China

The Chinese Are Coming!

By Andrew Dederer
February 26, 2008 - 12,604 views

Or not. Despite all the noise about a Chrysler - Chery hook-up, despite Chinese manufacturers' presence at the North American International Auto Show, we have yet to see a single Chinese-built (let alone designed) vehicle here in the U.S. So, are they really coming? The short answer is yes, some of them, eventually. But not for quite a while yet.

The Chinese Are Coming! editorial continued »

Posted in China | Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 17 comments

Chinese Automakers Set to Pump and Dump Western Partners

By Frank Williams
January 3, 2008 - 32,859 views

I once worked for a colonel who'd address all obstacles by saying "you can solve any problem if you throw enough money at it." While our budget officer would have to breathe into a paper bag for a half hour afterwards, the colonel always managed to squeeze whatever was needed to resolve the crisis du jour from the budget-- and solve the problem. Automakers native to the People's Republic of China (PRC) must have bugged his office; they've adopted the exact same philosophy.  

Chinese Automakers Set to Pump and Dump Western Partners editorial continued »

Posted in China | Editorials | 40 comments

China to Foreign Automakers: Drop Dead

By Frank Williams
August 16, 2007 - 22,451 views

By law, foreign automakers seeking a foothold in China must form joint ventures (JVs) with domestic "partners." As we've outlined before, there's an immediate downside: China's scant regard for intellectual property rights (IPR). For example, GM found itself suing Chinese automaker Chery (whose name middle-finger salutes Chevy) over the QQ, a blatant copy of the Daewoo Matiz. The case was settled out of court, but the issue of IPR remains unresolved. Now that Chinese automakers are consolidating and striking out on their own, what's going to happen to their foreign partners and their IPR? What do you think?

China to Foreign Automakers: Drop Dead editorial continued »

Posted in China | Editorials | Industry | 32 comments

The Chinese Automotive Market: A Primer

By Frank Williams
November 6, 2006 - 22,902 views The Chinese automotive market has over a billion potential customers. Sales growth is well into the double digits. Labor rates are a fraction of those paid in western countries, without any union rules to slow down investment or add legacy costs. An ideal place for American investment? Depends on how you look at it. The [...]

The Chinese Automotive Market: A Primer editorial continued »

Posted in China | Editorials | 59 comments