CHERY

Will China's BYD Bring the F3DM to the U.S. or will this be Just Another Broken Promise? 

 

When it comes to making cars, China is king. We’re talking the world’s largest car market, with over a hundred individual marques. So why is it that there are virtually zero Chinese car manufactures selling cars in the U.S. aka the world’s other largest car market? So far, China’s “Big Four” (well, the four most visible to those outside of China) have made and broken promises of bringing their vehicles to the North American market. Brilliance, Chery, Nanjing and Geely have all backed down from their plans to open dealerships and factories stateside. So far, not a single car from China's major automakers has touched down on U.S. soil outside a motor show.
Senior analyst Bill Visnic of Edmunds.com explains why: “This isn’t computers or cellphones, where you just get into a big-box store. You need some dealerships, and those things are tremendous investments of time and resources. [The Chinese] thought it was going to be a lot easier than it was.”
BYD hopes to change all that. China’s sixth largest automaker provided plug-in hybrid cars to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now plans on bringing that hybrid, the awkwardly named F3DM, to the U.S.A. for Spring 2012. It still could be an uphill challenge, though.
The fallout from the slump in auto sales after the Global Financial Crisis, the government’s bailouts of two of the Big Three, the liquidation of numerous dealerships and the reduction in hybrid sales that came with the sudden drop in fuel prices is still being felt in much of America’s automotive heartland. Add to that the small market share commanded by hybrid and electric vehicles – just 2.2% worldwide according to JD Power – and BYD may be in over their heads already.
AS Mike Omotoso from JD Power explains:
“Because consumers are wary about electric vehicles and their driving range and batteries, they are even more likely to go with more established companies like G.M. and Nissan. The problem with the Chinese car companies is they are trying to run before they walk.”
Only time will tell if BYD’s U.S. plans end in fruition or failure.

Chinese-Made Dodge Breeze Scooped 

 

Chrysler LLC’s Chinese-built minicar, the Dodge Breeze which is basically a rebadged Chery A1, has been caught… red-handed. As you can see in these scoop pictures that have been circulating in various Chinese forums, despite the manufacture’s attempts to conceal any “Dodge” or “Breeze” badges, someone overlooked the company’s logo on the hub-caps, thus revealing the car’s true identity. According to reports, Chrysler LLC will start deliveries of the Dodge Breeze to the North American market and in particular Mexico, towards the end of the year. As for the U.S., it is still under discussion whether or not the Chery-built mini car -and consequently, Chrysler,

Chery Faira YY Coupe Coming to Beijing Show 

 

Like its Chinese counterpart Geely, Chery is also readying a spectacular number of new cars and concepts for the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. To be precise, Chery will exhibit 26 models and among them, a new series of mini cars that will be sold under the name Faira. The YY Coupe (ok, it’s just a 3door hatchback, but that’s what Chery calls it) is the sportiest of the Faira series. If anything else, Chery’s Xerox team –err, we mean design team, deserve our kudos for turning a cute car –see Toyota Aygo, into a good looking sporty mini hatch. 

Chrysler Seals Deal With Chinese Carmaker Chery 

After several months of negotiations and in the midst of Chrysler Group’s divorce with the Daimler Group, Chrysler and Chery Automobile Co finalized their agreement today in Beijing to jointly develop, produce and distribute small and sub-compact cars. Under the agreement, the Chery will manufacture the cars in China and the Chrysler Group will distribute them under the Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge brands for North America, Europe and other major markets. Just before the boyz in white let the ink roll down the paper, Chrysler’s CEO Tom LaSorda said that the agreement with Chery will play a big role in the American car manufacture’s plan of doubling sales in the next three to five years. -Continued after the jump
According to LaSorda, exports of the Chinese made mini and sub-compact car will begin in Latin America and eastern Europe within 12 months while U.S. exports are expected to commence in mid-2009. However, the first model exported, a Dodge badged vehicle based on Chery's A-1 small car will not be exported to the U.S. or Europe. 

Chery to unveil Italian designed Shooting Sport Concept at the Shanghai Show 

Chinese carmakers are learning quickly and with help from Europeans, they’re stepping up their pace. Take the three-door, four-seater Shooting Sport Concept for example. Created by Torino Design of Turin, Italy, the Shooting Sport could theoretically posse a potential “made in China” threat to BMW’s MINI. A little bit far fetched but you get our point. 

Official: Chrsyler Group approves small-car agreement with Chinese, Chery Motors 

Theoretically and for the time being, the Chrysler Group is up for sale but that doesn’t mean that the Group has halted all its future projects. Today DaimlerChrysler announced that its Supervisory Board approved the framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chinese Chery Motor Company. Although this agreement has to be approved by the “almighty” Chinese government, consider it a done deal with the final paper work to be signed by the end of March. According to DC, under the non-equity partnership, the Chery-built vehicles will be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North America and Western Europe. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the press release
PRESS RELEASE: Auburn Hills, Mich./Stuttgart, Germany - The DaimlerChrysler Supervisory Board today approved the framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chery Motor Company of China. The deal is still contingent upon approval by the Chinese government, but the final pact of the framework is expected to be signed by the end of March. Under the non-equity partnership, Chery-built vehicles will be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North America and Western Europe.
Chrysler Group indicated that the partnership would allow the company to become a bigger player on the global automotive stage by giving it access to products in new segments more quickly, with less capital spending.
Small vehicles such as these will allow Chrysler Group brands to compete in segments in which the brands do not currently compete, and which are especially important in price- and fuel-economy sensitive markets. Some 67 percent of all vehicles sold outside of North America are in these segments. Chrysler Group's major competitors in the U.S. and Western Europe have similar arrangements with Asian manufacturers for vehicles in these segments.