Monthly sales over 26,000, rushed into the SUV sales ranking second in the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 in safety crash tests due to engine compartment fire appears to be downgraded.
2016 Annual C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) of the second batch of models officially announced today the results of the evaluation.
Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. passenger cars (hereinafter referred to as Guangzhou Automobile Group (23.500, 0.00, 0.00%)) Chi Chuan brand / Trumpchi GAC6450A2C5A utility vehicles (Trumpchi GS4 200T tiptronic Deluxe Edition) (No. 2016-04 models) the survey results show that after the end of the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 40% offset frontal crash test within three minutes, the engine compartment fire occurs. Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 final score 56.9 points won the 4 star review, is down a star.
This is because after the test fire was falling star models the first time since 2015 Edition C-NCAP test models.
For this result, the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan official responded that this is a car collision with a start-stop system, which is just after the collision test cell site has a brief small fire, not a vehicle or engine fire, no effect on the overall safety . Car factory with a start-stop device comes standard with a battery protection cover, mainly played the role of insulation, fire retardant and thermal insulation, but did not find that the protective sleeve in this test car.
The rule of law Weekend reporter then contacted the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan PR, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan For GS4 appeared fire causes and Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan crash test results for the next action to be taken. However, as of press before, it has not been relevant response of Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan.
Public information, C-NCAP is the new models will be purchased on the market under the more stringent than the existing Chinese mandatory standards and more comprehensive requirements for collision safety performance tests, the results of the evaluation by star classification and publicly released.
Shenzhen Consulting Ltd. for the Chilean Institute researcher Fang Wuxian weekend in an interview with reporters, said the rule of law, from an objective point of view, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 as a typical representative of Guangzhou Automobile own brand as well as domestic market sales have been good, get most of their reputation consumer recognition.
"But after all, Guangzhou Automobile own-brand set up development time is shorter, compared to a joint venture brands, there are still some deficiencies in the production and operation management. Therefore, for the advice that Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 only been four stars indicates that Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan car management level still to be improved, there is still room for improvement vehicle quality details. "Fang Wuxian said.
Due to new regulations after the first fire was downgraded models
According to C-NCAP said, in fact, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 not participate in the second batch of 2016 annual assessment models, and among the first to participate in the evaluation was measured 2016 model year.
April 25, 2016, C-NCAP released the 2016 annual C-NCAP first seven models of evaluation results. It is reported that the release of the results of the seven models, test all vehicles purchased directly from the store by the various models of C-NCAP Management Center.
That time, according to C-NCAP said the original plan as well as a model in this batch were evaluated and the results published, that No. 4 passenger cars Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. Chi Chuan brand / Trumpchi GAC6450A2C5A utility multiply vehicles (Trumpchi GS4 200T tiptronic Deluxe Edition), because in the crash test, the technician discovered the presence of the manufacturer of the test vehicle with the factory car configuration differences, C-NCAP management Center requires manufacturers to provide the relevant evidence and after the instructional materials and then make a final evaluation, the results postponed to the next batch released together.
Three months later, at the press conference of July 1, C-NCAP said, because the company questioned the test vehicle without publication of the results on the first evaluation of the results of the conference No. 4 models, the C- NCAP management Center further verification, the results will be evaluated in this release.
In this regard, three wins and consulting automotive industry researcher Wenfang the rule of law Weekend reporter, said Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 an impact on fire to get 4 star reviews from the original crash test March 1 to this announcement have passed the entire four-month period . During this time, the official Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan has not been active for the outside world to explain to consumers and did not stop selling model problem.
Wenfang pointed out that, according to C-NCAP Management Regulation (2015 edition) of Chapter III "score and star rating" The Scarlet Letter with highlighted word, that is, "in any one collision within three minutes after the end of the trial , where there is a fire phenomenon (observed fire), the car will be down a star. " In view of this, C-NCAP evaluation only to the four-star Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 of evidence to be found.
"This is the first time after the test because of the fire was falling star models since 2015 Edition C-NCAP test models, 4 star scores on the more stringent Euro-NCAP was not low, but at the test conditions more C-NCAP liberal point of view, this evaluation represents the 'behind the industry average.' after all, currently involved in C-NCAP test models universal access to 5 star score, and C-NCAP's highest rating of 5 stars is not but '5+' star. "Wenfang said.
