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Less than three years after its establishment, Lantu Automobile, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Group, ushered in another wave of senior personnel changes after a major senior adjustment in July last year.

Recently, China Business reported that according to the personnel appointment and removal notice issued by Dongfeng Automobile, Yu Fei, general manager of Lantu Automobile, has left his job, and Shao Mingfeng, assistant to the general manager of Lantu Automobile, has temporarily replaced him. At the same time, the government has also adjusted some general supervisor-level management posts in marketing and other fields. In response to Yu Fei's resignation, the person in charge of Lantu Automobile responded that Yu Fei, general manager of Lantu Automobile Marketing, left for personal reasons. At the same time, he said: Lantu is a diversified team that advocates an inclusive, open and innovative corporate culture. Lantu widely attracts and trains talents and supports the normal flow of talents.

Relevant data show that Yu Fei has a wealth of experience in the automotive industry and has served as a sales regional manager and pickup brand manager in Jiangling Motor. He joined Great Wall Motor as commodity planning director in May 2019 and became deputy general manager of Euler Brand in October 2019. In July 2020, he was appointed General Manager of Euler Brand Marketing. In October 2021, he became the general manager of WEY brand car brand. It is worth noting that Liu Zhanshu, vice president of Lantu marketing, also applied to leave in April this year. Lantu Automobile said to the outside world: the news is true. Liu Zhanzhu has resigned due to personal reasons.

With the departure of Yu Fei and Liu Zhanzhu executives, it also means that Lantu Automobile's marketing management structure collapsed after a major senior adjustment in July last year. On July 19, 2022, Lantu Automobile made a series of adjustments to the company's leadership. Among them, Lu Fang will no longer serve concurrently as Lantu Automobile Chief Technology Officer (CTO), the position will be filled by Wang Junjun, Lu Fang will still serve as CEO of the company. Qin Jie served as a member and secretary of the temporary party committee of Lantu Automobile; Liu Ming was appointed a member of the temporary party committee, member of the discipline Inspection Commission, and secretary of the discipline Inspection Commission; and Gong Xuesong and Shao Mingfeng were appointed as assistants to the general manager of the company. Liu Zhanzhu, who left Lantu Motors in April, joined Lantu Motors in June 2022 as deputy general manager of the sales company, in charge of brand and marketing section.

Liu Zhanzhu joined Lantu Automobile in June last year as deputy general manager of the sales company, in charge of brand and marketing section. Before joining Lantu Automobile, Liu Zhanzhu served as Senior Director of Pole Krypton Automobile customer Development Center, head of FAW-Volkswagen Audi Operations Management Department, SAIC General Buick Brand Marketing Director and other positions. Prior to this in March last year, Lantu Motor also had a situation of high-level changes. In March 2022, Lei Xin, chief brand officer of Lantu CBO, was transferred from his post, while Huang Weichong, senior director of Lantu Automobile Operations, also left.

There is a certain relationship between the frequent changes in the top management of Lantu automobile and the poor sales of the brand. Relevant information shows that Lantu Automobile is a high-end electric brand launched by Dongfeng Group, which was established in June 2021. At present, Lantu Automobile has three models: SUV FREE, MPV Dreamer and sedan Zuguang, covering SUV, MPV and sedan models. Among them, Lantu FREE has pure electric version and extended range version of two power models, the price range is 333600 yuan to 313600 yuan; Lantu Dreamer positioning large MPV, the new car launched four models, the price range is 36.99-439900 yuan. Yuguang, the third production model under Lantu Automobile, will be unveiled and booked on December 15, 2022, with a pre-price range of 32.29-432900 yuan.

Although after its establishment, Lantu Motors is also constantly launching new models, but Lantu car sales are still "depressed". Relevant data show that from 2021 to 2022, the cumulative sales of Lantu cars are 6791 and 19409 respectively. Earlier, officials set an annual sales target of 46000 units last year, which was later adjusted to 31000. However, according to the latest annual sales target, last year Lantu achieved only 62.6% of last year's sales target.

From January to February this year, or affected by Tesla's big price cuts, the sales of Lantu cars are even more depressed, with sales of 1548 vehicles and 1107 vehicles respectively from January to February. In March, due to the start of a price war among car companies and poor sales, Lantu Motor also launched a time-limited discount of 40,000 yuan to its dreamers. Or affected by the activity, Lantu car sales increased slightly in March and April, with sales of 3027 in March, 3339 in April, and only 9021 from January to April.

In order to reverse the poor sales situation, Lantu Motor also held a number of mobilization meetings last year. In May last year, Lantu Automobile held a "1 million vehicles" remobilization meeting. Lantu Automobile is clear: in the next 100 days, we will try our best to fight for the sales target of 10,000 vehicles. At the 2022 mid-year work meeting held in July last year, Lantu Automobile sorted out the key work in the second half of the year, and put sales work in the first place, adjusting the sales target to 31000 vehicles and challenging 37000 vehicles.

For this year's goal, Lantu car Lu Fang has said that this year will double to triple on the basis of last year, which is a bottom line. This also means that if we look at last year's sales of 19409 Lantu cars, this year's sales target of Lantu cars must be at least more than 38000 before it can be considered as the target. At present, if Lantu wants to achieve its target, it will be possible to achieve its annual sales target only if monthly sales reach more than 3600 vehicles in the remaining time. If the growth momentum of sales in March and April is maintained, if nothing happens, Lantu may be able to achieve its annual sales target this year. Of course, Lantu will also face great challenges if it wants to achieve its goal.

As we all know, the importance of Lantu brand to Dongfeng is self-evident. Lantu represents Dongfeng Group's expectation of attacking its own high-end market, and hopes to use Lantu Automobile as a breakthrough to open up a new situation. However, with the frequent personnel changes and the sharp drop in sales of the parent company Dongfeng Group, the new energy track is becoming more and more fierce, which also makes Lantu Automobile in crisis. Lantu CEO Lu Fang is also aware of the current situation of Lantu Motors, who once said at the Shanghai Auto Show that there were indeed "some problems" in the development of Lantu Motors. As an enterprise still has to survive first, the real competition does not only depend on the price competition, the real competition is the competition of the ability and efficiency of the whole system.

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