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Filed under: China , Euro Pininfarina is making its voice heard designs seen in China, with 30-percent of the company's business now being done with the Asian nation. At this month's Beijing Motor Show , two Chinese automakers will reveal three models designed and, in some cases, engineered by the Italian firm. What's more, all of the cars are meant to be sold in the European market, as well. Anhui Jianghuai will have two Pininfarina designed cars, a sedan code named A108 (pictured) and a five-door hatch code named A107. They are meant to hit European markets in late 2009. Brilliance, which is BMW's Chinese partner, will be showing off the BS4 station wagon. It will head to Europe with the re-engineered BS6 sedan. Though they won't be unveiling new cars, Pininfarina's other Chinese clients include Chery, Changfeng, and Hafei, who together have at least seven cars penned by Ferrari's favorite design house. [Source: Auto News ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Euro , Plants/Manufacturing , Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo is returning to the US market in about a year, offering the zooty 8C Competizione and 8C Spider atop a range of less spectacular offerings. While the top-end 8Cs will probably be Italian emigres, the 149 and 169 sedans could be put together in Mexico. Alfa doesn't have a hard and fast decision yet, and could pick another site, even one in North America. Moving the labor to Mexico for the volume sellers might prove to be a wise move on Alfa's part. The dollar continues to take a beating, pushing up the cost of European items on US sales markets, and building somewhere else would sidestep some of those increased costs. Alfa is trying this idea in China, too, where Chery will assemble automobiles for that market. We're all for it if it gets the keys to some stylish Italians in our hands while holding the prices down. The quality can't be any worse than it was in the bad old days that led to the notorious reputation...
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Filed under: China , Euro , Plants/Manufacturing MG's former Longbridge, UK headquarters has been pretty quiet since production ceased in 2005. Newly-merged owners SAIC and Nanjing want the clatter of carbuilding to once again echo through the plant and plan to base their European and overseas operations there. The plant itself has the capability to build up to three different models; the challenge is deciding which of the former rival's products to build there. MG TF roadsters will likely lead the charge, with cars due at retail locations by March 1st. MG Rover holdovers could return to their roots if SAIC/Nanjing decide to build the MG 3 and MG 7 , while the newly deisgned Roewe W2 , pictured above, looks like a solid possibility, as well. In addition to manufacturing, R&D and sales efforts will also be strengthened. From the sound of things, it won't be long before Longbridge is once again turning out cars (some of the same cars, even) at a healthy clip. [Source: Auto...
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Filed under: China , Euro , Chery Europeans anxiously awaiting their chance to buy a Chery will have to cool their heels a little longer. Chery's delaying the export of their B21, but it's not for anything major like crash performance woes. According to suppliers, Chery has pushed back production so they can revamp the interior design. The fitment that appeals to the Chinese domestic market is less thrilling to European buyers, so the cabin will get some attention before the B21 swings into production later this year. It won't be long until these cars start finding European buyers. Chery and its peers are getting their collective acts together and while these cars are currently punchlines, they won't be for long. [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req., Photo: Autoblog Chinese] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , China , Euro , Plants/Manufacturing , Volkswagen The Skoda Fabia (not sold in America) is pretty small. It's based on the Volkswagen Polo platform (also not sold in America). But Skoda chairman Reinhard Jung wants an even smaller car based on the upcoming production version of the VW up! concept, and that also won't be sold here in all likelihood. Where it will, however, is in Russia, India and China. These rapidly growing markets where Western automakers have been undertaking an equally rapid expansion via joint ventures with local companies are where Skoda wants to expand production. Currently the Czech subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group produces about 60,000 vehicles each year between the three enormous countries, which it plans to double to 120,000 units annually over the course of 2008. But by 2010, Skoda is targeting annual production of 350,000 in those markets. Volkswagen has shown several concepts that preview a small car range, including the...
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Filed under: China , Euro , Plants/Manufacturing , Earnings/Financials , Chery , Alfa Romeo , FIAT Hot on the heels of Nanjing Auto's merger with SAIC , Fiat has announced it has pulled out of the automotive joint venture it had embarked upon with Nanjing. The Sino-Italian operation had been a money-losing enterprise for years. Fiat says that Nanjing failed to live up to its commitments to the joint venture after the Chinese auto group took over MG Rover, and that the divorce will enable the Italian automaker to re-strategize its business in China. Fiat is expected to partner instead with Chery Automobiles, which just announced another joint venture with Israel Corp . Fiat and Chery are in the process of setting up another joint venture to produce 175,000 cars annually starting in 2009, and leading to the introduction of Fiat Group division Alfa Romeo to the Chinese market. The separation affects only the cooperation between Fiat and Nanjing on the production of passenger cars, and...
