The 14th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2016, opened in Beijing on April 25.

With a theme of “l(fā)oving cars, traveling across the world”, SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, China's largest automotive company, presented more than 100 new models from eight of its self-owned and joint-adventure brands at the China International Exhibition Center New Venue (Tianzhu)’s halls E2, W3 and W4 as well as outdoor exhibition area, occupying a total area of 9,000 square meters.

With its vision of “building an innovative, globally-recognized company that pioneers the automotive future”, SAIC is pushing forward the implementation of an innovation and transformation-driven development strategy at a faster pace. Relying on the combination of “Internet plus new energy plus smart technologies”, it hopes to gain an upper hand over its rivals on the market through product differentiation and make breakthroughs in innovation.

Visitors to Auto China 2016 experienced a variety of SAIC’s brand-new models that live up to international standards and got a better idea of the group’s capabilities.

World’s first mass produced ‘car on the internet’

Roewe RX5, the world’s first mass manufactured “car on the internet” co-developed by SAIC and e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group, premiered at Beijing Auto Show.

It is aimed to turn “painful moments” such as repair and maintenance, road traffic, refueling and parking during the life of the car into “sweet time” through the active, convenient and pragmatic supply of information and services, thus creating added value to its users.

Attaching great importance to end-users’ experience, Roewe RX5 takes full advantage of SAIC’s auto development and service trade resources and Alibaba’s YunOS and powerful business ecosystem, as well as other motoring life-related online and offline resources. By opening and integrating the Internet and big data, the two companies are able to offer users comprehensive, smart travel solutions.

New energy tech leader

SAIC has long been active in pushing ahead with its new energy development strategy and is now China’s first auto company that owns the world’s leading technologies with proprietary intellectual property rights in pure electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell segments.

SAIC’s new energy models unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show included: the latest Roewe plug-in hybrid SUV; Roewe E950, “China’s first mid and high-end new energy saloon”; Roewe E550 plug-in hybrid, the “most smart connected new energy vehicle”; and Roewe E50, the pure electric car rated with a maximum range of 220 kilometers per charge. In addition, Maxus V80 fuel cell, EV80 light vehicle and EG10 MPV pure electric, as well as Sunwin pure electric city bus were also launched, becoming the most attractive “green” landscape among commercial vehicles displayed at the show.

According to plans, all ranges of sedans under SAIC’s self-owned brands will gradually be equipped with plug-in hybrid technology and more competitive models will be rolled out in the electric field in order to consolidate and expand the company’s leading advantage in the new energy sector. On the other hand, service programs will be accelerated in a bid to offer new energy solutions to a mobile life. A timeshare rental program for new energy vehicles will have more than 20 cities covered by its 4,000-plus outlets, and 50,000 public charging piles will be set up across China.

Taking lead in ushering in China’s smart driving era

Multinational motor companies and Internet enterprises in the world are investing heavily in building intelligent cars, a frontier technology. SAIC took the lead in launching a smart driving program and debuted MG-iGS, China’s first self-developed “smart-driving” concept car at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2015.

At this’s Beijing show, SAIC displayed the second-generation MG-iGS. So far, the car has completed simulation tests as well as highway testing totaling 14,000 kilometers and applied for 10-plus patents in China. It can accomplish the following tasks without a driver when traveling between 60-120 kph: remote and self-parking, cruising, following and overtaking other cars, lane keeping and changing.

As China's leading automotive company, SAIC gathered its affiliates and subsidiaries – SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Co (Roewe and MG), Maxus, SAIC-GM, SAIC Volkswagen, Shanghai General Motors Wuling (SGMW), NAVECO, Shanghai Sunwin Bus Corp – at the Beijing Auto Show and put on an unprecedented show of more than 100 new models.

Among self-developed cars, the world’s first mass manufactured “car on the Internet” and various ranges of new energy cars were the most eye-catching at the show. In addition, Roewe premiered the Vision-R concept, MG displayed the brand-new MG GS and MG GT (Liverpool Edition) as well as all mass produced models of the range. Maxus debuted D90 SUV, the auto industry’s first consumer-to-business concept car, while SGMW presented the A0-Class family car Baojun 310, the large family SUV Baojun 560, and the seven-seater family car Baojun 730.

With regard to joint ventures, SAIC-GM presented 32 models under three major brands – Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet, including Cadillac’s CT6 and an all-new XT5, Buick’s new generation Lacrosse, and Chevrolet’s Malibu XL, together with concept cars Buick Avista and Chevrolet-FNR as well as a variety of other best-selling mainstream models.

SAIC Volkswagen showcased elite models including the all-new Volkswagen Phideon luxury saloon, Lamando GTS, the all-new Touran L six-seater and the brand-new Skoda SUV concept Vision S.

Moreover, NAVECO’s Power Daily light bus and SAIC-IVECO Hongyan’s all-new Genlvon truck were displayed in the outdoor commercial vehicle exhibition area.

In the Internet era, with rapid changes of high technologies, user bases and consumer needs, along with challenges brought about by crossover rivals, the traditional auto industry is undergoing restructuring and new business opportunities are emerging from this process. SAIC will seize these opportunities and rely on innovation and transformation to work toward its development goals.