Auto China 2008 to be the largest A-class auto exhibition

BEIJING – Auto China 2008 or the 10th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition is scheduled to be held during April 22-28 in the New China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi in the suburbs of Beijing. 
With the theme of “Dream, Harmony and New Vision”, the auto event is jointly organized by China Machinery Industry Federation (MIF), China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), and co-organized by CCPIT Automotive Sub-council, China National Automotive Industry International Cooperation, China International Exhibition Center Group Corporation and Society of Automotive Engineers of China.
According to Wang Xia, secretary general of Auto China 2008 Organizing Committee Secretariat, Auto China has become one of the most famous auto exhibition brands all over the world since the first auto show was held in 1990. The bi-annual auto event has been listed one of the international A-class auto shows together with Frankfurt, Geneva , Paris , Tokyo and Detroit shows.
In 2007, the number of auto output and sales in China reached 8.8 million units and the numbers are expected to exceed 10 million this year. China is expected to become the second largest auto manufacturing country and second largest auto market in the world. The rocketing growth of the Chinese auto market has aroused attentions from multinational auto giants, who injected great enthusiasm and investment into the participation of Auto China 2008.

1. Characteristics

•  Large scale

With a total exhibition space of 106,000 square meters of indoor space in eight halls and an additional 80,000 square meters (60,000 for suppliers and 20,000 for commercial vehicles) of outdoor space, Auto China 2008 stands to become Asia’s and China’s largest automotive exhibition, featuring a total of 2,100 exhibitors (1,800 from home and 225 from abroad) from 18 countries and regions and seven world premiers. For the first time, the show displays PV, CV, auto parts and aftermarket products in a single exhibition.

•  World-class exhibition facilities

Located in Beijing Shunyi Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone, the New China International Exhibition Center includes eight modernized exhibition halls, each occupying 12,500 square meters.
The new exhibition center alleviated the problem of insufficient display areas and laid solid foundation for Auto China to become a world-class trade event.  

•  Active participation

For passenger vehicles, nearly all the domestic and foreign PV brands are scheduled to participate in Auto China 2008. There will not only be Asian and Chinese debuts, but also world premieres and concepts. Auto China 2008 has made a record in terms of the number and types of vehicles to be displayed.

•  Exhibitor

Treating Auto China 2008 as one of the international A-level trade events, nearly all of the multinational automakers registered to attend the show; leading automakers such as Volkswagen AG, Daimler AG, and Toyota all considered Auto China 2008 as the most important event outside their respective home countries.
A lot of major state-owned groups, including FAW, Dongfeng, SAIC, Chang’an, BAIC, GAIC and China Aviation Industry Corp. II and China North Industries Group Corp., will attend the expo with their full line-ups. All the independent carmakers and commercial vehicle companies will display their models here.

•  Luxury auto brands
 
Global super-luxury brands will showcase products in the E4 area, including Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ferrari, Maserati , Aston Martin, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Spyker and refitted luxury vehicles.

•  Visitors

Presidents and CEOs of Volkswagen, Audi, General Motors, Toyota , Renault Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and other multinational auto companies will attend and deliver speeches.
It is expected that over 600,000 people would visit the exhibition, including 30,000 foreigners. More than 8,000 journalists and 1,000 media personnel will come and report, including 100 from foreign media.

2. Brief introduction of Auto China 2008

A total of 890 models will be displayed in Auto China 2008, with 55 concept models, seven global debuts and 24 Asian debuts. Almost 100 brand new models will appear in this year’s auto show.
The size of auto parts exhibition area will be 60,000 square meters. The number of exhibitors will reach 1,800, among which there are 300 foreign companies from 15 countries and 1,500 domestic enterprises.
Trucks, buses, modified cars, semi-trailers, refrigerated vans and saloon cars will also be displayed.

3. Exhibitions and events

•  Venue

All the eight indoor exhibition halls will display passenger vehicles. The 40,000-square-meter area on both sides of the center will be used to build tents for auto parts exhibition. The 20,000-square-meter square in front of the center will showcase commercial vehicles. A temporary steel structure hall will be built up to display foreign-brand spare parts. In addition, this year’s expo will continue to set up a broadcasting centre and media display areas.

