Chinese Carmakers Prepping For 2010 Dakar Rally

Given never ending concerns over Chinese quality, completing the punishing cross-continental Dakar Rally could send the right message. Both Greatwall and Geely are planning to enter the race as a proof-of-competency in vehicles that at least look like Pajeros. [ChinaCarTimes]

Chery-Chrysler Joint Venture Dissolved, Dodge Hornet Gets Stung?

According to Auto Sohu and China Car Times the joint venture between Chrysler and Chery has been dissolved before it was even consummated. What happens to the Dodge Hornet concept?

The Chery Eastar Convertible Drops Four-Door Top At Guangzhou

When the four-door Chery Eastar Convertible first hit the net we weren't sure if it was a one-off custom or a hint to something to come. Now it seems that all of our greatest hopes have been realized as the same vehicle seems to be sitting on the floor of the Guangzhou International Auto Show. These closeup shots show off some interesting features, including the headrest-mounted television screens and the handlebar. Why would a car need a handlebar? The cherry Chery seems to have been designed for leaders, government or corporate, who like to wave to the proletariat from the back of a slowly moving convertible. More »

Chery Eastar Convertible, Cheapest Four-Door Convertible On Earth, Spied in China

By removing its B-pillar and extending its wheelbase, Chery hopes to make its mid-size Eastar sedan the last word in four-door convertible luxury. Little else is known about the vehicle, other than that it may be equipped with Chery’s patented FlexFrame™ ride improvement system. It's not known when the Chery Eastar Convertible will hit the market, but we’d put our money on it dropping at next year’s Beijing Auto Show. More »

Vehicle Sales In China Down 18% In July

China Car Times is reporting that vehicle sales in China were off 18% in July, compared to June. Big winners were General Motors' Chinese partner, Shanghai GM, and Volkswagen's FAW VW, along with home-market automaker Guangzhou. All other manufacturers, including Beijing Hyundai, Chery Auto and the Dongfeng-PSA Peugeot-Citroen alliance were off by as much as 50%. Given that China is supposedly the world's biggest emerging market, with many automakers counting on Chinese growth for continued profitability in the face of home-market challenges, is this report yet another sign of industry implosion? More »

Chery To Volvo: Let's Roll

Reports from China indicate that Chery is trying to raise the capital necessary (about $4.4 billion) to purchase Volvo, despite industry experts doubting the possibility of such a takeover. The purchase would be a major coup for the Chinese auto industry, since Volvo would represent the first major Western brand to be purchased by the country. Ford continues to deny that the Swedish automaker is for sale despite continuous rumors to the contrary. So what's really going on? Jalopnik snap analysis after the jump. More »

Chery Making Out-Of-Scale Kei Vans?

We just came across a set of new spy shots of what appears to be an as-of-yet-unknown new Chery van which to us looks a whole lot like a plus-size kei-type van. Aside from noting the dude smoking a cigarette in the drivers seat and — is that toilet paper on the dash? Whatever, we've got nothing on this one. As you may already know, we kind of dig the style of kei cars but the size? Eh, not so much. Maybe this is a nice compromise. Looks fairly roomy to us and probably seats something like seven passengers. Heck, maybe there's a porta-potty on board. And there ya go, that would explain the tissue, wouldn't it? More »

Detroit Auto Show: Dodge Demon to be Based on Chinese Chery

Chrysler has announced that the production version of the Dodge Demon concept will be based on a front-wheel drive Chery platform. Chrysler is already planning a b-segment Chery based compact for 2009, expect the Demon to follow a year or two later. [Via eGM CarTech]

Chery Auto to Move Slooooooowly Into US

Chinese automaker Chery is ready to move into the country, but at their own pace. You can't rush it. It'll happen. They promise. Speaking at a J.D. Power and Associates forum, Chery General Manager Lin Zhang said "To be honest, we don't have a definite timetable yet for entering the U.S. Market." The plan is to have Chrysler sell the cars as Dodge/Chryselr branded vehicles at a price maybe below $10,000. More »

