Chinese Industry News

[safristi]

 WE WUZ BORNED WITH NUMB_SKULLS............

[mmret]

The newer vehicle destroyed the older one.

I wonder, what would have happened if they crashed two of the older ones together?

Are new vehicle designs making older vehicles less safe in an average crash?

I'm sure a lot of the improvement is due to better energy / momentum dissipation in the car design rather than making it ultra-stiff (so as to crush those you disobey you!), but still, perhaps some part of the improved crash protection does come at the expense of the other guy (putting aside huge weight differences like a Civic getting hit by a Land Rover or something).

From the linked article
The Chinese auto manufacturers really need to get their act together with regard to quality and safety - there's a reason their cars are so cheap, and it's not low labor costs. It's a lack of engineering talent, sub-par materials, and indifferent quality control.

Is it silly of me to actually be hurt by this?

[PJungnitsch]

For a worse crash yet, check out the VW Vanagon pickup at 1:07 on this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XCKuZPUn2nQ

Also some good shots in there of why side airbags help in T-bone impacts.

Heh, and why it's not a good idea to drive behind a jet waiting to take off.

[mmret]

For a worse crash yet, check out the VW Vanagon pickup at 1:07 on this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XCKuZPUn2nQ

Also some good shots in there of why side airbags help in T-bone impacts.

Heh, and why it's not a good idea to drive behind a jet waiting to take off.

Hahahah that video is great.

If I ever walk into an MB dealership, you know I'm not heading towards the Smartcars.

Whats up with the hotdog and the sushi roll thing? These crash test guys have lots of time on their hands apparently.

At about 1:00, what pickup is that? Looks pretty late model but it did terribly.

Volvo Wagon ftw.

Vanagon was amazing, too.

Thanks for posting. That was a good laugh.

[Cord]

Quote
From the linked article
The Chinese auto manufacturers really need to get their act together with regard to quality and safety - there's a reason their cars are so cheap, and it's not low labor costs. It's a lack of engineering talent, sub-par materials, and indifferent quality control.

Is it silly of me to actually be hurt by this?

Yes, it is. Grow up.

[safristi]

That RYVITA CRACKER stood Up pretty well...just slather it wif peanut Butter and there'd be NO STOPPING IT....   Sushi Pshaw..I'm buying a nice CALZONE ...smashing.......

[mmret]

Quote
From the linked article
The Chinese auto manufacturers really need to get their act together with regard to quality and safety - there's a reason their cars are so cheap, and it's not low labor costs. It's a lack of engineering talent, sub-par materials, and indifferent quality control.

Is it silly of me to actually be hurt by this?

Yes, it is. Grow up.

Sorry. I had a brief lapse in my cynicism. Everything is back in formation now.

[tpl]

If I ever see a thing that looks like a strong golf cart with NTHSA written on the side of it waiting at an intersection I'll steer well clear of it.

[Scaerio]

Man that Volvo 700 series totally destroyed that Opel Ascona 5-door (GM j-body)!

[Touge]

UPUPUP

[Allen]

Chery hits the million-car mark
Associated Press

August 22, 2007 at 7:00 AM EDT

BEIJING — China's Chery said Wednesday it had produced its one-millionth car, becoming the first domestic auto maker to reach that mark.

Chery, China's biggest auto maker, said in a statement it took about six years to make its first 500,000 cars, and only a further 18 months to reach one million. The millionth car was an A3, a four-door hatchback that made its debut at last year's Beijing auto show.

China's small but ambitious auto makers have been eager to expand. Chery, based in the eastern city of Wuhu, signed a deal earlier this year with Chrysler Group to make cars for export to the United States and other markets. It has also signed a deal with the Fiat Group to produce Fiat and Alfa Romeo models for sale in China.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency said Chery can produce 400,000 cars a year and plans to open a new plant in October that will boost output by 300,000 cars a year.

China currently has 30 sedan manufacturers, nine of which produce more than 200,000 units a year.

China overtook Japan last year to become the world's No. 2 vehicle market after the United States. Xinhua said Chery had a 7.2 per cent share in the domestic market last year, up from 6.7 per cent in the previous year.

[safristi]

They finally lost their CHERY.........................ain't that CRUSHING....

[sirAQUAMAN64]

J.D. Power: Asian auto sales will top Europe by 2009
Jack Herman
Automotive News
August 24, 2007 - 12:01 am EST
 
Fueled by a booming China and other growing economies, the Asia Pacific region will become the world's largest automotive market by 2009, according to a study released today.

The region's light-vehicle sales are expected to reach 23.0 million by 2009, compared with 22.7 million in Europe, now the world's largest market by continent, according to a J.D. Power and Associates study. By the end of 2007, Asian Pacific sales are expected to reach 19.2 million, compared with 21.5 million in Europe.

"Steadily rising incomes in the Asia Pacific region will make vehicle ownership possible for more consumers in those areas, and we expect China and India to remain the forces that drive future global growth," Jeff Schuster, executive director of forecasting at J.D. Power, said in a statement.

Sales in China, which have grown at an annual compounded rate of 25 percent since 2001, will continue to drive the Asian market. Sales are expected to grow an average of 12 percent a year from 2007 to 2014.

China should surpass the United States, now the largest market by country, by 2025, J.D. Power predicts.

John Humphrey, vice president and general manager of Asia Pacific operations at J.D. Power, said in a statement: "With China's rapid rate of growth, combined with its enormous population, it seems inevitable that China will become the largest new-vehicle market in the world."

[Snowman]

Using recent events as an indication the QA/QC should be brutal.

[initial_D]

Not sure where all those cars are going to drive on. In some cities, there isn't enuff room on the ground for everyone to stand on at the same time. That growth rate is am a bit off, IMO.

[G0dspd]

This is an old story with a new twist.

BMW to join Smart in look-alike suit (update)
http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmw-to-join-smart-in-look-alike-suit.html

Chinese automakers copying other brands is business as usual but there's one statement that caught my attention.

(China Automobile Deutschland) rejected the claim against it, stating that it had approval from the Chinese government to build the car as its defense. "Noble and CEO cars, approved by the Chinese government, are legal products".

I guess that when they were replicating cars for the domestic market they didn't bother anyone.  Now that China is going global, they're gonna have to lose their old design habits.  Maybe it's a culture thing but why would the government need to approve anything?

Edit:  Don't let that garbage come to NA (or Detroit 08) until they make cars that are more resilient than pop cans.

[Snowman]

Is anything made in China having no issues these days?
http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/05/autos/fuse_recall/index.htm?postversion=2007090611

[AVToller]

Is anything made in China having no issues these days?
http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/05/autos/fuse_recall/index.htm?postversion=2007090611

More is better, right? So, if a 15 amp fuse allows 20 amps to pass, that's a bonus, right? 

[initial_D]

Is anything made in China having no issues these days?
http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/05/autos/fuse_recall/index.htm?postversion=2007090611

Not I, today.  

On a serious note, the recalls are getting out of hand, even scary.

[UmroAyyar]

Is anything made in China having no issues these days?
http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/05/autos/fuse_recall/index.htm?postversion=2007090611

Not I, today. 

On a serious note, the recalls are getting out of hand, even scary.

Seriously, what were these companies doing before issuing recalls? Whatever happened to their quality control? They're as much to blame for this as the Chinese factory which produced this.

Consumers buy products trusting the 'brand', mostly.