•  Schedule

Dates:
Whole vehicles: April 22 - 28, spare parts: April 22 -25.
Press days: April 20-21, exhibitors and media staff with ID cards only.
Industry days: April 22-23
Public days: April 24-28
Time:
April 22-25: 9:00-17:00,
April 26-27: 9:00-19:00,
April 28: 9:00-17:00
Community and charity performance: 7:00-22:00, April 20
Opening ceremony: 10:00, April 22, South entry hall
 
•  Ticket & card

Ticket windows have been opened at both old and new exhibition centers. You can also book tickets on the internet and via mobile phones without paying delivery fees.
There are special tickets, industry visitors’ tickets and common tickets.
Priced at ¥1,080 and ¥680, the special tickets are advanced non-contact watch-like tickets with a digital dial. Valid from April 20 to 28, the tickets can be used three times every day. You can buy them in every ticket center or book on the internet.
The ¥100 Industry visitors’ tickets will be valid on April 22 and 23, and can be used only once each day. You can buy it in ticket centers or book on the internet and via cell phones.
Public Show Tickets are valid only once on a single day between April 24-28. Priced at ¥50, it is available at ticket offices or can be ordered online or by cell-phone
Dates and Location:
Dates: April 12-19 Location: CIEC
Dates: April 20-28 Location: NCIEC

Online Order: available at Auto China 2008 website http://www.china-autoshow.com
Cell-phone Order: China Mobile clients send 51DP to 10666110200. China Unicom clients send 8# plus date and ticket amount to 10669085108. No more than 5 tickets are allowed per person. ¥2 will be charged for every order.
 
Free Delivery: www.bitauto.com provides free delivery services to online and cell-phone subscribers inside the Fifth-ring area. Others can fetch the tickets at ticket offices of CIEC (April 12-19) or NCIEC (April 20-28) with valid ID information.
The auto show secretariat also provides one-time free passes (activated online) to audiences who buy the wristwatch-shaped special tickets (limited version for the 2006 auto show). For details please log onto http://www.ciec-expo.com.cn or http://www.ciec.com.cn.
During the auto show, valid cards (all are E-cards) include exhibitor’s cards, reporter’s cards, constructor’s cards and other staff certificates. Exhibitors and reporters can enter the show area repeatedly during the show. They must swipe their cards at both entrance and exit, or access will be denied the next day.
Online registration service of media is in operation now, and two kinds of reporter’s cards are available:
A-class card: valid during the whole auto show, four times of access and exit
B-class card: only valid during press days (April 20-21), four times of access and exit
Reporters can apply for cards on http://www.china-autoshow.com, input the username, password, media name, address, and contact information.
Auto show organizer will verify the applications and email the results to applicants.
If the application is passed, applicants can register the detailed information following guidance in the email.
Media cards will be issued twice:
Reporters who attend the press conferences can receive the cards on the spot, showing valid certificates for application.
Those who don’t attend the press conferences can receive the cards at media registration office of NCIEC, starting form April 16.
Media cards are only restricted to media, which have published news stories on the China Auto Show’s official website http://www.china-autoshow.com.

4. Transportation:

NCIEC is located in Yuxiang Road 88, Tianzhu area, Shunyi District of Beijing. Audiences and exhibitors may reach the spot via the following means of transportation:

•  get off at the Tiantongyuan station of subway line 5, and take the auto show special line buses

•  take the 915, 916 buses (starting for Dongzhimen station) and get off at NCIEC station (aka Maliandian station)

•  drive to NCIEC - Two Routes:
1. Drive along the Airport Expressway, get off at the Yanglin exit, and follow NCIEC signs
2. Drive along the Jingcheng Highway , turn right after getting off at the Houshayu exit, turn right via Rome Roundabout, then follow NCIEC signs. (Recommended)

•  take a taxi

Express center integrates functions of interview, rest, meeting and internet, which can provide good facilities for domestic and overseas journalists.
Timely updated official website is available: www.china-autoshow.com
TV stations like CCTV, BTV will report the show simultaneously.
It is estimated that more than 8,000 domestic and international reporters will come to visit the show.
During Auto China 2008, conferences and forums like technology communication, production introduction, new vehicle launch and discussions on development and technology will be actively organized.
April 17-18: CBU Presidents’ Forum: “OEM & Supplier Strategies in the Next Decade.
April 21, 2008 International Advanced Diesel Engine Technology Forum will be held.
2008 International Automobile Summit Conference will be held on April 22. The forum will divide into two panels: First panel will be keynote speeches given by executives from domestic and international automotive enterprises on topics of car trade and development; the second will be "Yang Lan’s interview”, chaired by famous anchor-person Ms. Yang Lan, and guests from domestic and international automotive industry will discuss "win-win cooperation and developing harmoniously".
2008 China ’s Aftermarket Fortune Forum will be held on April 23.
Show organizer will hold colorful activities like Model contest, photographic competition and Grand Prix.
Show organizers and five other public service organizations will jointly hold a public activity named "Make Public Service Together".
On the second floor of the new exhibition center, a ten-year review of the auto show will be held to retrace the growth of the Beijing Auto Show.
Other interesting activities like “Win the Great Wall Spirit Drive”, “Automobile Sports Dialogue”, Video Blog Match, etc.
Auto China 2008 is regarded as the largest activity before the summer 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.