Chinese Automakers Go After African Car Market

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The always-safety-first Russians are looking to Chery to pull the Amulet from the Russian market after it folds up in Russian crash test. Wethinks perhaps there's something more behind this. [Detroit News]

Fiat Announces A Chery-Flavored Deal To Build Cars For China Market

As it looks to continue to expand international sales, it looks like Alfa Romeo doesn't just have its eyes set on the US market. Big boss car-maker Fiat's just announced a deal with Chinese automaker Chery to build both Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles for sale in China. Fiat and Chery said today they intend to produce 175,000 Fiat and Alfa Romeo brand autos from 2009 - on top of a an already pre-existing deal for Chery to supply 100,000 1.6- and 1.8-liter engines a year for use in cars manufactured by Fiat in China and abroad. No clue whether China will end up getting a Cinquecento — but they totally should if they know what's good for them. As for the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione — we don't want them to take any of them — that'd mean there'd be one less for us. [AP via Detroit News]

ArvinMeritor gets itself into a chassis venture with "Cherry." We were going to ignore the Detroit News misspelling of "Chery" but it was the only interesting thing about this article. [Detroit News]

Chery Claims Deal With Chrysler NOT Halted

It must have all just been a misunderstanding...yeah, that's it:

"a Chery spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday that the newspaper had misquoted his colleague and that the earlier deal with Chrysler Group was progressing."

So umm, what's the left hand doing again mister right hand? – Ray Wert More »

No Chery-Flavor For Cerberus-Owned Chrysler?

We've just heard the Chinese automaker Chery's halting the deal with DaimlerChrysler to build Chrysler-brand vehicles (like the horny li'l hornet) until they get a chance to talk to the three-headed dog that's soon to be owning the automaker. According to the AP: More »

Shanghai Auto Show: Chery Shooting Sport Concept

China's Chery motors is showing off its version of the nouveau shooting brake ideal, most recently recast by Audi in 2005 with its, ahem, Shooting Brake Concept. Chery's version, the Shooting Sport, is somewhat more of a hatchback than a traditional English breakfast shooting brake. It'll make its debut at the Shanghai auto show this week. We'll see whether it spawns a competitor among the world's three-doors. Considering Chery just inked a deal for a plant in Israel to build cars for the local market and for US and European export, that could be sooner than we think. – Mike Spinelli More »

Shooting for Sport: Chery Wagon Concept Set for Shanghai Debut

China's Chery motors is calling on the English shooting brake as a theme for its latest concept wagon. It's the Shooting Sport, and it's set for debut at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. But don't go looking around for floppy-eared dogs and dubiously armed, pasty men in jodhpurs. This Shooting Brake Sport one of three concepts and 27 other cars the company plans to spotlight at the show. It looks to be a kind of Euro-style MPV that's been stylized for your protection. Or lack thereof. Either way, it's another example of Chery's long march upward, the culmination of which well see as a cheapo Chrysler product or two. Those will include a subcompact for the US market, based on the Hornet concept, and an export subcompact for South American and Chinese markets. That last part comes via Automotive News. – Mike Spinelli More »

Chery, Uruguay Firm to Build Bulletproof Cars

Chery, always mindful of the the-dictator-on-a-budget demographic, has teamed up with Uruguay-based Bognor Automotive Manufacture and Assembly based on the Chinese automaker's Eastar midsizer. Uruguay's most famous vehicle, of course, was the Hillman Avengermino, sold as the Dodge 1500 pickup, which reputedly had a tendency to fall apart. We don't know. If we're planning to get shot at, we might prefer something a bit more substantial. Like an Abrams. – Davey G. Johnson More »

It's Official Unless China Says It's Not: Chery To Make Itty-Bitty Cars For Chrysler Group

