Daimler wants to drastically increase Chinese production, at the expense of their booming imports. Dr. Z. told China’s National Business Daily (via Gasgoo) that their joint venture with BAIC, Beijing Benz Automotive Co, will expand its production capacity to 200,000 units a year. What won’t make people back home happy: Daimler wants to reduce the proportion of imported Mercedes-Benz models in the Chinese market to 30 percent from 70 percent.
Currently, Mercedes builds the C-Class and the E-Class in China. The extended version of the E-Class is selling very well. According to the report, Daimler will introduce “more locally produced models to the domestic market.”
By 2015, Daimler wants to sell 300,000 units in China. Once this goal is achieved, China will be Mercedes-Benz’s biggest market. China already is Daimler’s largest S-Class market, currently all imported.
Rolls Royce made cars in the US during the 1920’s – 1930’s so why not Chinese made MBs?
But doesn’t every Chinese Mercedes buyer prefer it to be imported?
probably cheaper & better, hope is much stronger than tofu structure.