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Filed under: China , Euro , Japan , Tech , DaimlerChrysler , Mercedes Benz Daimler is apparently getting tired of sourcing its turbochargers from outside companies, so it's enacting a three- to five-year plan than will make it one of the top three producers of our favorite power-adder. The automaker currently gets about 50-percent of its turbos from IHI Charging Systems International in Japan, which produces about seven-percent of snails worldwide. Just Mercedes-Benz diesel models account for over 500,000 turbos used each year, and Daimler is right in thinking that demand for blown engines will continue to grow as consumers look for more fuel-efficient models that create similar power to their naturally aspirated counterparts. The goal is to produce 600,000 units per year - up from 500,000 in 2006 - in a joint effort with a company based in Italy. The move will solidify Daimler as a leader both in manufacturing and technology that should pay dividends as more consumers look to turbocharged...
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Filed under: Euro , Government/Legal , SMART Daimler's not taking the close resemblance of a Chinese minicar to a smart fortwo lightly. The German automaker has gotten a court order forbidding Martin Motors, the European distributor for China's Shuanghuan Automobile, from displaying the Shuanghuan Noble at the upcoming Bologna Auto Show. This is the second time Daimler has blocked the Noble from being displayed, having taken similar action at the Frankfurt show. Martin Motors is calling the Noble the Bubble in Europe, since there's already another Noble . Martin contends that the Bubble is not a copy of the fortwo, citing the four seats and front engine configuration among the differentiating details. Martin Motors has also demanded in Italian courts that Daimler prove its exclusive rights to the design of the smart. If a resolution can be reached, the Bubble will go on sale for about $10,000 euros across Europe. The resemblance is striking, but copying the look isn't the...
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Filed under: Motorsports , China , Euro , Aston Martin Next year, with Chinese partner GruppeM, Aston Martin will take its first steps into China with a 5-car showroom in Shanghai, and a 3-car showroom in Beijing. Aston hasn't had a presence in China in the company's entire 94-year history, so to accompany its entry, it is also starting a 1-make series featuring the Vantage N24 . The inaugural 2008 Aston Martin Asia Cup will comprise 12 races in China, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Grids will be 18 specially-prepared customer cars and will run from 30 minute sprints to enduros. Buyers can pick their cars up at the Beijing showroom, and even get lessons at the Goldenport track before they start racing. Even better, UK-based Aston Martin Racing is providing technical support for the season, although drivers can enter with their own teams if they get approval. The winner of the 2008 series will get a paid-for drive in a Vantage N24 for the FIA GT4 series in 2009, which is much better...
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Filed under: Economy , China , Euro , Japan , Hatchbacks , Toyota A version of Toyota's iQ concept , originally shown in Frankfurt, is rumored to begin production sometime next year and according to a couple of sources cited by Automotive News , power will come courtesy of Yamaha. The two Japanese firms are currently collaborating on a new 1.0-liter engine based on one of Yamaha's motorcycle powerplants, although output and fuel economy numbers have yet to be disclosed. Toyota is expected to produce around 100,000 units, with Europe receiving approximately 80,000 vehicles when sales begin in 2009. Although there's no word on U.S. distribution, the iQ-inspired micro-car may find its way into emerging markets in India and China where low-cost transportation is becoming a booming business. [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , China , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Infiniti , Nissan Dave Guilford of Automotive News sat down with Carlos Tavares, Nissan MoCo's global product chief, and the fruits of his investigative labors revealed that Infiniti...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , China , Euro , Safety var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/world_news/China_s_Brilliance_BS6_sedan_improved_gets_3_star_crash_rating_videos'; As we reported yesterday , Chinese automaker Brilliance appears to have addressed a...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , China , Euro , Safety Following its utterly calamitous performance in crash tests conducted by Germany's ADAC, Chinese automaker Brilliance said that it would work with the German body to improve the car's safety. To be honest...
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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show , China , Euro According to UK-based media service Headline Auto, one of the hot rumors flying around the Auto Messe in Frankfurt earlier this morning was that China Automobile , the German importer for Chinese automaker...
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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show , SUVs , China , Euro , BMW You might recall a post last week regarding a little tiff between Smart and Shuanghuan, the purveyors of the Noble, a dead ringer for the German firm's fortwo. That vehicle, along with an SUV...
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