This deal's been in the works for what seems like forever. We'd even heard the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid was all set to go in October of this past year, but held off for "political reasons." So it's really no surprise that the deals' done — the DaimlerChrysler supervisory board's approved the "framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chery Motor Company of China." Under the agreement, Chery-built vehicles would be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North American and Western Europe. That means we'll be talking about a Dodge, as it's the only brand the 'merican side of the not-so-much merger of equals is building any brand equity with. And that means it'll be the little horn-dog of a Hornet, and this will be an easy and quick win for Tom "Need To Lose Weight Of Excess Employees Fast" LaSorda. Of course the deal's still contingent on the approval of the Chinese government, but we're assuming that'll happen — unless the Hornet's some symbol of uncleanliness to a minority religion in China. But probably not. Full press release after the jump. – Ray Wert More »

Chrysler Would Prefer A Chery-Flavored Hornet Rather Than Plain Chery

Negotiations have been going on for around a month between Chery and the Chrysler Group over what b-segment car the folks at Chery may build for the less-than-equal side of the "merger of equals." AutoWeek's reporting the folks at the 'merican side of the German-American hybrid are a bit concerned over the quality level of Chery's b-segment lineup. So instead of having them build one of their own vehicles, Chrysler looks to be moving in the direction of having them build the Dodge Hornet concept instead as a vehicle for import to the US and euro market. Although pretty much everyone and their brother knew Chrysler would end up moving in this direction, to be honest, we're just excited to be getting some Chrysler news involving Chery having nothing to do with rumors of acquisition. In case you've already forgotten what the Chery-flavored Hornet concept looks like, we've included a gallery below. – Ray Wert More »

General Motors Provides "No Comment" On Chrysler Acquisition Rumors

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Breaking! An Extra Scoop Of Chery-Flavored Fiat?

The China Daily's reporting that Chery, the Chinese automaker that's always looking to be on top by partnering with every automaker on the planet, is reported to be looking at expanding their partnership with the Italian car maker Fiat. The two automakers currently have an engine deal and apparently one of the options being discussed could be an expansion into a joint venture agreement in China to assemble Fiat cars. We already know Fiat was in conversations with DaimlerChrysler on the "Hornet" before Chery stole the deal out from under them. Could this be part of some global three-way? Chery officials haven't said whether talks were under way, but they're also not denying it. Chery's chairman, Yin Tongyao is quoted only as saying the cooperation so far "is limited to engines." Based on that quote alone, they're totally going to be making a cinquecento for Fiat. Or not — what do we know? – Ray Wert More »

Every New Morning: Bricklin's China Plan Changes Again

If one thinks about it, the only truly great thing Malcolm Bricklin ever did was bring Subarus to America. Other than that, Yugo? The Bricklin? Entirely amusing vehicles, but only if other people own them. So who really expected his venture with Chery to succeed? Well, we kind of did. At least for a while. But now that the Cheries are possibly on board to build the Dodge Hornet, Bricklin's holding the bag, calling the cars' quality not up to snuff, and deciding that Visionary Vehicles is going to design their own automobiles and find a producer in China to build them. We're suddenly feeling like this just won't end well. [Thanks to Kevin for the tip.] – Davey G. Johnson More »

Chrysler Boss: Company Even Closer to Choosing China's Chery to Build Subcompact

According to Automotive News. Chrysler's about as close to picking China's Chery Automobile to build its new subcompact model as it can be without actually, say, selecting them. The group's CEO Tom LaSorda told reporters in Beijing (hmm) that the car — a ~$14,000 model likely based on the Hornet Concept shown at this year's Geneva show — will debut in western Europe, Mexico and Canada before coming to the US. LaSorda didn't mention which other company was in the running (they're down to two), which wasn't surprising, considering he was in China making a non-announcement that may or may not have to do with a Chinese company. How do you say "That guy is such a tease" in Mandarin? More »

Chery to Build QQ, Tiggo in Uraguay

Chinese automaker Chery has teamed up with Argentine groupe Socma to build two models in Uraguay, presaging the invasion of the Sinomobiles in North America. The venture includes building both the QQ and the Tiggo SUV. The venture will be 51% backed by Chery, and the company with sell the South American-built models in the Mercosur trade bloc. The cars will be built in a plant owned by Socma, which constructed Peugeots and Fiats in the 1990s. Man, talk about a post with a complete lack of humor. Sheesh. – Davey G. Johnson More »

China's Hybrid Race: Chery to Show Hybrid at Beijing Show, Others to Follow?

