Kain

OMFG! I just saw this on BBC. They said that DaimlerChrysler will now produce its Mercedes-Benz cars in China! LMAO! As if the quality wasn't bad enough!

i8hotdogs

If this is true, this will be my last MB.

bonte

I always thought the oriental countries (meaning China & Japan) had the best QC of the world? Maybe not for cars? I don't know that, but the electronics of Japanese cars don't nearly fail as much as the western... so I've heard from several reactions and threads on various boards. OK, their cars design is jkust plain ugly, but I think it will be good for the overal quality of MB's... now it's not as good as it should be IMO...

etenn

Hopefully your high school will start soon Kain so you will have less time to troll our forum. You need to find a forum that caters to kids to play your silly games.

Kar don

even if they are going to be built in china i highly doubt the US will see any of those cars.

chazmtb

China is the fastest growing international market. It is a strategic advantatge to build plants that suits a primary market. Just think of the ML being built in the U.S. The U.S. market is the only market that caters to SUVs. Hence, the ML being built in the U.S. It can be said that quality has suffered in the ML class.

As for China, MB will build cars that fit the East Asian markets better, like lower displacement engines in cars and the like. You will never see a Chinese made by MB reach the U.S.

Oh, BTW, BMW builds 3 series in South Africa. That is their best production plant in terms of quality.

sf49ers79

O man... that is just sucks.... is this really true or just rumor? someone clarify this please!!!

Kain

There is a big difference between Chinese electronics and Japanese electronics.

Kain

This is NOT a rumor. I saw this on BBC few hours ago!

Kain

Troll the boards?? I was giving you some INFORMATION on your beloved cars.

E500 Sport

The Chinese made Mercedes Benz will be for the China Market only. It will not be imported to the States. Many auto companies have done this for awhile already. IE. Audi, VW, GM and many others. Producing cars in China will allow manufactures to produce cars that the Chinese can afford.

AMGLAB

I have read that MB utilizes serveral non MB companies to assemble the E Class.

pocholin

So, new owners might be driving a chiniese benz soon

konigstiger

Schremp (DaimlerChrysler CEO) skipped the Franfurt Motor Show because he will be in China to announce a joint venture for Mercedes assembly.

E55 KEV

Chinese built cars are only for the Chincese market.

Mercedes have been building cars in Taiwan for years and some cars (C-Class, I think) are built in South Africa.

Quote from Article:

"Mercedes has been conspicuously absent from the Chinese passenger-car market, which grew by 82.4 percent in the first half of this year to more than 840,000 units, following growth of more than 56 percent last year.

General Motors (with Buick) and Audi AG have carved out early leadership of the luxury segment, while BMW AG will start turning out 3- and 5-series sedans in October at a joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive."

See entire article:

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=45087

norb

Calm down! Geez, big freakin deal, MLs are made in Alabama aren't they?

In Asia, most countries have high tariffs on imported cars, so what car makers do is send "knocked" down cars, meaning they are close to being assembled (painted, stamped, almost put together) then finish the assembly in the country its meant for. They won't acually make engines or body parts there, just assemble them there to bypass the tariffs.

Otto

Yes, MB target is China market. The major reason is the China goverment sets a quota for imported cars but the market is so good (quota is used up every year) and MB tries to sell more, (same as BMW), the only way is having a factory there and assembling cars there for the local demand. I don't see we (US) are going to drive MB cars from China; however, some other Asian countries buyers might have to accept the facts.

MB produces e class (other than Germany) in
Egypt, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Ukrain.
To make sure your car is pure German one, ask the dealer first and check the VIN
(VIN for German car always starts with "W")

this is not true, actually, we (US) pay much less money than Chinese car owners.

yes, the 3 series bmw in US is made in SA but it is NOT good quality. -- ton of owners complain 3 quality. the reason 3 is made there because US and SA has the special tax agreement (very low) for imported cars.

A lot of ML owners (bmw X5 owners, too) complain the quality for US made "German???" cars. but that the money you pay for.

E500 Sport

"Producing cars in China will allow manufactures to produce cars that the Chinese can afford."

"this is not true, actually, we (US) pay much less money than Chinese car owners."

Actually we US pay less money than Chinese car only if the car is imported. There are high tarriffs on import cars in China. However, on foreign domestic produced cars the Chinese pay alot less because the cost to produce the car is much less (much cheaper labor and supplies) and there the tax is much lower.

