reaxion

E-Class to be made in China?

My dealer told me that my order for my car was faxed to Germany.
I have yet asked him where it'll actually be made.

Where is the E-Class made these days?

I reside in Australia.

mallard

My understanding is that cars destined for the North American market are made in Stuttgart, Germany. I also belive there is an E-Class factory in Austria, perhaps someone else can confirm this.

BudC

If the VIN number ends in Annnnnnn, then it's made in Sindelfingen. Same place you pick up your E-Class on Euro Delivery. It's near Stuttgart.

ATS

The 4Matics are built in Austria.

pfphipps

Here is a link to an article on the Graz, Austria, plant.

http://www.ai-online.com/issues/arti...ail.asp?id=378

pa28pilot

Magna Steyr, formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch, is sort of one of the best-kept secrets in the auto industry, yet they make really spiffy vehicles.

My other favorite car is a 1989 Volkswagen Westfalia Syncro, also built by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, of which fewer than 1200 were ever imported into the U.S.

As a 4WD camper van that fits into a regular parking space, it's really hard to beat. Even has snorkels on the engine. Those guys rock.

Oslo

Volkswagen Westfalia Syncro and some others from Steyr

reaxion

So where will the MB's made in China be destined?

Oslo

Mercedes-Benz Focuses on Chinese Market

The global growth of car sales will undoubtedly be powered by a booming Chinese market, said a top DaimlerChrysler AG executive.

According to DaimlerChrysler statistics, a total of 45 million cars were sold throughout the world last year. With the growth of sales slowing in Europe, North America and Japan that are the largest consumers of cars things have been picking up in Southeast Asia, Latin America and China.

Annual sales globally are expected to reach 60 million units in the next 10 to 15 years, and China's booming market will contribute significantly to the growth, said Juergen Hubbert, a board member of DaimlerChrysler and chief executive of its Mercedes Car Group.

At present, the world's 10 leading international auto giants have captured about 95 percent of the global auto market. To survive and break new ground in the highly competitive sector, each is developing new products to meet the demands of customers.

Following this tack, DaimlerChrysler AG the world's biggest car maker recently launched a new version of the Mercedes-Benz A-class to compete with luxury models from its rivals and boost profitability.

The new model has two body versions, in addition to a versatile five-door version.

Mercedes is also, for the first time in the model's range, launching a three-door model that will attract buyers through its sporty, youthful image, the company says.

"The new A-class is well on its way and is becoming profitable," Hubbert said during an interview with Chinese reporters at the A-class' premiere in Athens.

The car, revamped but based on the original A-class that was introduced in 1997, will be available to customers in autumn and is expected to be more profitable.

According to the company's latest report, the three-door A 150 version costs 17,632 euros (US$21,736) while the five-door version costs 18,502 euros (US$22,809).

Mercedes will export the A-class to China. When asked if the model would be produced in China, Joachin Schmidt, Mercedes group's executive vice-president of sales and marketing, said Mercedes would follow a steady expansion in China and choose products which were more suited to the local market.

The E and C-class sedans are core products of Mercedes.

"We think these models meet the Chinese market and have development potential in China," Schmidt said.

Hubbert confirm-ed that the company has received project proposal approval from Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co Ltd to manufacture the C and E-class sedans in China.

A new factory will be built by Beijing Jeep Corp, a joint venture established 20 years ago by Beijing Automotive Industry Corp and DaimlerChrysler.

An initial annual production capacity of 25,000 C-class and E-class sedans will be realized by the new factory in 2005.

Mercedes' high-quality products, international service standards and Chinese people's enthusiasm for its vehicles give Hubbert confidence when discussing sales in China.

Mercedes, which started selling cars in China in the 1930s, has accumulated a rich marketing experience in the country, he said.

At present, the company has 42 outlets throughout the country. With a sales target of about 14,000 units this year, up from 2003's 9,000 units, the number of outlets will increase to 50.

Annual sales are expected to reach 50,000 units in the next five to 10 years, when about 150 outlets will be open.

(China Daily July 12, 2004)

Fastbuck

Is the last pic the new X5 undergoing winter testing?

cdiken

Anyone doubting china is a fool....

Look at pictures of Chinese factories in general.....lots of people WORKING.

Same pictures of US factories.....lots of belt buckles congregating for a "say CHEESE" photo opportunity.

Through and through they are going to kick serious ***. They don't have the NIMBY disease (Not in My Back Yard) when it comes to locating a facility.

They don't have toadish zoning ordinances squashing business at the local level.

In my opinion, China resembles the US in the late 1800's - early 1900's, when things just "got done." During that era, we needed a railroad, we built it. Today, if we need a railroad or a highway, we study it, and by the time it is built, we have lost 10 years of potential benefit of having it. Life is too short for this kind of crap.

Now, if MB continues to have quality issues and word gets out that China will be building MB's, unfortunatly, this could cause a stigma here. (Although it would be more perceived than real).

KB

SAguirre

When people think of a German built car they think that it is actually Germans building the cars. I have toured Audi, VW, Mercedes, Porsche, and BMW plants in Germany and I can personally tell you that most of the people working the actual assembly plant floor are immigrants to Germany or some kind of minority.

On every tour, the guide proudly states that they have employees from 30 foreign countries working in the plant. I think that most of them are on the production line. The Germans are the engineers designing the cars and parts. I have a very good personal friend who works as an engineer at DCX in Germany and he attests to this too.

Building the cars in China might yield a better product that building the MLs in Alabama. The only problem will be the image and "stigma" like stated before. It will even take me a bit to get used to it.

On Motorweek, they were reviewing the new X3 from BMW and were curious if the Austria plant production would render it as a substandard BMW. They determined that the car was still all BMW. I think that the staff at Motorweek did not know that MB and a bunch of other car manufacturers have been having their products produced there for decades! My MB is made in Austria (hey, it was part of Germany at one low point in history anyway) I think that the quality is totally indistinguishable.


Steve Aguirre