4S stores is changing from pre-sales to after-sales service.
China auto market will be greener, farther and know you better.
In the current market environment, high-end car brands play the price card, and the survival pressure of small and medium-sized brand car companies will be even greater. Insiders pointed out that from the perspective of the whole industry, China’s automobile industry has reached a "crossroads", and car companies should not only pay attention to the price, but also pay attention to the upgrading of product structure and the development of emerging markets.
Miao Wei, Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, previously pointed out that automobile production and sales declined in 2018. Externally, there were factors such as limited purchases and restrictions; Internally, enterprises are not fast enough in adjusting structure and changing development mode. Automobile enterprises should adhere to the supply-side structural reform as the main line and accelerate the adjustment of product structure; At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will actively work with relevant departments to speed up the research and introduction of policies to promote rural automobile consumption and accelerate the promotion and application of new energy vehicles.
According to the data, despite the downturn in China’s automobile market, new energy vehicles are still developing at a high speed, and the construction of "green efficiency" charging stations, which once hampered new energy vehicles, is also in full swing. According to the data, as of February this year, the number of public charging piles in China has reached 348,000.
Many car companies in China are asking for power from the Internet to bring consumers the experience of the next generation of cars. I can read your emotions and interact with you, and even make different responses according to the needs of different passengers in the front and rear seats-the Weilai ES8 model loaded with the artificial intelligence system NOMI is welcomed by the market. Weilai Automobile’s latest financial report shows that in 2018, the total output of ES8 models reached 12,775 and 11,348 vehicles were delivered. Internet car-making has moved from concept to residents’ life.
There are also some auto companies in China that are actively participating in global competition. From a single product trade, it has gradually changed to an overseas industrial layout where technology, talents and capital are exported together. According to the data of the Ministry of Commerce, at present, 23 backbone automobile enterprises in China have established more than 90 factories overseas, with a production capacity of more than 1 million vehicles.