Will the third Sino-Japanese war be over hybrid cars? China's Chery Automobile just announced plans to show off its first hybrid car at the Auto China 2006 show in Beijing next week. While it's unclear if the system's been developed in house, or if it's a product of UK engineering firm Ricardo (as a report last year suggested), news outlets are reporting it as the first to be developed by a Chinese automaker. The announcement comes on the heels of GM's plan to build hybrids in China with partner Shanghai Auto, while Chinese competitor Geely Automobile recently announced plans for its first hybrid model early next year. They want in — the question is how soon? – Mike Spinelli More »

A Chinese Bee: Chery to Build Dodge Hornet?

Will the Dodge Hornet be made in China? Automotive News reports today that DaimlerChrysler is in "late-stage negotiations" with China's Chery Motors to build a new small car for export, a car most believe will be one based on the Hornet concept (pictured) DCX showed in Geneva earlier this year. DaimlerChrysler executives are mum on the deal, saying they won't announce a small-car partnership until the end of the year. Still, a Chery-Chrysler partnership also calls to question a longstanding bid by auto entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin to bring Chery cars to the US under his Visionary Vehicles badge. According to AN, Bricklin says he won't be closed out by a Chery-Chrysler partnership, and that Chery-built Chryslers will help his cause by legitimizing Chery's production capabilities. He also says his joint-venture with Chery will be finalized by year's end. Either way, Chinese cars are coming, possibly sooner than we think. More »

Bricklin Delays Chinese Imports Yet Again

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Happy Crash! China To Begin Crash Testing Cars

According to China Daily, the Chinese government's gonna do crash tests of their own. We think it sounds like a great idea, and we vote a crash-off between the Chery four-door and the Geely four-door. Given that no Chinese automaker has yet developed a car that can meet US and European safety standards, and if it goes anything like the Landwind SUV crash test above, it should be nothing short of hilarious. By the way — the Landwind, a Jianling Motors SUV — scored the amazingly putrid "zero" in Euro head-on NCAP testing. More »

Bricklin's First?: Chery Crossover Unveiled in China

China's Chery motors last week uncovered the car many say will be its first US-bound export — the V525 crossover. It's the latest incarnation of an MPV-style car entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin has said his Visionary Vehicles company will import to the US beginning in 2007. The V525 was reportedly developed with a dream team that included Lotus and Italy's Bertone design house, and sports a 127 hp, 2.3-liter engine sourced from Mitsubishi. Bricklin has always said his imports will offer the features of a $30,000 car for under $20,000, and the V525 is reported to be loaded with ABS with electronic brake distribution (EBD), traction control, nav system and digital entertainment. Chery says the crossover, which will go on sale there this month, will be offered in North America, but provided no further details — and hasn't confirmed Bricklin's participation in its US business. Interesting times, indeed. (More pics after the jump) More »

Chrysler Considering Chinese Chery-Built Model for Global Markets?

