China to become world's third largest car maker

[jay gw]

Nov. 12 - China's assemblers are likely to make and sell 6.4 million passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks in 2006, spurring the nation to surpass Germany as the world's third-largest vehicle maker, according to government research.

Vehicle sales in Asia's second-largest economy may rise by up to 13 percent this year to 5.6 million units, according to a paper presented at a National Development and Reform Commission conference today in Beijing.

http://www.chinanews.cn//news/2005/2005-11-13/14108.html

 

[CapelDodger]

It's just one thing after another, isn't it? There's a thing, nothing much changes for most people. There's another thing, again, not much change. It's like dropping a rock in a pond of slurry, unless you mention Taiwan.

 

[webfusion]

Typical Chinese car --

 

[jay gw]

New Chinese car-

 

[BPSCG]

Typical Chinese car --

Yeah - you laugh now.

 

[kalen]

China to become world's third largest car maker


Anybody know who made the largest and second-largest car?

 

[joe1347]

I'm assuming that the statistic includes foreign brands manufactured in China (mainland) as well as the domestic Chinese brands. That being true, one of the biggest surprises during a recent trip to Shanghai was how common VW's and Buick's were. Easily outnumbering by a large margin all other brands, especially the domestic Chinese brands. As I later found out, the VW's and Buicks were all produced locally at Shanghai VW and Shanghai GM.

I think the BIG question is whether VW and/or GM will manufacture cars in mainland China for export to the rest of the world, including the US. For GM, lots of potential for political fallout if Americans are replaced (laid-off) by Chinese workers, even if the export (to the US) is an oddball niche market vehicle. At least one saving grace (short-term), I heard from the locals that the Chinese brands were fairly lousy vehicles in comparison to the locally produced foreign brands (VW and GM). So like Hyundai, who started out making lousy cars, it may take more than a decade for a Chinese brand to make an impact in the USA.

 

[Cleon]

Typical Chinese car --

Dude, you are way out of touch...