Was This Car Made for China?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

More fodder for the “Chrysler adjusts to life as a Marchionnian pawn” file, as Reuters reports that the Chrysler C-platform may be headed to China. Yes, anyone who’s ever driven a Caliber, Compass or Patriot will have a joke at the ready, as ChryCo’s compact threesome already ooze that “straight outta Tianjin” flava. Maybe Fiat figures that if GM can sell Buicks there by the boatload, a Compass might come across as mildly aspirational. On the other hand, this was already tried with the PT Cruiser. Back then, Chrysler couldn’t find anyone in a nation of a billion people who wanted to produce bulbous, tacky, out-of-date hatchbacks. It’s hard to see why Fiat thinks this go-round will be any different.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Wsn Wsn on Aug 27, 2009
    Runfromcheney : August 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm When I heard this, I imagined that Ford and Mercedes-Benz could cash in huge there with just the right marketing. MB could talk about the fact that they invented the car, and Ford just has to populate its marketing with Crazy Henry and the Model T. ------------------------------------ MB is indeed VERY respected in China, (same as Buick) due to 1930's movies depicting the lifestyles of foreign capitalists. However, the Chinese have already had the first taste of the poor reliability of German cars. A very publicized story was that one millionaire smashed his own S-class because it kept breaking down on him. Another story involves someone pulling his 7-series to the repair shop by a donkey. If the Germans don't learn their lesson and continue to be arrogant, they soon find out that the Chinese aren't as stupid as they once thought.
  • Keepaustinweird Keepaustinweird on Aug 27, 2009

    I was in Beijing for a week a few months ahead of the summer olympics. It was mind boggling how many Buicks and Audis roamed the roads of that city. CDM vehicles were in the distinct minority, except for the trucks. Based on visual inspection, Audi seemed to be the dominant brand in Beijing.

  • Wsn Wsn on Aug 27, 2009
    keepaustinweird : August 27th, 2009 at 2:25 pm I was in Beijing for a week a few months ahead of the summer olympics. It was mind boggling how many Buicks and Audis roamed the roads of that city. CDM vehicles were in the distinct minority, except for the trucks. Based on visual inspection, Audi seemed to be the dominant brand in Beijing. ------------------------------------------------- In China, government officials have designated budgets to buy cars. The kind of car you get is proportional to your level. A federal level Party representative, for example, are entitle to have 2 Audi A6 (JV,not imported). City level official typically buy Accord or Buick something, depending on what local JV they have got. Chairman Hu uses a BMW 7-series himself. I am not sure what other car he uses, but I saw a clip of him riding it for celebrating the return of HongKong to China for 10 years.
  • Windswords Windswords on Aug 27, 2009

    DETROIT/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Just two months out of bankruptcy, Chrysler Group has renewed the hunt for a manufacturing partner in China as it prepares to revamp its product lineup under the control of Italy's Fiat SpA (FIA.MI), three people with knowledge of the discussions said. If I interpret this story correctly, it is a "revamp" of a product lineup that is FIAT/Chrysler's real goal. Sure, they gotta sell what they have now. But that's not the way it's gonna stay. "Interior by rubbermaid." "The Caliber has a redesigned interior and drivetrain improvements coming for MY 2010" Yes it will. The renderings I've seen look pretty good. The Patriot and Compass have already had their interiors redone. They look wayyyy better than the pic of the Caliber above. highrpm: "To me, it is inexcusable what [s]Chrysler[/s] Daimler did to those interiors." There, fixed it for ya. menno: "c. Part owned and now controlled by a company which hails from a nation which is (in)famous for the mafia (as well as unreliable, if sometimes interesting and if high-end, good looking cars)" Saying this is like saying the United States still practices slavery or that every American lives on a ranch and rides a horse. Stereotypes. Look it up. And despite stories about FIAT's reputation in the UK where it has a miniscule market share (how come no stories about FIAT in Italy?) the cars they make today are more realiable than VW could ever hope to be.

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