Fiat’s Viaggio To Bolster Chinese Exports

Italy's Fiat, late to the Chinese party, finally opened its first plant in China today. Reuters reports that "the plant, based in Hunan province, is the latest development in a 5 billion yuan ($786.73 million) joint-venture between Fiat and GAC, China's sixth largest auto manufacturer." The plant also should help improving China's dismal car export statistics. Fiat will build the Viaggio in Hunan, based on the Dodge Dart a.k.a. Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Some 140,000 Viaggio ("travel, journey, trip, tour, road" – the long march?) can be produced in Hunan. If the Chinese won't buy them, someone else will. "Just coming out of the press conference and the Viaggio will be exported," texts Ashley Sutcliffe, proprietor of Chinacartimes.com. Until Ash finds an Internet cafe from where he can file his report, just this: Everybody had been hysterical about cheap Chinese cars that would soon flood the market, but it didn't happen. Quite the opposite is happening: Joint venture brands, led by General Motors and Volkswagen, are grabbing a larger and larger share of the Chinese market. China still imports more cars than it exports. Cars made by joint ventures feature prominently on the export list. GM started exporting its Sail a year ago, GM is at the forefront of this export from China move, others follow, as predicted two years ago.   from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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