sorry, but it is indeed a joke.
China car market is big, but that does not mean the VN car company can get opportunity in China. A handful of reputable international car companies have already been killed by the cruel competition in the Chinese car market, and more are falling to their end destination in the China market: Suzuki is dead in the Chinese market, Fiat also dead. Who will be the next? Very likely PSA and Ford: PSA declines by 40% in the Chinese market in 2017; followed by another 40% decline in 2018; Ford declines by 12% in China 2017, followed by a 55% decline in China 2018. No matter how successful they are in other markets, or how reputable the brands are, their days in China are numbered. The leading Chinese car companies like SAIC, Geely, BYD or Greatwall are taking back the domestic market from foreign players, just like Huawei/Xiaomi/Oppo/Vivo defend the Chinese smartphone market. There could be some market performance up or down, but the overall direction is very clear, and irreversible.
Just one very simple example, Geely Binrui (缤瑞), Geely's newest compact-sized sedan model.
Highlights of Geely Binrui (using the variant 200T DCT Binzhi version/缤致版 as the example):
- Size (in mm): 4680*1785*1460 in L*W*H, 2670 in wheelbase
- Engine: 1.0T, 100kw, 205Nm
- Transmission: 6-speed DCT (dual clutch transmission)
- Safety features: Front airbags for drivers/co-drivers; Side airbags for drivers/co-drivers; ABS (Anti-block system), ESP (Electronic Stability Program), TCS (Traction Control System), HHC (Hill hold control), TPMS (Tire pressure monitoring system), HHC (Hill Hold Control), Cruise control, Parking radar + camera, LED lighting, Daytime lighting
- Comfort features: rearview mirror autofold, driving-wheel control, electric driver seat, Sunroof, EPS (Electric power steering), keyless entry & start, touch screen, speech control of navigation/music/radio, etc,
Pictures of Binrui:
Such a decent sedan with so many safety/comfort features in the car. Guess its price? MSRP (Manufacturer suggested retailing price) at
RMB 98.8k, or USD 14.7k.
Give me a reason to buy the Vietnam model, not the Geely model.
Mind to be a bit careful before making any number?
10 million cars sales a year?? Do you know what the number mean? Actually only two countries on the earth have the car sales higher than 10 million, one is China: 24 million units a year, another is USA, about 14 million a year. Both are with much bigger population than Vietnam, also a much bigger economy.
Vietnam is growing fast. Good to Vietnam and its people. But that does not mean you can make groundless brag like this.
You overestimate the market size of Vietnam. Its 2018 sales result was 190k units. See the sales table from VAMA (vn automobile manufacturing association)
Scale plays an important role in the automobile industry. Without a decent scale, the investment on the car plant, the R&D spending, will push the car cost to be too high to be absorbed by end buyers. Even 1/5 of the vietnam customers buy the new car for "patriotic" reason, the demand is still too small to make economy sense. But I'm not sure if there could be that many "patriotic" vn people to spend a big amount of money (compared to their income) on the vn car. It will be very interesting to observe.