Bertone may build vehicles for Chinese automakers

Legendary Italian coachbuilder Bertone hasn't been doing so well, lately. Since 2005, it has only made a limited edition run of 2,000 MINIs. The company needs to make 30,000 cars per year to break even, and so has lost more than 37 million euros during that time.

In an effort to turn things around, the carrozzeria is in talks to build Chinese SUVs and pickup trucks for the Italian market. DR Automobiles Groupe is an Italian company that imports cars from Zhejiang Gonow Automobile. If it can strike a deal, Bertone would build two vehicles: the Katay Gonow Victory, an SUV based on the previous-gen Isuzu Rodeo (pictured), and the Katay Gonow Troy, a crew-cab pickup version of the Victory. They would only be contracted to build 7,000 of them, but it could help stave off complete disaster. Still, building vehicles for the Chinese is a long way from styling Italian exotics.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]