Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[SAIC to buy Opel Insignia platform for Roewe?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/24/saic-to-buy-opel-insignia-platform-for-roewe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/24/saic-to-buy-opel-insignia-platform-for-roewe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/24/saic-to-buy-opel-insignia-platform-for-roewe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Chinese-spec Buick Regal - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to an unnamed source from the 21st Century Business Herald in China (via Gasgoo), Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) has been in talks with General Motors since last March to purchase the Eplison II platform (as used by the latest Opel Insignia and the Chinese-market Buick Regal) for its next Roewe 750 midsize sedan. The fact that SAIC is GM's Chinese partner may seem to lend a bit of credibility to these rumors, though SAIC and General Motors have both initially denied any knowledge of the platform-sharing plan.

While all of Roewe's sedans have so far been based on the aging underpinnings of the former Rover brand from the U.K., recent concepts - such as the attractive N1 from the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year - show that the Chinese automaker is serious about designing attractive machines for its home market and beyond.


Gallery: 2009 Chinese-spec Buick Regal


[Source: Gasgoo]

SAIC to buy Opel Insignia platform for Roewe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buick regalBuickRegalgmgm epsilon 2gm epsilon IIgm epsilon platformGmEpsilon2GmEpsilonIiGmEpsilonPlatformopel insigniaOpelInsigniaroeweroewe 750roewe n1Roewe750RoeweN1saicshanghai automotiveshanghai automotive industry corpshanghai automotive industry corporationShanghaiAutomotiveShanghaiAutomotiveIndustryCorpShanghaiAutomotiveIndustryCorporationWed, 24 Jun 2009 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Roewe 550, 750 arrive in Chile as MGs]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/roewe-550-750-arrive-in-chile-as-mgs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/roewe-550-750-arrive-in-chile-as-mgs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/roewe-550-750-arrive-in-chile-as-mgs/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Remember the Roewe 550? Pretty nice-looking ride, especially for a Chinese car, considering some of the freakishly awful stuff that comes out of the country. SAIC apparently realizes that in terms of name recognition, MG > Roewe. Case in point: the introduction of the 550 and 750 sedans in Chile, where both cars are now being sold under the MG moniker by importer SK Bergé. The two four-doors will reportedly be joined by the TF roadster in November, but despite the traditionally British nameplate adorning their respective bonnets, all three are made in China. You know, like everything else. You can see a gallery of the brand's launch event in Santiago here. Thanks for the tip, Potts.

[Sources: Autoblog Spanish, Austin Rover Online]

Roewe 550, 750 arrive in Chile as MGs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mgmg 550mg 750mg tfMg550Mg750MgTfroewe 550roewe 750Roewe550Roewe750saicsk bergeSkBergeSun, 26 Oct 2008 14:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Beijing '08 Preview: Roewe 550 sedan spied at commercial shoot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/27/beijing-08-preview-roewe-550-sedan-spied-at-commercial-shoot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/27/beijing-08-preview-roewe-550-sedan-spied-at-commercial-shoot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/27/beijing-08-preview-roewe-550-sedan-spied-at-commercial-shoot/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click image for a gallery of the Roewe 550 sedan

SAIC's Rowe brand (nee Rover) is set to formally unveil its new 550 sedan in Beijing next month. The sedan's styling is very mainstream save for its unfortunate front fascia. Those undersized, oddly-shaped headlights just seem very out of place. That said, it's not as if we're the target market, and it's likely to be one of the more important Beijing Motor Show debuts. According to China Car Times, the 550 will be powered by the same 1.8L turbo found under the hood of the Roewe 750 (the re-engineered Rover 75). We'll have more photos and additional details via the crew at Autoblog Chinese when the car is unveiled next month.

Gallery: Roewe 550


[Sources: XCAR, China Car Times]

Beijing '08 Preview: Roewe 550 sedan spied at commercial shoot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beijingbeijing motor showbeijingautoshowbeijingmotorshowroeweroewe 550roewe 750roewe550Roewe750Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Roewe developing Focus-fighter with ex-Rover employees]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/roewe-developing-focus-fighter-with-ex-rover-employees/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/roewe-developing-focus-fighter-with-ex-rover-employees/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/02/roewe-developing-focus-fighter-with-ex-rover-employees/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ford pulled a shrewd move back in September when it exercised an option to purchase the rights to the Rover brand name from BMW, which meant that Chinese automaker SAIC couldn't use the brand name to sell the ex-Rover cars it had just won the rights to build. Hence, the Roewe brand was born and the 750E was unveiled soon after.

AutoExpress is now reporting that SAIC is readying a salve right back at Ford in the form of a Focus fighter for the European market. The small family hatch will come in both three- and five-door models, and it's being developed locally in the U.K. by Ricardo 2010, an engineering firm bought by SAIC that just happens to employ a number of ex-Rover employees. 2010 was also responsible for reengineering the Roewe 750, which will go on sale in Europe later this year. The small car is being developed using the RDX60 chassis, a still-born platform that didn't get the chance to see the light of day before Rover went bankrupt.

We find it amusing SAIC is developing a car to take on the Focus considering Ford threw a major wrench in their works by buying the rights to the Rover name at the last minute. The Rover name will likely never be commercially used by Ford, which wasn't keen on the idea of Chinese-built passenger vehicles being confused with its high-end, off-road Land Rovers.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Related posts:
Rover vs. Rover in Chinese cage match!
SAIC launching new brand without Rover name
Surprise! Ford buys Rover name from BMW
Official pics of Roewe's new ride: the 750E

Roewe developing Focus-fighter with ex-Rover employees originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Feb 2007 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>focusfordmgroeweroewe 750Roewe750roverFri, 02 Feb 2007 20:02:00 EST