With China's Geely out of the picture for now, it looks like Chang Feng will be the Chinese representative in Detroit next year. Dow Jones reports that Chang Feng will bring four vehicles to NAIAS 2007. Chang Feng is expected to show up with two Liebao (Chinese for Cheetah) branded pickup trucks and two SUVs. Photos and details are scarce, as you might expect from China. The above photo is Chang Feng's Cheetah concept, unveiled at the 2005 Shanghai Auto Show. Currently, Chang Feng produces licensed Mitsubishi designs.
Chang Feng chairman JianXin Li says his company plans to begin selling cars stateside sometime within the next decade.
Formerly known as No. 7319 Factory of Chinese People's Liberation Army Chang Feng Co. Ltd., Chang Feng reorganized in 1996 and says it is on track to produce 200,000 vehicles by next year, which would be twice its current output.
[Source: Dow Jones via Canadian Driver]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
stirling @ Nov 5th 2006 4:18PM
(just threw up into his mouth a little)
stirling @ Nov 5th 2006 4:19PM
maybe China can outdo Korea in ripping off designs!
stirling @ Nov 5th 2006 4:22PM
2005-2-2
38 Liebao guard cars were sent to Tibet
good to see they're involved in suppressing those violent monks
RayRay @ Nov 5th 2006 5:05PM
OMG!
Ken @ Nov 5th 2006 5:14PM
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ..... Finally ..... something that makes even the Pontiac Aztec look good. Congratulations China ... you have now taken over the "Butt Ugly" award.
Paul Burr @ Nov 5th 2006 5:14PM
Butt ugly doesn't begin to cover it. I'll bet the majority stock holder is still the Chinese Army. Just where I want more of my dollars going to.
RZ @ Nov 5th 2006 5:25PM
Chinese should do exactly what Koreans did, enter the "small size" market. I saw few small Chinese cars and I think here in USA people would definitely pay 10-15G's for those cars. Start from the bottom like everyone. There are few competitors in there, Fit, Yaris, Aveo, Smart in few years. I think Chinese can definitely produce a decent quality car that is very very cheap to entice the consumer. Cheap being the main idea here.
Plus folks you can not underestimate the power of UNIQUENESS, which is why I think people will buy these quirky cars.
My personal opinion is this, a new competitor, even one new competitor will force others to wakeup and start producing better cars for cheaper. I think if a Chinese company can come here and sell its car profitably others will have to outdo Chinese in quality or standard features. Picture this, Leather standard, heated seats, more airbags, and for GM owners car won’t break after 2500 miles….How cool is that.
Yimmay @ Nov 5th 2006 5:34PM
Where does everyone think ipods are made, and plasma tv's, and everything else. Watch out for these cars. Besides they don't need to convince the Us just the other half billion car buyers out there. I think it'll still take a good ten years right know they can't make cars profitably to sell here.
Howard Kerr @ Nov 5th 2006 6:43PM
"....right now they can't make cars profitably to sell here"
I seem to remember about 30 years ago that the Japanese were accused of "dumping", that is selling cars in many markets at or BELOW the cost of manufacturer. They were (supposedly?) buying market share. As a previous poster noted....China: where many of today's consumer goods are manufactured, at least in part.
And I agree, this is one UGLYYY vehicle, and luckily for everyone, this company is starting here with small trucks and SUVs...not the best segment to start in at the moment. Or is it? With pretty much no competition...mostly due to the market buying upwards. And if the Chinese are having trouble passing emissions and safety tests (example: Geely?) their small vehicles will probably get crummy mileage, too. A nut the Koreans are still trying to crack.
Arnie @ Nov 5th 2006 6:58PM
Ohh yeah. Uniqueness is going to be something we can count on from the Chinese!
Buck @ Nov 5th 2006 7:25PM
interesting that both the article and the comments really miss the point.
what happens when a billion plus chinese consumers are purchasing SUVs? it won't be long. by 2020 china will have a higher GDP per capita on a purchasing power parity basis than the US.
think about it for a second - a billion people sucking down gas as greedily as the yanks currently do.
you better you have someone in the Whitehouse who has taken diplomacy 101 otherwise the war of terror is going to look like a childrens tea party.
the only good thing is that demand effects will finally force gas up to a cost that truly represents all the negative externalities, and all the SUV, F-250 overcompensaters will need plastic surgery instead.
go chinese SUVs i love them
Zetha @ Nov 5th 2006 8:32PM
no
Sasha @ Nov 5th 2006 8:33PM
Oh, she's a real looker, all right.
That being said, I will be very surprised if in 10-20 years the chinese don't start to dominate the american auto market the way the japanese have. They might even push the japs aside. It's simple: When you can manufacture a decent (fill in the blank), without actually paying any noticeable labor costs, you will be able undercut all your competitors and take market share from even the most patriotic.
And you know what? You know the only way GM and ToyoHonda et al will be able to compete? Why, naturally, outsourcing all of their component parts from delphi etc. to china...so china wins either way.
America better watch its back, because the 21st century is shaping up to be the chinese century.
Here's the only upshot I see to that: once the US successfully claims hegemony over most remaining oil reserves, China, instead of letting uncle petro-sam boss them around, plays a trump card, and simply invents and widely deploys a petroleum free automobile, and leaves america clutching all of its hard won oil reserves like shares of enron stock. Think it can't happen?
John @ Nov 5th 2006 8:51PM
I would think America would attack China just so that wouldn't happen. The US has been attacking Iraq/Afghanistan, paying the fascists in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and other Eastern European countries to get a chance to get into Baku's Oil (google it). The US has a military-industrial complex and a military-petroleum complex. If you were #1 in the world, what would you do to stay #1? See: Nuclear Weapons.
BOB @ Nov 5th 2006 9:01PM
THIS SHOULD HAVE RUN ON OCTOBER 31, AND THAT JACK-O-LANTERN SHOULD BE PAINTED ORANGE____ BUT I DONT UNDERESTIMATE THE CHINESE, ONCE THEY COPY THE RIGHT THINGS.
Robert Kerrigan @ Nov 5th 2006 9:58PM
If we allow the Chinese to enter the auto market here in the US we will have serious problems. We have already seen how the ignore trade agreements,international patent laws, trademarks, copyrights,environmental standards, the list goes on & on. They treat their labor force like prisoners. Many believe that is not far from real.They artificially deflate their currency value. We have a formidable oponent who has no respect for international standards of fair play and honesty.
Howard Kerr @ Nov 5th 2006 10:14PM
Re Robert Kerrigan,
and aren't you so glad the U.S. worked hard (under Bush) to get China into the W.T.O. ?
Barney @ Nov 5th 2006 10:14PM
The VW Beetle wasn't all that conventional looking. Perhaps those that figure this one won't make it, would have not bought shares in Volkswagen. There are posts from those who feel the design is a copy.
A copy of what? Re:"2. maybe China can outdo Korea in ripping off designs!""
Care to explain, stirling
seif @ Nov 5th 2006 10:26PM
it's really sad, because the chinese are now copying design elements from the koreans... this shares so many traits with the hyundai hcd-8 concept, or whatever one that was supposed to show the next tiburon, especially the headlights..
Son of Dat @ Nov 5th 2006 10:34PM
That is the worst looking Lexus I have ever seen