Otto

this is not ture, the audi A6 is produced in China for the local market (using the cheap labor) but the price of A6 in China (around 60000+ USD for 3.0) is higher than the price in US (around 40000 USD for 3.0).

Adi_V

http://www.chinacartimes.com/2007/06...test-pictures/
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/au...e_copy_bm.html

2001CLK

Walla

Otto, you better get your facts straight.

South African Built 3 series models are the best built 3 series of them all.

http://www.bmwplant.co.za/Content/fr...af0gau02~2.htm

Our E46 constantly out rated the German models..

But wait sunny boy, the H3 yes that sorry excuse for a SUV, South Africa is building them, and so far they are not falling into little pices unlike that US built car.

Golf Mk4 and Mk5, we do such a good job at building them for export markets that VW AG will probably award the Golf 6 contract for all RHD markets to SA again.

We are also building the Toyota Hilux for export markets. If Toyota Japan thinks we can built them to their standards we are doing fine.

But then for the killer of all killers.

We in south Africa have built more special cars that are so sought after world wide that collectors crawl over broken glass to get them.

this is what we did.

A different 745i was built for the South Africa market, because the turbocharger on the European-market 745i could not be installed in right-hand-drive versions of the car. This car was fitted with the 286 hp (213 kW) dual-camshaft 24-valve type-M88 /3 Motorsport engine (with a Bosch ML-Jetronic fuel injection system) as used in the M635i, and M5. 209 of these cars were built between 1984 and 1986, fitted with either an automatic transmission or a 5-speed 'sport' gearbox. Of the 209 cars built 192 were automatics and 17 were fitted with manual gearboxes.

BMW South Africa ran one of these 745i models in Class A of the South African Modified Saloon Car Championship, the only BMW-Sanctioned motor sport application in the history of BMW 7-series cars.


The M535i, featuring a 3.5L engine with special styling such as Motorsport front and rear spoilers, Recaro-brand sport seats, a close-ratio transmission and limited-slip differential, larger brakes, and other styling cues such as Motorsport striping down the sides of the car and on the front airdam, was available between 1979 and 1981 with 1410 cars produced. In South Africa, the 530 MLE was produced as a light-weight homologation special for racing. These Motorsport E12's are often considered the first production models that the BMW Motorsport division ever produced.

BMW South Africa's Motorsport division created the 333i in 1986 by fitting the 3.3 L M30 "big six" of the 733i to a 2-door E30. The resulting 333i was a major success in saloon car racing in that country and is now a collectors item. These cars, built with help from Alpina in Buschloe, Bavaraia ,Germany, featured some interesting compromises like forcing the buyer to choose between air conditioning (vital in South Africa) or power steering. They were only built in small numbers in 1986. Later when it became clear that South Africa would not be getting the M3, the 325iS was created. Initially this was merely a 325i 2-door fitted with a bodykit and a close-ratio gearbox (improving acceleration at the expense of top speed and economy) but more changes where made to keep the car competitive in South African saloon car racing. Nevertheless, these cars were always sold to the public. This culminated in the 325iS Evo II of late 1991. By now several body panels were made of aluminum, preventing the car from being washed by automated car washes, and the M20 engine grew to 2.7 L and now produced 155 kW (210 hp)and a 0-62 mph in a mere 7.5sec.


This is some of the BMW's we built as South African Laws and Penalties imposed on us by UN sanctions stoped us form getting certain cars we just made our own BMW's that were better than what BMW M sport could make.

From 1974 South African Alfetta's were manufactured at Alfa Romeo's own Brits plant. South Africa was one of two markets to have a turbocharged GTV6, with a Garrett turbocharger and a NACA intake. An estimated 750 were assembled before all production ceased in 1986. The South African market also introduced the 3.0 L GTV-6, predating the international debut of the factory's 3.0 L engine in 1987. Approximately 200 were built in South Africa for racing homologation. To this day, the GTV-6 remains the quintessential Alfa Romeo for South Africans.

and now are are building the C class for the US market..

Take your silly little argument and Bugger off.

SoulBladeZA

Lol?

Is it because we have ama-dahkies building them?

Get real dude, not everything here is 3rd World.

amdeutsch

I just love how peolpe bash a post from 09/03. But at the same time its good to see them STFF.

farouk2000

A few scans of BMW Motorsport in south africa..trust me south africa is no pushover in vehicles or production..