SAIC Audi became a foundry? The dispute between North and South Audi channels has settled.

The SAIC Audi project, which has been debated for four years, finally settled.

On February 23rd, 65438, Audi, together with two China partners, China FAW and SAIC, announced that in the future, SAIC Audi products would be provided with sales-related services and after-sales services by the existing FAW-Volkswagen Audi investor network.

Let's grasp the key words: "SAIC Audi products", "FAW-Volkswagen Audi investor network" and "sales".

The first understanding is that SAIC Audi products will take the FAW Audi channel. In other words, SAIC Audi only has the right to produce, but the right to sell should be given to the dealers of FAW Audi. Doesn't this mean that SAIC Audi is just a "foundry"?

The crying child has milk to eat, and the most fierce FAW Audi dealer has become the biggest winner?

The fact is not that simple.

Judging from the statements of Audi, China FAW and SAIC, although the theme is the same, the focus is different, and the answer lies behind the combined meanings of several announcements.

Put it on hold for four years, and finally decided on "one channel"

Time goes back to 2016165438+10/0/month1.SAIC and Audi AG signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation Framework Agreement to cooperate on the introduction of Audi brand, which caused strong protests from investors of FAW-Volkswagen Audi dealers.

The demand of FAW-Volkswagen Audi dealer investors is that SAIC Audi products can be sold in the existing Audi channel network.

Half a year later, Audi Dealers Association, FAW Group, FAW-Volkswagen and Audi reached an agreement on this appeal and signed documents, including: SAIC Audi's sales time in China is not earlier than 20221; Audi only uses one sales company and one distribution network in China.

This time, the agreement reached between Audi and SAIC and China FAW finally ended the channel dispute between North and South Audi.

According to the agreement, SAIC Audi's products will be sold by the existing Audi investor network in the future, and the after-sales service will rely on Audi's existing network. In other words, all sales channels of Audi products in China will belong to "one net".

No accident? Audi A7L will be the first production model of SAIC Audi project. The car is positioned as a medium-sized and large-sized car, which will be pre-sold in the third quarter of 20021at the earliest and officially delivered in early 2022.

According to previous reports, the project will also launch a domestic compact pure electric SUV, a medium-sized SUV and a medium-sized SUV in the future, or will they correspond to Audi Q4 respectively? E-tron, Audi Q6, Audi Q8.

As early as 2065438+June 2008, Audi officially became a shareholder of SAIC Volkswagen, and Volkswagen Group transferred its shares of SAIC Volkswagen 1% to Audi Company, which laid an important foundation for SAIC Volkswagen to produce and sell Audi products.

In the middle of this year, Volkswagen and SAIC spent 46,543.83 billion yuan to upgrade which Volkswagen factory to produce Audi cars with higher specifications, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2020.

Today, the three parties finally reached an understanding on the channel and accelerated the SAIC Audi project.

This is a win-win decision.

As for SAIC, the SAIC- Volkswagen joint venture company with declining sales finally filled the gap of luxury brands and ushered in new development, from which SAIC can get more benefits.

FAW Group holds more FAW-Volkswagen joint ventures (FAW Group holds 60%, Volkswagen Group, Audi Company and Volkswagen China hold 20%, 10% and 10% respectively) in order to get more models for Audi. Next year, the matrix of domestic models will be expanded to 12, and the matrix of Audi imported models will continue on the basis of existing sales channels of FAW-Volkswagen Audi.

Audi's joint venture in China can further increase its market share in the fast-growing luxury car market in China.

Audi's existing dealer investors accounted for a big bargain, and the past demands were realized.

The problem of "meat sharing" that has been shelved for four years has finally been solved.

Is SAIC Audi a "foundry"

The products of the two joint ventures are merged into a sales network, that is, FAW Audi dealers sell cars, which is everyone's first feeling after reading the tripartite announcement. In other words, SAIC Audi seems to have become a "foundry".

On the surface, SAIC· Audi gave in and compromised. In order to smoothly promote the R&D, production and sales of its products, it gave up the right to sell. Is that really the case?

In fact, the three-party announcement only emphasizes what is beneficial to you. To see the whole fact clearly, we need to analyze it in combination with the statements of the three parties.

Let's look at the * * * statement of FAW-Volkswagen and Audi. The two sides stressed that they will speed up the upgrading of the FAW-Volkswagen Audi investor network to ensure that all Audi models in China can carry out sales-related services and after-sales service management through the current FAW-Volkswagen Audi investor network.

Said Volkswagen's statement said that Said Audi will strive to change the communication and interaction between brands and consumers, and break through the information barriers in marketing, sales, after-sales and service ... The national partner recruitment activity will be launched in the existing Audi investor network to prepare for the listing of new cars.

The combination is that Audi is here to appease the original dealers of FAW Group and Audi, where it will add fire to SAIC Audi's project and raise salary.

SAIC Audi is not only a "foundry", it will still establish its own sales channels, but the scope of choosing dealers is limited to the original FAW Audi dealer investors, losing the right to choose other dealers.

If the existing FAW-Volkswagen Audi dealer investors want to sell SAIC Audi cars, they must also meet the conditions set by SAIC Audi. Only when they meet the standards can they open SAIC Audi exhibition hall and provide after-sales service separately.

In this way, the real winner of "a sales channel" is Audi.

Is this beneficial to Audi's future development in China?

That's not true.

First of all, although Audi appeased the existing FAW Audi dealers and resolved the contradictions between the two sides, it also missed the opportunity to choose better channel investors.

In addition, the traditional 4S shop distribution model is a double-edged sword for automobile manufacturers. Although it can help manufacturers quickly spread the sales network, due to the separation of dealers and consumers, manufacturers can't reach consumers directly and can't guarantee to provide customers with quality products and services.

The direct selling trend triggered by the new forces of building cars has effectively solved this pain point. At present, many traditional car companies are exploring the direct mode, and Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Chang 'an and Great Wall are all building experience centers.

User operation will become the competitive core of automobile sales in the future. In view of this, if SAIC Audi continues to choose traditional distribution channels, it will not be conducive to customer maintenance and service, nor to its long-term sustainable development in the future.

To change this situation, Audi should encourage SAIC Audi to explore and develop more sales models, including direct sales model, and channel transformation is inevitable.

This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.