China: Shanghai Automotive Buys Nanjing Auto

State-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has come to an agreement with Yuejin Motor Group (also state-owned…) to buy its Nanjing Automobile’s auto-assembly and component-making businesses. The deal, which is valued at 2.1 billion Yuan or approximately $286 million, will set Shanghai as one of the biggest players in China’s booming auto-industry. According to reports, the combined sales of Shanghai and Nanjing will surpass the 2 million units mark by 2010.

Of course a deal like this wouldn’t have been carried out without the consent of the all-mighty Chinese government who wants to see more mergers in China's fragmented passenger car market which kinda reminds the US and European car industry in the first half of the 20th century when there where like 50 or more independent car makers. -Continued

Interestingly, Nanjing Automobile owns MG Rover assets along with the right to the brand MG, while Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) obtained design rights for two Rover models including the 75 which it sells under the name Roewe.

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Roewe W2: Shanghai concept previews Roewe’s forthcoming compact sedan

Roewe, or in other words Rover’s Chinese spouse presented a brand new concept at this year’s Shanghai Show, the W2 sedan which was penned by former MG Rover designers and SAIC's own team. Even though it’s more than obvious that the design team took a peek or two in the Toyota/Lexus range, you’ve have to admit that the W2 actually looks quite good and has nothing to do with most of the dull-looking, mixed-grilled creations you usually see from Chinese car makers. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below

According to SAIC owned Roewe, the Ford Focus Sedan sized W2 will go into production towards the end of the year with international sales staring in 2008. The W2 will be Roewe’s second model after the launch of the Rover 75 derived, 750E.

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Geely Coupe premieres at the Shanghai Show

Trying to dig out information on most Chinese cars -or any other Chinese product for that matter, is worse than searching for a needle in a haystack. With the needle, you find it, it’s over but not when it comes to Chinese sites. When you discover what you want, that’s when big-time trouble starts -just call it translation. We may be in the black when it comes to info but not when it comes to pictures -though with this tranny Skyline-Brera look we’d rather we were… If you can stand it we added a couple more pics including a rear-view image after the jump. Pics via: Geely

Technorati: Auto+Shanghai+2007, Geely, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007

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Brilliance A1: Chinese get ready to invade Europe with a Golf-sized hatch

This is the first photo of Briliance' C-Segment hatch that'll make its official debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in a couple of days. Brilliance, which has already started sales of its Giugiaro designed BS6 large sedan in several European countries (including the continents biggest market, Germany), aims at going international with the new A1. Although info is scarce for the moment, we did manage to find a thing or two on the A1 in Brilliance's Chinese site.

According to company, the A1 is based on a new platform with the wheelbase measuring at 2.600 mm / 102-inches (roughly the same as the VW Golf). Production of the A1 is set to start in September with sales starting in China soon after. While Europe will probably see the car by late 2008 there's no word on whether Brilliance is also eyeing the American market. Pic via: blog.sina , Info: Brilliance

Technorati: Auto+Shanghai+2007, China, Brilliance+A1, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007

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Chery to unveil Italian designed Shooting Sport Concept at the Shanghai Show

Chinese carmakers are learning quickly and with help from Europeans, they’re stepping up their pace. Take the three-door, four-seater Shooting Sport Concept for example. Created by Torino Design of Turin, Italy, the Shooting Sport could theoretically posse a potential “made in China” threat to BMW’s MINI. A little bit far fetched but you get our point. Via: Autoblog.com

Technorati: Chery+Shooting+Sport, Auto+Shanghai+2007, China, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures

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Geely Coupe Concept: Skyline GT-R - Brera... offspring coming to Shanghai Show

Those innovative Chinese design-teams don’t stop to surprise us do they? They can come up with about any combo you can imagine. Take this concept for example; a Nissan Skyline GT-R inspired body with an Alfa Romeo Brera look-alike face! And that’s about all we know on Geely’s sports-coupe concept for now but we’ll have more closer to the Shanghai Auto Show opening on April 22. Via: cn.autoblog.com

Technorati: Auto+Shanghai+2007, Geely, China, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures

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Roewe W2 Concept: Chinese...Rover previews all-new mid-size sedan at Shanghai Show

You could call the W2 the first new Rover model in years, but I guess we’d rightfully anger British enthusiasts so lets just say its the first Chinese-designed Roewe. According to our initial info Roewe (they presented the Chinese version of the Rover 75 dubbed 750E a few months ago), will put the 4door-sedan concept into production with little changes towards the end of the year. We’ll have more on the W2 Concept as soon as we get our hands on an English press release since we don’t plan on learning Chinese -for the time being that is...

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