Most of the Western world is aware that China's economy is growing at an incredible pace in almost every sector. One industry they are trying to break into, in a big way, is the automotive industry.
Chrysler announced early last month that they've entered a partnership with Chinese automaker, Chery, to bring low-cost vehicles to the US by 2009. The American giant, who was just spun off by Germany's Daimler Corporation has since named a new CEO, Robert Nardelli, of Home Depot fame shame. It looks like one of the first decisions he will face in his new role, is whether or not to cancel the Chrysler-Chery partnership. It should be noted that this partnership is the first time that any> automaker has signed an agreement to bring Chinese-manufactured automobiles to North America.
Over the past couple of months, Autoblog has posted videos of a couple of Chinese vehicles being crash tested. And failing. Badly. No, really. Horribly. I sure as hell wouldn't want to get in one of these cars, even to back out of my driveway. Or for that matter, to sit in my driveway.
The first, a test of the Brilliance BS6, was posted by Autoblog on June 22, 2007. This is not manufactured by the company Chrysler has signed a deal with. But it's still not good. Take a look for yourself:
On Sunday, however, they posted a video of one of Chery's products, the Amulet (A15), putting on an even worse display of the Chinese company's engineering prowess:
At least the airbag deployed in the Brilliance. If that makes it stateside, there will be outright revolt. Mark my words.
Tags: automobiles, business, chery, china, chrysler, economy, trade, usa
This Post
Scary and sickening.
If they can manage to get the government to let them sell these in North America people will buy them. It won't matter how bad they do in crash tests. If someone can buy a new car for $6000 they will. Look at everything else we buy, its all disposable, why would cars be treated any different?
Zack, I really can't see any Canadian government allowing a vehicle with crash tests as bad as either of these vehicles on our roads. Injury crashes and fatal accident numbers would skyrocket, especially if people ignorant of saftey records would be in the market of these $6000 new vehicles.
At least I hope not.