Changhe

History

Until recently a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), Changhe is currently owned by BAIC Group and the Jiangxi Provincial State-owned Enterprise Assets Operation (Holdings) Co.

Changhe was well established by 1973, the year in which trial production of buses began. Originally only making buses, the introduction of a small passenger vehicle (the Suzuki Carry ST90V) began in 1982 and sparked a long relationship with the Japanese automaker. Currently, Changhe companies make both Suzuki and Changhe-branded vehicles. In 1995, Suzuki and Changhe joined forces to form a joint venture company, Jiangxi Changhe-Suzuki Automobile Co Ltd. This JV does not make all the Suzuki-branded automobiles sold on the Chinese market as some are produced by the Japanese company's other Chinese joint venture, Changan Suzuki. Imported models are marketed by Suzuki Motor (China) Investment Co Ltd.

Suzuki may currently be unhappy with its Chinese partners. Despite being an early entrant in the Chinese auto market, this Japanese company has lackluster sales in the country. Suzuki's efforts to change the situation by merging its two joint ventures—since Chinese business law does not allow any foreign company more than two—have so far been stymied by its Chinese partners, who instead hope Suzuki will improve their situation. The Chinese State may also not want new foreign-Chinese joint auto-making ventures at this time. An effort to sell the entire Suzuki model range at unified dealerships fell through in 2008. (This may have been tried again in 2010.)

Changhe-Suzuki's first products were various versions of the Suzuki Carry micro-buses and trucks. Current micro-bus products include the Suzuki Wagon R (called the Big Dipper and in Chinese: 北斗星) and the newer Suzuki Landy (Chinese: 浪迪; pinyin: Làngdí). In 2006, Changhe themselves introduced the new microvan CH6390 Freedom (also called Friend), which has Suzuki underpinnings but a Changhe-designed body.

While microbuses continue to be a core product, several recently introduced small cars have expanded the company's product line. These include the subcompact Changhe Ideal (first seen in October 2003), a self-developed car albeit with styling by Bertone and some Suzuki technology. The Suzuki Liana (Chinese: 利亚纳; pinyin: Lìyǎnà) is also offered. While lower-end Changhes depend on common, Chinese-built engines also used by a variety of other local brands, Changhe builds the Suzuki K12B and K14B engines for use in higher end versions. These have seen use in a variety of Changhe products, including the Suzuki Wagon R, Liana, and Landy, as well as the Freedom and Ideal.

Export

Changhe exports to some European and South American nations. These exports may be in the form of complete knock-down kits.

Latin America

Some Changhe models are sold in Brazil and Uruguay under the brand name Effa, and here the Ideal has been renamed the M100. Total Brazilian sales of the Ideal in 2010 were a reported 426 units. In Venezuela, the first Latin American country to receive a Changhe product (2007), the official dealer of the Changhe Ideal was Cinascar, but this model is no longer listed on Cinascar's website. In Peru and/or Colombia, Faga Motors sells various Changhe microvans.

Europe

Italian importer Martin Motors rebadges and sells the Changhe Landy as a Martin Motors Coolcar. The Ideal is known in Italy as the Martin Ideal 1000.

The Ideal is also marketed in the Ukraine.

IPO

Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange or Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2001, Changhe was delisted in 2008 prior to its 2009 sale.

Recent events

Changhe is planning on debuting a technical service advice line for its passenger car purchasers, who will call in to receive freely dispensed advice on how to best maintain their vehicles.

All Models

Production bases

Changhe locates its production in Jiangxi Province, at Jingdezhen City and Jiujiang City, and in the capital of Anhui province, Hefei. Engines are made at the Jiujiang location, and all three production bases assemble cars.