Yulon

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Yulon Motors

Type	Public
Founded	10 September 1953
Headquarters	Miaoli County, Taiwan
Key people	Kenneth K T, Yen, Vice Chairman
Employees	1,737
Website	yulon-motor.com.tw

Yulon (裕隆) is an automaker in Taiwan, founded as a machinery company in 1953. It is best known for building Nissans under license.

The original romanization of the company's name is Yue Loong. In 1992 the company renewed its logo and switched to the shorter Yulon name.

Yulon began building Nissan automobiles under license in the 1960s. For many years the company's mission was to eventually develop an indigenous auto industry for Taiwan, guided with some assistance from the government — a pattern later realized by Proton of Malaysia. The company's first attempt in doing so was a car called the Feeling 101, based on the (80s) Nissan Bluebird. Yulon would follow up with facelifted versions such as the Feeling 102 and the Arex, but by the early 1990s the company had clearly given up such ambition.

The early 1990s marked a turning point for the auto industry in Taiwan as a whole, and Yulon was instrumental in the changes. Up until then, most vehicles manufactured under license in Taiwan were badged with both the original maker's brand and the local licensee's brand. In some cases (as it was for Yulon), the original manufacturer's name and badges were completely replaced by the licensee's. This was probably a move to foster sentiments for the local auto industry.

However, at the launch of the A32 Nissan Cefiro in Taiwan, the Yulon name and logo was no longer found on the car. Having been down on its luck for years, the Cefiro became a huge hit and revived Yulon's fortunes. Partly as a result of this, and partly due to the absence of government policies, local licencees began to see and market themselves as local partners of the auto makers, instead of auto makers in their own right.

Yulon also pioneers in adjusting Nissan products for local tastes. The company no longer markets Nissan cars as received from Japan, but uses its limited design and engineering expertise to update the models as they feel is necessary. Yulon claims that as a result, Nissan models marketed in many Asian countries are its updated versions; Yulon's rivals in Taiwan soon followed with claims of similar intervention in their products.

Yulon also imports Infiniti models, and after the Renault-Nissan alliance was forged, became the official importer of Renault cars in Taiwan. Yulon owns part of China Motor, a Taiwan-based company who builds Mitsubishi vehicles under license.

In 2004 Yulon separated itself into two entities. Doing so allows its manufacturing arm to build for auto makers other than Nissan; for much of 2004 and 2005 rumors of a General Motors deal has been rife. By the time of 22 November 2005 a website for this joint venture, called "Yulon GM Motors," has been up and running in Chinese only [1]. According to the website, Opel, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles are sold. However in April of 2006, CKD assembly of the Chinese Shanghai-GM Buick LaCrosse commenced.

The other part of Yulon aims to play a bigger part in Nissan's China strategy, by taking a share in the joint venture between Nissan and Dongfeng Motor Corporation.

[edit] List of Nissan vehicles Yulon has built

among others.

[edit] Example of current offerings

As of November 2006

Assembled in Taiwan

Nissan Tiida
Nissan Verita
Nissan March
Nissan Sentra based on the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy - Yulon claimed that it designed this modification of the Almera/Pulsar, and that Nissan in Japan decided to take it up.
Nissan Teana
Nissan X-Trail
Nissan Serena longer wheelbase and body updated by Yulon
Nissan Cabstar

Imported