GM introduces some Chinese quality.
mtbr @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:30 am
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008 ... 82869.html
GM Chevrolet Equinox in NA Have Chinese-made Engines
Shanghai, March 31, 2008 (Gasgoo.com) General Motors' popular car in North America, the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, is now equipped with a Chinese-made V-6 engine, the Xinhua news agency said today, citing a New York Times report.
The 185-horsepower V-6 engine, the first powertrain imported from China to be used in a U.S.-made vehicle, is reported to be powerful, smooth, and quiet, and will probably give the Equinox a cost edge over competing vehicles such as the RAV4 or the Jeep Liberty.
The report said that the arrival of this engine is one of the most important steps on China's long march to becoming an auto exporter.
"This is the first Chinese-made engine going into this market," said Eric A. Fedewa, vice president for powertrain forecasts at CSM Worldwide, an automotive analysis firm. "It was an experiment to see if G.M. could use its facility in China to take costs out of a vehicle."
The engine is built at Shanghai General Motors, a joint venture of G.M. and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).
Last year, China exported more than $12 billion in auto parts, up from less than $2 billion in 2002 -- the majority to North America.
saturn_656 @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:34 am
Thanks for the heads up, I was thinking about buying a GM for my next vehicle, but if they are going to be slipping bargain-basement Chinese parts in their vehicles that I pay tens of thousands of dollars for... thanks but no thanks. I'm going to look at a Honda perhaps.
BartSimpson @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:41 am
mtbr mtbr:
The report said that the arrival of this engine is one of the most important steps on China's long march to becoming an auto exporter.
Curious turn of the phrase in an article about China entering yet another North American market.
stemmer @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:56 am
This is not good! GM's 3.8 litre V-6 is rock solid now they are going to introduce some crap into their lineup!
commanderkai @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:13 am
Uhh...why are you people surprised? On one end you bitch about GM being pricy and low quality and such, so to say "Fuck you" to unions, they go to China and start making some engines to try to lower prices to compete with non-unioned and protected Japanese carmakers. Oh the freaking horror, did you people cry like pansies when some plants were opened in Mexico?
Grow up all of you. This is the cost of business, you want cheaper cars, GM makes cheaper parts for cars. I'm sure the quality is just as good, even though you already rubber stamped them as poor quality already.
taipei @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:18 am
$1:
Last year, China exported more than $12 billion in auto parts, up from less than $2 billion in 2002
Well, it seems that there ARE cars out there with parts from China...How do you know the V6 engines won't be any good? Just asking.
mtbr @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:22 am
taipei taipei:
$1:
Last year, China exported more than $12 billion in auto parts, up from less than $2 billion in 2002
Well, it seems that there ARE cars out there with parts from China...How do you know the V6 engines won't be any good? Just asking.
I would suspect a lot of those parts are "knock off" replacement parts that are known for lesser quality than OEM parts...a lot cheaper as well.
BartSimpson @ Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:34 am
commanderkai commanderkai:
Uhh...why are you people surprised? On one end you bitch about GM being pricy and low quality and such, so to say "Fuck you" to unions, they go to China and start making some engines to try to lower prices to compete with non-unioned and protected Japanese carmakers. Oh the freaking horror, did you people cry like pansies when some plants were opened in Mexico?
Grow up all of you. This is the cost of business, you want cheaper cars, GM makes cheaper parts for cars. I'm sure the quality is just as good, even though you already rubber stamped them as poor quality already.
Grow up all of you. This is the cost of business, you want cheaper cars, GM makes cheaper parts for cars. I'm sure the quality is just as good, even though you already rubber stamped them as poor quality already.
I own a Volvo because the quality of American cars, even the pricier Cadillacs, just isn't all that great anymore. I would not own a GM at any price. I would consider a Ford - especially a Mustang, though.