Wenfang pointed out, more importantly, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 reason is down a star in the world in a variety of crash tests at this stage are rare, if this situation occurs in a real car environment, will direct endanger the lives and safety of the driver.
Guangzhou Automobile explain behavior alleged "belated"
According to media reports, for the case of Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 in the C-NCAP crash test within three minutes the engine compartment fires, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan said that this is the engine automatic start and stop apparatus after the collision, due to power short circuit cause brief power fire.
Whether "in the face of crash performance, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan did not take the initiative from their own products to find a cause, but only emphasizes the objective problems C-NCAP test vehicle age. Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan 'test vehicle age question' real reason is intentional drag consumption 'crash test fire' of this result is that consumers time, we get to the bottom yet. "Wenfang said.
Wenfang says that most collision because the fire is on a collision course possible to make electrical wiring being squeezed, thereby short-circuiting the impact, causing current discharge, high temperature combustion so that the wire insulation to melt and cause a fire, or the like so that the supply line by the impact squeeze to rupture, causing a fuel leak, the site of spark or heat (such as a turbocharger, exhaust pipes, etc.) light, thereby forming a fire.
"The Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 appeared fire may be due to a short circuit. Indeed, the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan collision fire, may be a case, it may be accidental, but the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan face of this event exhibited negative attitude is difficult for consumers to accept. "Wenfang said.
The Fangwu Xian believes that the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan to explain the emergence of fire, apparently a "belated" behavior. Since Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 as 5 star test models, it will go itself to be perfect for the car is safe in terms of "the devil is in the details, but also for the quality of the details," Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan problem is clearly the details, so it is evaluated "4 star" understandable, are objective normal range.
Fang Wuxian pointed out that Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan official answer should be a cause of the problem lies. Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan test models with start-stop unit is not equipped with a battery protection sleeve (mainly play the role of insulation, fire retardant and thermal insulation), collision, resulting in a fire.
One thousand News (Beijing) Information Consulting Co., Ltd. Hu Haixiang rule of law Weekend reporter that the reason for the test of fire generally appeared collision design problems, especially in engine design. According to current speculation, but most likely it is a very small probability events caused by design flaws.
Or affect sales
According to publicly available data show that the first half of this year, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan has sold 166,000, an increase of 170.1%. The compact GS4 still Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan boost sales of core. Listed since last year since the beginning of the complete sales cycle within one year GS4 has sold a total of 230,000.
Since it is sold in the market is so hot GS4, then the results of this evaluation will announce whether the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan impact?
Wenfang believe that nowadays consumers purchase all concerned about the safety performance of vehicles, vehicle safety performance has become whether to buy a car which is important to consider criteria. Chi Chuan GS4 monthly sales over 26,000, rushed into the SUV sales ranking second model, it involves a wide range.
"In the crash test safety due to engine compartment fire appears to be downgraded, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan did not take the initiative to find a cause from its own product, which will undoubtedly have an impact on its sales, is likely to lead to decline in sales." Wenfang said.
In addition, Wenfang also said, according to Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan official explanation, Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan express two meanings. First, explained that although the test car caught fire, but no impact on vehicle safety. Second is that the reason why the collision fire, because the test car and consumers buy into GS4 vary test car was not equipped with protective sleeve for insulation, fire retardant and thermal insulation effect, it also means it has no intention to recall.
In this regard, Hu Haixiang said that the fire incident is bound to cause some impact on sales GS4 Chi Chuan, the safety of life is not a trifling matter, if Trumpchi GS4 really have quality defects, and that more and more as the weather is hot, Trumpchi GS4 fire after the collision probability will increase.
"The impact of such a fire incident, AQSIQ also likely involved in the investigation. If the mediator is really a quality defect, the great Chi Chuan GS4 may all recall repair, then more than twenty million units market holdings of Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan, even the Guangzhou Automobile Group have been affected. "Hu Haixiang said.
And Fangwu Xian believes that due to the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 problem is not in the national security detection occurs, and the car did not receive consumer complaints, another key is "Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan GS4 model factory with a start-stop device comes standard with a battery protection sets, but did not find the protective cover "in this test car.
"Therefore, the Guangzhou Automobile Chi Chuan should be 'the investigation whether the factory model comes standard with a battery protection sleeve', open to the public to explain the situation, a large-scale recall of cars is unlikely to even recall the need exists, it should be for the owners to the nearest 4S shop protective cover installed battery service. "Fang Wuxian said.