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Session 7: Designs for China's Market Segments – Part Two
Cai Qian, Head of the Shanghai Volkswagen design studio, got the next session underway by highlighting the differences between what the concept of owning a car means to people in Germany and China. "In China, a car still means luxury because not everyone can have one," he pointed out.
He added that because the east coast of China is considered advanced and developed, while the rest of the country is more rural, there is both scope – and necessity – for two different notions of luxury: 'modern luxury' and 'traditional Chinese luxury'. He also examined the notion of copying, highlighting the fact that fakes made in China often offer more features than the original products. He put forward the Chinese version of Apple's iPod Nano, which has a built-in radio, as an example.
Simon Loasby, Design Director for Volkswagen China, also picked up on this theme, underlining how skilled and detailed the fakes often are. "Skills we need to use more," he said of the counterfeiters' talents, before reminding the audience that copying is often a stepping-stone to creating something new and exciting. "For the last 30 years China has been a sponge – soaking it all up," he said. In the next 30 years or so, Loasby predicts that Chinese companies will be looking at markets such as Germany, trying to figure out what the ‘G-factor' is.
Li-Chih Fu, Director of the China Automotive Design Institute, took this point further by saying that G-factor already exists in China: "Everyone in China thinks G-factor is ‘luxury'," he said.
Idea Dao Design's President, Kumo Chiu, explained how his perception of China changed when he started living here. A native of Taiwan, his notion of China was similar to that of most Westerners – particularly in respect to Chairman Mao. Similarly, people outside of China may understand the form of Kung Fu but they do not, and cannot, perceive the spirit of the martial art, he said. China has a population of 1.3 billion people, of which 39 percent are under 24 years old, and the interior rural part of the country accounts for around 700 million people. "Don't think of China as one nation – the north, including Beijing, is quite different to the south and east," he said.
Sun Zhen, Senior Design Program Manager at SAIC, used his time to shed light on the differences between the company's Roewe and MG brands: The Roewe brand is mainly for the luxury segment in China, while the MG is a global brand with an affordable, sporty image. SAIC has recently renovated the entire MG UK base as well as hiring over 300 ex-Rover engineers and designers. This is SAIC's way of trying to tell "customers who know the MG brand that we're coming back", said Zhen. He then revealed exclusive renderings of a new concept called the MG Zero to be unveiled the following day at Auto China in Beijing.
Some of our speakers from Europe were unable to participate in the event due to closure of European airspace during the week. Our thanks to those who filled their places. And, for those that did brave the volcanic ash, or the heated questions from the audience during the question and answer sessions, we thank everyone that made this 2010 Interior Motives China Conference the best yet – and hope to see you in Shanghai in April 2011 for next year's event.
[Read our report on the Interior Motives China Conference 2010 – Day 1]
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Report: Interior Motives China Conference 2009 - Day 1
Report: Interior Motives China Conference 2009 - Day 2
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Interior Motives China Conference 2007
Related Websites:
http://china.interiormotivesconference.com
www.interiormotivesconference.com
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