Soon DaimlerChrysler May be "Made in China"
 

Caught this photo caption today on Yahoo News, contained within an article about vehicle safety.

"DaimlerChrysler AG is in talks with China's Chery Automobile Co. to produce a sub-compact car for the Dodge brand, Daimler executives said Friday, in a potential step that could bring low-cost Chinese exports to the U.S. market. China has the world's second-largest car market after the United States, with 7 million new vehicle sales a year."

I expect those DCs not fully made in China to start having a lot more parts from China. Perhaps even a retro to parts from China on older cars.

Just a matter of time - do you think MB will try to sell a Chinese diesel?

Ken300D

it burns it burns

mercedes would never allow a non MBZ diesel in one of their branded cars..

blashphemy i say curse the chinese!

There is a Chinese company making a licensed copy of a MB diesel engine right now. It powers a SUV for sale in Australia. There is a guy over on www.biodiesel.infopop.cc that drives a couple of them.

Found it. http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/419605551/m/4591069371?r=4881003471#4881003471

-Jim

maybe not a Chineese brand diesel in a MB... but i bet they would build a Diesel in China in a MB plant and call it a MB... I don't really have a problem with MB out sourcing production of parts, or even cars to China... because i don't care who makes it as long as the quality is high... but with the recent low quality of newer Mercedes... I'm afraid that the quality will slip even more with this move.

:behead:

They'll never do it...if MB's were not made in Germany, NO Germans would buy them...simple as that. The mentality of people there is to keep their jobs and production in their country. Not like the USA, where everyone seems to enjoy watching jobs go floating away and people sit around unemployed. Wal-Mart, closed all of its stores in Germany....why? Because no one shopped there, Germans won't buy Chinese goods nor will they support the "Big-Box-Marts", they'd rather pay more and go to little stores that have German made products. I'm on their side.

Uh. I have news for you. Walmart did not close their doors in Germany because Krauts dont like big box marts. Germans have always supported big box marts. They had "supermarkets" on the scale of walmart since the 80's atleast.

Well, my dad is a Native German, and according to him and people he knows over there, it was due to lack of support/sales because of the lack of German made products. Germans do not like this, and will do harsh things to kill it. Why else would Wal-Mart quit in a market where they have many stores and it cost them over $22 MILLION to close them? Its quite obvious, lack of sales.

Take it easy.....remember DCX went to China with the offer not the other way around

just keep in mind how bad things were when the Japanese entered the car market....and look how crappy their cars are now :D

Agreed. It is funny to think that the best cars are German and Japanese. I mean what else these countries have in common...

I think China will be at the same place Japan is in the next 20 years. the whole reason for the better production in Germany and Japan, is the oldest industry facilities they have are what, 60 years old now... verses the over 100 year old industry facilities we have here in the USA. Chinas industry is even younger. It seems it takes some time for industry to mature. Once they have matured they will be producing some good products...

That said the Chinese don't have strong copyright laws. Not talking about movies, but on any product. There is nothing stopping a Chinese company from taking a Mercedes and tearing it apart and using it as a template for a few million cars. They have no idea of patens. So the problem is will you be getting a Mercedes from China, or a Mercades?

I think more likely we'll be getting Mercedes made in Mexico. That's already the case with US-bound VW's and several other makes. We're already getting some Mercedes, namely the ML, from Alabama and the quality is atrocious from what I hear. It usually makes economic sense to make your products as close to each market as possible. Shipping German cars from China doesn't make sense (yet), especially to Germany, unless they're for the Asian market.

Zounds! Pure individual speculation on your part?

There was a Chinese car firm showing their new car at this year's Motor Show in Stuttgart. It was a small car that was said to get super great fuel mileage and was targeted at the low cost market. They interviewed a representative of BMW who was all puffed up and in a proud way proclaimed that Germans would prefer to drive high performance vehicles made in Germany, they would never buy many of the imports. I believe you will find these remarks to be false ten years from now. I remember when the majority of American drivers said they would never buy a ricer because they were pro-American and no one (at least none of my friends) wanted a tinny littel Mazda even if it was faster than a big Chevy in the turns. Man have things changed! I predict that Europeans will buy plenty of little Chinese cars when the cost of fuel climbs again as it will eventually due to geopolitical events, inflation and someday in then next decades the scarceness of Petroleum. MB has a small car (the A1 isn't it?) sold only in Europe and is a hit in the UK but the Chinese can make them for less.
I will say that these little things may be banned from the Autobahn however as I can't imagine someone driving one in the fast lane there!

Hmmm Merchinese Benz...somehow I just do not like that ring to it. If you will recall, the Japanese also copied and improved on lots of things made in the US. Did you know that the old stereo systems called "Voice of America" was actually made by Panasonic in the 60's?

When you go to an American car dealership and order a part, look at the "Made in" line. You may be suprised.

Old old news, this deal has been getting worked out for over a year. I actualy thought it had died out. Chery wants to break into the US market with a good nameplate so they don't have to carve out there own just yet. Dodge needs something super cheap in order to compete in the under $10k market segment. Doesn't really have anything to do with MB per say, its the Dodge group thats working it out from my understanding.

Btw I wouldn't be surprised if MB moved or had a factory in China for there heavy truck division. They have also been selling old parts to that region of the world for years. M104 anyone... I highy doubt that the MB car division will move out of its South African, and German base anytime soon. Unless China all of a sudden devlopes into a huge market.(In 30 years maybe) Then you may see what they did with the ML, in this country. The car division has never made money, its mostly about ego and pride. Has anyone every delt with the Germans or a German company? You know they are always right and there products are flawless right?:silly: Getting a German to admit a design flaw is like getting water from a rock. :D

Ever looked at the underside of your shiny, expensive titanium powerbooks?

Taiwan.

Ever look at the second label on those nice fitting jeans your honey wears?

Sri Lanka.

The Chrysler PT is Mexican, the Ford Crown Victoria is Canadian... the Pontiac GTO is Australian.

Good products can be made anywhere.

The south koreans have actually made a much more rapid market penatration than the japanese did in my opinion. Their export car the hyunda is approaching and will soon pass the japanese in quality. That car emerged by government will. We cannot even really match the japanese now. I would expect the chinese to be even faster. If africa or eastern europe really starts to properly come on line we might be in major trouble. We probably are to some extent already. The quality/price/brand/country of origin issue will probably be settled by reality. No mattter what we think. It would be no suprise to me if the best built car in the world comes out of china in the next five years. It possibly will not be affordable by average north americans. I think all countries are now well aware of industrial power and using it for economic control and their own wealth is a reality. Time is on no ones side in economic warfare. To the victors belong the spoils. I am no longer sure we are even in the game now. Or if we are we better start really playing harder. There will be few scraps left on the table when it settles out. I just expect it to happen faster than expected once really rolling. We might just loose totally by default.