Whenever I talk to Chinese carmakers, they dream of going to Europe and the U.S.A. I tell them that GM, Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW et al would be dead, would they not have gone to China. “Why do you want to go to markets that are not going anywhere?” They still want to go. “Why to you want to enter a cage of wounded lions?” They still want to go. And here they go again: Chery shows its DR3, a four-door hatchback, known in China as the Fulwin2, at the Bologna Auto Show from December 4 to 12. They want to take it to the European market in June next year.
According to China’s Global Times, the DR3 comes with a 1.5-liter/4-cylinder engine, a 5-gear manual transmission, and a maximum horsepower of 108. In China, the car sells for 53,000 yuan ($7,800). If they could maintain that below €6000 price, it could carve out a nice niche in Europe. But after shipping, customs and VAT, it will be in the sub €10,000 range, and there is plenty of homegrown competition in that range. Which isn’t selling as well as it used to anyway.
Old Bologna hands recall that in 2006, Chery had shown up with a DR3, which promptly was called “RAV4 inspired” (or worse.) The idea was a CKD production with a Fiat engine. It turned into a small scale boutique operation, called “DR Motor” which buys bodies from Chery and brings them up to European specs.
If Chery will import them directly, I predict brisk sales for the first 100 or so of this car. Remember the wounded lion part? European carmakers, all experts when it comes to the capabilities of the Chinese auto industry (the Europeans have been in China long enough to know) are absolutely paranoid when it comes to Chinese cars daring to show up in their back yard. As one German engineer once told me after a few beers: “If you crash enough cars, you will always find one crash that looks real ugly.” Soon in a Youtube near you.
Interesting article Bertel. I’ve noticed that it is primarily Geely and Chery which are most interested in entering the western markets. Larger state-owned manufacturers (SAIC, FAW and BAIC) seem to appreciate the fact that their products are not yet ready for Europe or North America.
Do you know if the 1.5L in this Chery is Mitsubishi-derived? It is a very wise move to rely on a proven design, both in terms of ease of maintenance and parts availability in foreign markets (particularly those where Mitsubishi has a presence).
On an unrelated note, there seems to be two small typos in your article… “niche” and “RAV4”.
“If you crash enough cars, you will always find one crash that looks real ugly.”
hmmm. Show me the European or Japanese crash test that looks anywhere near as ugly as the one that scuppered Brilliance’s attempted Euro-launch of the BS-4 a couple of years back, and maybe I’ll take this as more than just the posturing of a drunken engineer.
+1. There’s too much evidence of a systemic disregard for actual quality in lieu of copycat designs (and logos, and pretty much everything else), except executed with the costs cut beyond the bone. Want to make a $7,000 car that looks like a $15,000 on the outside? You’re gonna have to save a hell of a lot of money on the inside.
I suspect that they could make safe, unique cars, but they just don’t particularly care to. I’m not sure they have any concept that any of it even matters – how completely blind do you have to be to think that taking the BMW badge and changing it from four segments to two is a good idea? How clueless do you have to be to get smacked down by Chevy for the ‘Chery’ brand, and come back with ‘Chevoo’ as an alternative?
When it comes down to it, it doesn’t seem like Chinese automakers are automakers so much as parts copiers without a clue… I doubt that you have to crash many of their clonescars to find a pretty ugly one.
it didnt sound like the chinese going so far and being un-prepared!
everytime one screws up u waste several yrs of set back.
Maybe the Chinese want to come to Europe and the US for two reasons a) they are still two of the three biggest markets in the world and potentially high profit and b) the prestige of being able to compete in foreign markets, especially those of countries that developed the modern automobile.
http://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=12998261&extra=&page=3
OT this bloke travels into middle kingdom, perhaps our main man Bertel can do some deciphering for most of us.
Pretty nice road I had to say.