Skip to main content

ads1

MG Rover's New Owners SAIC and Nanjing Dominate — and May Cooperate

The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), one of China's dominant conglomerates, had a vast hall to itself at the Shanghai show. Much of it was devoted to the fruits of joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen — but a huge chunk was reserved for the Roewe 750, a revived Rover 75. Elsewhere at the show, Nanjing Auto presented its new MG7.

roewe w2 conceptTo show-goers, the Roewe 750 looked more promising and more accomplished than Nanjing's MG. Just before the show's opening, SAIC chairman Hu Maoyan told the Associated Press in an interview that his company is open to cooperation with Nanjing Auto.

SAIC showed it has big plans for the Roewe brand. The company displayed a hybrid version of the executive sedan as well as a concept car called the W2, which was designed by former MG-Rover designers in cooperation with SAIC engineers. Shanghai Auto targets adding a second model to the Roewe range by the end of this year, and the solid-looking package that was the W2 is a clear indication of the path the company is following.

SAIC plans to start export of the Roewe 750 next year to European countries, and the W2 may not be far behind.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Drive: 2007 Honda Civic GX

Previews Greenie spendthrifts wanted: A heavier, slower Civic with a smaller trunk. Oh, yeah, and it costs 50 percent more. Never mind that we in Michigan are just emerging from our igloos after a long cold winter. The world is heating up, the ice caps are melting, and when that melt is complete, we’ll all be living high in the mountains in houses on stilts to stay dry. Forty days and 40 nights the waters will rage, and when the ice caps refreeze, we’ll all be fighting over who called first dibs on those last two pigs for our celebratory barbecues, since the unicorns were already eaten by sharks. There are people who would argue that that sinister little creation, the automobile, is responsible for it all. We blame Al Gore, China, sweatshops, and greenie celebrities who flit about in private jets. Those who want to make a difference drive hybrids, while those who researched their decision drive diesels. Those who are truly enlightened and want to make a difference, however, seek someth...
10 comments
Read more

NAIAS Detroit 2007: Volkswagen continues BLUETEC offensive

Volkswagen is presenting the Concept Tiguan SUV study at the North American International Auto Show. In the first half of next year the series version of the “Touareg’s little brother” will be debuting in the US. The Tiguan is being advanced as a significant component in Volkswagen’s model range in order to expand the market position in the US. Moreover, Volkswagen expects additional US growth starting in 2008 from the market launch of the cleanest TDI of all times. The introduction of the Turbodiesel direct injection engine equipped with a NOx secondary treatment system is taking place as part of the BLUETEC offensive in the latest Jetta– the most successful car in America from a German manufacturer. European injection technologies are increasingly convincing US customers: In 2006 Volkswagen of America had sales 4.9 percent above the previous year. This corresponds to 235,140 vehicles sold in the US. The positive signs for 2007 include the Eos being offered for the first time over an ...
4 comments
Read more

Ford Offers Sneak Peek at New Mondeo

BRENTWOOD, England — Ford has released teaser images of its new Mondeo in advance of the car's world debut at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. The vehicle should be of major interest to U.S. buyers, even though the car initially will only go on sale in Europe this summer, since it is one of several vehicles under consideration by the Dearborn automaker for launch in America. Just as Saturn has done with the Astra, sister car to the Opel Astra, Ford is taking a hard look at whether its European models, such as the Mondeo , would be appealing to American buyers who have shown a decided distaste for products like the Ford Five Hundred. The Five Hundred was recently renamed the Taurus in a bid to boost the vehicle's showroom traffic. The Mondeo is said to be one of several vehicles being studied for a U.S. launch at the behest of Ford's new president and CEO Alan Mulally. The new Mondeo goes upscale, apparently adopting design cues from sister brand Jaguar. It will be offered in ...
Post a Comment
Read more