Chinese automotive firm JAC is joining forces with Volkswagen to create an entirely new range of cars under a specially created brand.
Joint ventures between established European or North American car makers and smaller Chinese firms is nothing new, particularly when it comes to fast-tracking the development of electric cars.
In recent weeks, both Ford and Nissan have unveiled ambitious plans to work with Chinese companies to co-develop electric vehicles that will meet growing demand in China while accelerating the development of electrified powertrains and battery technology for use in vehicles sold across the globe.
However, what makes this particular joint venture different, is that the two companies are pooling their research & development and production capabilities in order to build Chinese cars that meet or better current European reliability and quality standards.
"A group of more than 30 staffers [from both companies] are jointly designing and developing the first car of this joint venture," said Wang Dongsheng, JAC Deputy Party Secretary. "[It] will be produced on JAC platform and adopt higher standard put forward by Volkswagen. Moreover, it will be launched into market with a new brand."
Though the new brand hasn't been revealed, the firms have confirmed that the first car will be a sedan and that it will launch before the end of 2018.
One of the ultimate aims of the joint venture is to develop a vehicular platform on which numerous types of cars can be built -- in other words Volkswagen's approach to building multiple vehicles under multiple brand names. For instance, the VW Golf shares its underpinnings with the Audi A3 and Seat Leon, while the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne, all benefit from a common architecture.
The new marque will offer owners a choice of electrified powertrains as well as traditional engines in the short term and JAC has high hopes that this new marque can be rolled out internationally.
Thus far, the only Chinese car company to seriously attempt to break into the North American and European markets is Chery. China's third largest brand in terms of sales, from its inception date it has built cars based on European rather than domestic safety and quality standards, and, in September, during the Frankfurt Auto Show, unveiled the EXEED TX, a compact SUV designed to appeal to well-heeled Europeans who live in major cities.
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