In the product line, the models of Zhonghua Group have almost no connection with the Toyota Camry, but the two collide together.

The relevant ministries and commissions of the state are preparing to introduce China's own car crash standard, C-NCAP, and require it to be implemented after June 1 this year. Compared with European and Japanese countries, China's NCAP standards are 10 years late.

C-NCAP implements the strategy of "old methods for the elderly, new methods for new people", that is, cars that have already been put on sale will not be included in the test list, and new models launched after June 1 are recommended to go through crash tests before starting sales.

The word "recommended" is in line with the national conditions of Chinese characteristics, because many independent brands have not been able to improve the crash test standards, they are afraid that they have no intention of becoming a helper for foreign brands to suppress their own brands, but as a large automobile country, it is impossible to say that there is no independent collision standard, so the country has implemented the principle of voluntary registration to promote C-NCAP.

For C-NCAP, many domestic companies have a wait-and-see attitude, planning to see the limelight before deciding whether to participate or not.

However, there are also companies that see C-NCAP as a big stage, and whoever can be the first to eat crabs will be richly rewarded.

Han Hao regarded the first appearance on the C-NCAP stage as an honor, and with the excellent results obtained in the European E-NCAP, he was not worried that the products of the Chunghwa Group would fail. The selection of the SUV "Don" as the first contestant in C-NCAP was a marketing strategy he had set early on.

Coming to GAC Toyota, although "Camry" is very famous in the south, the "Camry" after changing its name is a completely unfamiliar character. When the new Camry is about to be put into production in China, it is a perfect choice to make the first shot through the C-NCAP stage.

With excellent results in the crash test in the United States, it is a matter of course to come to China to face the low standard of C-NCAP and take home a perfect five-star score.

"Tang" and "Camry" are both vying for the first collision of C-NCAP, and both want to regain the title of China's first collision five-star standard, resulting in an encounter between the two sides without preparation.

The organizer of C-NCAP is the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CAERI), a state-owned research institute that has to find ways to generate revenue to maintain its operations while enjoying a certain amount of financial allocation. There are also objective reasons for this, that is, the government cannot afford to pay the full amount of expenditure, and only gives a part of the allocation, and you have to find a way to solve the rest.

By date, Chunghwa Group's "Tang" was the first to apply to C-NCAP, while the Camry was one step slower.

But in terms of the real scheduling, it was Camry that came from behind, surpassing "Tang" to become the first product to undergo C-NCAP testing.

Fortunately, Han Hao wrote down all the things he was concerned about in his notebook, found the application for C-NCAP, and asked his subordinates to inquire only to find out that "Tang" failed to get the starter.

Why is this happening?

C-NCAP replied that they had some discretion to prioritize the tests based on the application report. In addition, the collision equipment is more suitable for sedans, and sedans account for most of the sales in the Chinese market, so it will be more appropriate to choose sedans for the first time.

"The real reason is that GAC Toyota sponsored 1 million scientific research expenses to the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, ranking itself first through public relations activities. ”

There is no impermeable wall in the world, and soon Han Hao received the real news from his subordinates.

I didn't expect GAC Toyota to do a good job in localization, so soon it will follow the local customs. It's okay to change it to an ordinary person, after all, the answer given by the China Automotive Research Institute is reasonable.

But Han Hao does not intend to back down, the first application submitted by the China Group, C-NCAP is China's collision standard, why can't it be an independent brand to be the first pioneer.

GAC Toyota can come up with 1 million sponsorship, and Zhonghua Group can afford this price or even more, Han Hao immediately wrote a check and asked him to continue to negotiate with CARI.

The Zhonghua Group came to the China Automotive Research Institute to explain their intentions, hoping to list "Tang" as the first crash test object in accordance with the normal procedures, and also expressed their intention to sponsor.

has agreed to GAC Toyota's request before, but now even if the Zhonghua Group is waving banknotes, the China Automotive Research Institute cannot change its words, and can only go all the way to the end.

"The selection of test subjects is our own chorus and has nothing to do with the cost of sponsorship. Don't always emphasize that you are an independent brand and need to be taken care of by the state authorities. The Camry is a domestically produced car, with the words GAC Group printed on the back.

Let me make it clear, the Camry's first start is a sure thing, even if it goes to court and fights a lawsuit, this is the result!"

A deputy director of the China Automotive Research Institute came forward to receive the representatives sent by the China Group, and he made these words clear in the final stage of the negotiations. GAC Toyota won the starting spot under his recommendation, and naturally the deputy director was biased towards the Camry.

After returning in vain again, China Automotive Research Institute was determined to ensure that Camry started, which made executives including Han Hao a little disappointed.

"In the name of protecting its own brand, in fact, it's all business in its belly! The Camry has a Toyota bull head logo on its head, can't they see it? Let him ask a random person, is the cow head mark a domestic brand?

