China Produces Autos for America's Big 3 for Americans

[Wingfoot]

Chrysler is busy in talks with China's automaker Great Wall Motor on cooperation projects.

Philip Murtaugh, Chrysler Asia CEO, inspected Great Wall Motor's facility December 2008 to look into the Cowry model and the i7 hatchback, which were rumored to be the A-class model co-developed by Great Wall Motor and Chrysler. It is reported that Murtaugh was satisfied with the two models.

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The Cowry (V80) is a compact four-door MPV that would look right on home on the streets of Tokyo, if not Santa Monica. Fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, it will be priced from $15,500 to $19,400.

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Great Wall Motor said the two parties will launch the i7 model first if the projects fare well. The two automakers are still in talks and any changes could be possible.

The co-developed models, if mass-produced, will go on sale in overseas markets with the Chrysler label. Both models are scheduled to go on sale in China later this year.

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The i7 is a jaunty five-door hatchback with an exaggerated, oversize grille. It will be offered with a range of four-cylinder gas and diesel engines from 1.2 to 1.5 liters and will be priced from under $15,000.

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A Chrysler China executive said Chrysler was in a transitional period since it dropped out of Daimler AG's joint venture (BBDC) with Beijing Auto, but the company posted fast increase in its Chinese business with sales in the first ten months doubled from last year.

Although Chrysler American headquarters is in desperate need for government help to avoid bankruptcy, Chrysler China still keeps in close talks with some Chinese companies as part of its effort to build a long and stable partnership in China.

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Designed and developed in Europe for sale across Ford's global markets,
the new Fiesta is the first in a series of fuel efficient new small cars
developed through Ford's global product development process. Its stylish and
dynamic flair combines with all the traditional Ford small car strengths to
create a confident, contemporary introduction to the next chapter of the
Fiesta story.

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Ford Motor started manufacturing the Fiesta subcompact car at a plant in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, the Dow Jones News wires reported.

The Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Company's Nanjing plant will produce the five-door hatchback and four-door sedan versions of the new global Fiesta for the Chinese market and the vehicles will go on sale later in the first quarter, the company said.

The U.S. automaker has been touting Fiesta, its second-best selling vehicle behind the Ford Focus, as the first in 'a series of global cars.'

The latest version of the Fiesta debuted last year in Europe, with 61,000 cars sold so far, Ford said.

The Fiesta rollout continues this year in China, and will reach the United States and other key world markets in early 2010.

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GM reveals Chevrolet Volt - To be produced in China by 2011

General Motors will use the North American International Auto Show in Detroit to showcase its latest electric concept car, the Chevrolet Volt. The hybrid car can deliver the equivalent of of 150 miles per gallon, while offering a top speed of 120 mph, and a zero to sixty time of 8.5 seconds.

The so-called plug-in hybrid has a charge time of 6.5 hours, and can travel 40 miles on batteries alone. For many customers, this could mean the daily commute would require no gasoline.

As with any hybrid, an onboard generator recharges the batteries when the gasoline motor is running. What makes the Volt unique is that's the only thing the gas motor does — in other words, it never drives the wheels directly. Maximum range — with a full tank of gas and charged batteries — is an impressive 640 miles. GM anticipates urban fuel economy of around 100 mpg. The uniquely-styled sedan weighs 3200 lbs and will seat four passengers.

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Coming to America in 2011, drivers will get a jolt from the all new Chevy Spark. The India produced Spark is Chevy's upcoming entry in the Mini-Car segment. Although a mini, the four-seat Spark will come standard with four doors for easy entry. Its fresh, clean approach to interior and exterior design, materials and colors is sure to ignite a passion for its looks alone. But the Spark's true mission is to combine multifunctionality with extreme fuel economy thanks to its well-designed 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Power to come from gasoline engines no larger than 1.4 liters. It's one more example of Chevy's commitment to be the industry leader in fuel efficiency. Priced from $6,509.00 to $8,622.00.

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[TheCableVine]

I want a new car. I'm a road trip freak.

[underground quester]

Does anyone besides me see the seriousness of this situation. BILLIONS of dollars are being poured into the Auto Sector in both the U.S. and Canada.

These cars can be produced far cheaper in China than here I suppose but what does that say for the billions of tax dollars given to the big three to resurrect the industry here?

Additionally, in times of economic downturn and attempts to turn them around, the US and Canada have long relied on big industry to pay living wages to help bring our economies out of recession. I wonder how this will impact the future.

At the moment, the big three are holding out dire predictions about tens of thousands of jobs and they are investing huge in China. I smell a rat!

JMHO

[Wingfoot]

Coming to America in 2011, drivers will get a jolt from the all new Chevy Spark. The India produced Spark is Chevy's upcoming entry in the Mini-Car segment. Although a mini, the four-seat Spark will come standard with four doors for easy entry. Its fresh, clean approach to interior and exterior design, materials and colors is sure to ignite a passion for its looks alone. But the Spark's true mission is to combine multifunctionality with extreme fuel economy thanks to its well-designed 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Power to come from gasoline engines no larger than 1.4 liters. It's one more example of Chevy's commitment to be the industry leader in fuel efficiency. Priced from $6,509.00 to $8,622.00.

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General Motors Corp. said Thursday May 7, 2009 it lost
$6 billion in the first quarter and spent $10.2 billion more
cash than it took in, as a sales slump cut revenue by
$20 billion. The nation's biggest domestic automaker lost
$9.78 per share, compared with a loss of $3.3 billion, or
$5.80 per share, in the year-ago period.

GM Plans China-Made Vehicles for U.S

Wed May 13, 2009

General Motors Corp. plans to begin exports of vehicles made in China to the United States within two years, ramping up sales to more than 50,000 by 2014, reports said Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for GM in China did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports, which were said to be based on a company recovery plan given to U.S. lawmakers.

GM intends to sell 17,335 made-in-China passenger cars in the U.S. market by 2011, the Shanghai Securities News and other reports said. By 2014 exports would triple to more than 51,000, it said.

The main focus would be on exporting small cars similar to the Chevrolet Spark, the reports said.

If true, GM could end up becoming the first automaker to begin exporting to the U.S. from China: previously announced plans by Chinese manufacturers to crack the U.S. market have so far fizzled.

Most Chinese automakers have been daunted by the challenge of meeting stringent U.S. safety standards. They also face the uphill battle of winning consumer confidence for their unfamiliar brand names.

Brand name recognition is perhaps the least of GM’s problems as it faces a June 1 government-imposed deadline to finish a restructuring plan or follow Chrysler LLC into bankruptcy protection.

Opting to export from China would help the company, now surviving on $15.4 billion in federal loans, to slash production costs and make full use of its huge investments in factories here.

But it would likely raise protests from labor unions it has been seeking to win concessions from as part of its restructuring.

The plan also would represent a shift from past strategy. GM officials have long emphasized their commitment to first meeting demand in China before considering exports to the U.S. or other markets.

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[2RUDE]

That Chevy Spark looks remarkably similar to the TA TA that's built in India, and retails for less than 2 grand...I guess meeting the U.S.'s safety provisions and import fees add another $6500 to the Ta Tas price tag. Anybody else see the similarities?

[Dave72]

Just one more 'click' in the machine that is driving Asia to the top and N.Am to the middle. Maybe someday we can go to the work factories here to make things for them (as their economy grows enough that personal status in the large part begins to exceed that of N.Am workers). We can work for food and shelter, because our good govt will look after all our other needs (for our best interest).
<sigh>

[beyond help]

This is a bunch of ****ing bullshit. This is a huge problem with this country.