Wha-oh. Is Chrysler getting ready to tap into the People's Most Cheap-Labor Market? That's the story coming from Automotive News, which reports Chrysler may be considering China's Chery Automobile to assembly a "small-car entry for global markets," according to supplier sources. No word on whether we'll see the cars on Blue Light Special at Wal-Mart K-Mart anytime soon. More »

Chery Hits 500,000 Cars

The title of this article grabbed us immediately; apparently the Geely Copywriter's taken a gig moonlighting over at the Xinhua News Service. "Home-brand Chery creates miracle producing 500,000 cars." But will it go with you for a happy life? More »

Swank Connecticut Dealer to Sell Bricklin's Cherys

Malcolm Bricklin's bid to bring the first Chinese-built cars to the US has been the object of both scorn and derision. (C'mon, we kid the Malclolm.) Actually, if his Visionary Vehicles venture keeps signing up northeastern dealer heavyweights like Bob Ciasulli and Miller Motorcars — a dealer of Aston Martins, Ferraris and Rolls-Royce models based in Greenwich, Connecticut — he might just have a shot. According to the Connecticut Post, Bricklin's deal with Miller involves selling the M14, a sporty model with a retractable hardtop, designed by Italy's Pininfarina, that looks awfully like the Peugeot 307 coupe-cabriolet. A Chinese-built cabrio alongside $200,000 supercars? It could be the most brilliant marketing-by-association coup of all. Now all they need is a few cars. More »

Chery to Assemble Cars in Russia

Mao and Stalin may have split ideologically prior to Ford's Great Leap Forward, but that ain't stoppin Chery from building cars in a Russian plant. Reportedly, Chery's signing a deal with Russian manufacturer Avtotor to build cars at their Kaliningrad factory, which already produces vehicles for BMW, Kia, Chevrolet, Hummer and Cadillac models. And golly, to think only two decades ago, the only way you would've seen a Hummer on Russian streets would've been in some Tom Clancy-esque scenario. More »

Big Dealer Says 'Woohoo!' About Wuhu: Ciasuilli Stoked on Visionary/Chery Deal

Tim Ciasulli, CEO of Planet Honda and head of the Visionary Vehicles Dealer Board is way stoked. Completely, utterly and totally stoked. Stoked the point of irrational stokedom, in fact. As the head of a a family-owned dealership chain which has sold nearly a million cars, he claims he's never seen an opportunity as incredible as Brickin's Visionary Vehicles/Chery deal. He visited the plant in Wuhu, China and came back raving, saying, "I was in my hotel room in China when the BBC announced that General Motors was cutting 30,000 workers, 25 percent of their workforce. More »

Chery Issues Recall, Cows GM

It's an up and down day for Chery. Bad news first: they've issued a recall for their Oriental Son (It ain't me! It ain't me! I ain't no Party Member's son!) having to do with a faulty vanity mirror light that can stay on and drain the battery. It's the first recall by a Chinese domestic manufacturer since the nation's recall laws went into effect, and the automaker's execs are patting themselves on the back, rewarding their own bravery at the issuance. Way to go, kids! You get a smiley-face stamp! More »

Chery to Bricklin: Don't Bogart the Cash, Mal

Visionary Vehicles has run into another snag when it comes to bringing Chinese cars to the slavering American masses. Apparently, Bricklin and co. offered two hundred mil in seed money to Chery Automobile to get the ball rolling on development of an American-spec vehicle. Thus far, Visionary's been unable to raise the entire amount from investors and the Chery people are getting a tad anxious. Plus, thus far, Visionary only has one dealership publicly announced, and franchising was supposed to raise a large portion of the cash for the venture. More »

Spy Photos: 2008 Chery Crossover

It exists! Along with a sporty little hardtop convertible, one of the models in Malcolm Bricklin's plan to import Chinese-built Chery cars to the US is a crossover wagon, which Bricklin unveiled in concept form at the Shanghai motor show late last year. Now, The Car Connection has procured some shots of a close-to-production version in partial anti-spywear, as it was being transported to a Ford transmission factory in Cologne, Germany. It's got a distinctly MPV-like height, which will go over perfectly in Europe, but its viability in the states has yet to be proven by the Mazda5. (Chances are it will be.) Hopefully for Bricklin, a struggle with GM over the Chevy/Chery similarity won't hold up import plans. Watch this carefully. More »