Even if the state authorities do not support the purchase of self-owned brand cars, even the testing institutions with the prefix 'Zhong' have ignored their own brands, and I think many people's butts have long been crooked. ”

Ling Yunzhi continued to exert his fiery temper, and after listening to the situation report, he directly scolded.

"CAERI has gone too far this time, and once they get off to a bad start, I don't know what it will happen in the future.

We have to fight for our legitimate rights and interests in a reasonable, well-founded and restrained manner, and I don't hide it from each other, I think it is a good choice to go to court and the other party proposes to go to court. ”

As an evaluation organization, objectivity and neutrality are fundamental to building credibility, and if we can't do this, C-NCAP will not be able to convince the public.

Since the other party said that he would go to court, then Han Hao gave them a chance to meet in court.

Fortunately, when "Tang" submitted his application to C-NCAP, he kept all the original materials, and at that time, he also found the media to help with the advertorial, leaving evidence as the first enterprise to apply.

The most effective way to prevent black box operations in China is to keep everything open to the public and let the public media supervise it.

Originally, the Capital Auto Show had begun to warm up, and the media's attention began to focus, but I didn't expect Zhonghua Group to make another big news before the auto show, and the civil prosecutor announced that it would sue China Automotive Research Institute on the C-NCAP test sequence.

You must know that Zhonghua Group is a giant in the domestic automobile industry, and China Automotive Research Institute is the official regulator in the coat of the national character, and the sensitive identities of the two have attracted many media reports before the lawsuit has started.

"As the first company to apply, it did not have the right to be the first to be listed, which made our company very puzzled. Solving problems through legal channels is the embodiment of governing the country according to law, and we are only using legal weapons to protect our rights and interests. The lawsuit is fought in the hope that there will be a transparent and open procedure in the future, so that those who come after will not repeat the mistakes of the past. ”

A media spokesperson for the China Group answered questions from reporters about the lawsuit.

"If you lose the case, will you just quit C-NCAP?"

Some reporters didn't think it was a big deal and asked about topics that many people were interested in.

"I just want to say that as a national independent brand, we will do our best to support our country's automobile industry policy. However, C-NCAP is only a voluntary application, and in the absence of a schedule, we do not rule out going to a higher standard foreign region for new car testing. ”

The media spokesman's remarks were cleverly answered, and the China Group will definitely support the country's development, but it does not rule out that it will look for alternatives to C-NCAP.

When it comes to gossip and investigative ability, there should be no stronger incentive than a journalist to dig up the inside story. Soon, the news that GAC Toyota sponsored CAERI for one million was dug up, which was similar to Camry's defeat of "Tang" to get the starter.

"If China's largest independent car brands do not participate in C-NCAP, how much credibility will this organization have?

Some media outlets openly asked questions in reports published the next day.

Unexpectedly, the lawsuit has not yet started, and the court has not decided whether to accept it or not, and the media has begun to bombard the China Automotive Research Institute indiscriminately, and they seem powerless to put forward rebuttals in the face of all kinds of evidence.

"Who let you claim to offend the Zhonghua Group without authorization, couldn't you handle it flexibly at that time? Although I am abroad, I can still get through on the phone!"

Seeing this, the person in charge of the China Automotive Research Institute found the deputy director who received the Zhonghua Group at that time and reprimanded him.

"Wouldn't you give a 'sedan No. 1' on one side and an 'SUV No. 1' on the other to resolve the dispute?

So he personally contacted the Zhonghua Group to mediate, hoping to mediate the matter privately, so that there would be no need to go to court to make such a big battle.

GAC Toyota originally wanted the Camry to get off to a good start to enter the Chinese market, but it did not expect to be involved in a war of words with the Zhonghua Group at a critical juncture, and the negative image became increasingly apparent.

In particular, most domestic public opinion supports the independent model "Tang" as the first launch of C-NCAP, and domestic standards should give priority to domestic independent cars, and Chinese pay attention to a color head, and it is best to use "Tang".

After comprehensive consideration, GAC Toyota voluntarily withdrew the Camry's collision application on the grounds that the submitted materials were missing, giving the opportunity to "Tang".

The person who knows the business is Junjie, and GAC Toyota's move to retreat is to resolve the negative crisis that is entangled in the head.

"Tang" finally got his wish and won the first place in the C-NCAP debut, which went down in the history of Chinese automobiles.

However, this also allowed many peers to see the aggressive offensive posture of the China Group, which affected its legitimate interests, and even the king of heaven dared to take a bite of meat.

"The South China Tigers were defeated by the Zhejiang Sea Wolves, and the China Group scared off GAC Toyota with their wolf nature, and they are expected to have the last laugh when they are full of fighting will in the crowd. ”

After the dust settled, some media wrote a report on this, and used the above words as a summary at the end of the article.

The decisive battle of China's auto market is about to start, and many domestic and foreign players will be divided into winners and losers in three to five years, and there is no doubt that Zhonghua Group is a seed player that many people are optimistic about.