SAIC news

[mememe]

SAIC plans to double Longbridge workforce

From:birminghammail.netOctober 12, 2008
LONGBRIDGE is back up and running with a vengeance with plans to more than double the MG UK workforce at the car factory within 12 months.

Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) and its subsidiary Nanjing Auto, the Chinese owners of the famous Birmingham car plant, aim to beat the financial downturn with proposals to hire more production, paintshop, sales and marketing staff and others during 2009.

And discussions are under way over the transfer of around 250 designers and engineers currently based at the Shanghai Motor Technical Centre in Leamington – a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAIC/Nanjing – to Longbridge.

The recruitment plans would more than double the current workforce of around 200 based at Longbridge, at a time when motor industry jobs are under severe threat from the worst UK sales slump for over 40 years.

Meanwhile, the standard version of the two-seater MGTF will be on the road by the end of the year following a sell-out of the limited edition version, the TF LE500.

NAC MG UK corporate communications manager Eleanor de le Haye said the car firm was set to recruit across all areas.

"At the time of the launch, it was 180 to 190 people but the workforce is creeping up all the time," she said.

"There are 27 people being recruited over the course of 2009 for sales and marketing, for example. There are plans to recruit more business staff, paintshop staff, production staff.

"The TF LE500 has been a huge success and we do not think that it would be any different for the standard car.

"We have a standard specification model, MGTF, and there will be standard cars on the road by the end of the year."

Ms De La Haye confirmed that plans to transfer the SMTC UK Ltd operation – which provides engineering and design skills for MG and the Shanghai-built Roewe model – were under consideration.

The new Chinese-built MG is being sold through a network of 50-plus UK dealerships nationwide from £16,399 on the road and SAIC/Nanjing aim for an output of around 3,700 vehicles next year.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1008...workforce.html

[CCF mod]

SAIC launches own-brand project in Nanjing.

October 28, 2008 - SAIC Motor launched its in-house developed engine and A-class car platform programs yesterday at Nanjing high-tech industrial development zone, Nanjing Morning Post said today.

The second phase of Nanjing Pukou facility, SAIC’s own-brand project, is expected to complete by 2009 with a total investment of 2.566 billion yuan ($375.7 million). The project includes an all-new A-class car platform and NSE series engines for four models. On completion, the Pukou facility will have an annual capacity of up to 200000 vehicles and 250,000 engines.

The A-class car platform will produce hatchback, sedan, small MPV and also a revamped mid-sized model based on MG, as SAIC’s own-brand models for the global markets. All the new models will be powered by NSE series engines, which are developed by SAIC Motor Technical Center Ranging from 1.3L to 1.6L, the engines generate an output between 65kw and 120kw, with emission standard meeting the Euro IV or even V.

SAIC said it will complete the main production lines in its Nanjing base by 2010 and plans to roll out the first model by February 2010.

from Gasgoo.com

[mememe]

SAIC sees Q3 net profits down 42.67%

October 31, 2008
Shanghai, October 31 (Gasgoo.com) In a statement it released today, Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation (SAIC) said its net profits declined by 42.67% year on year to 2.226 billion yuan ($32.63 million) in the third quarter, First Financial Daily reported.

But the auto giant said its financial assets and investment in real estate available for sale this year grew by 182.44% and 266.56%respectively over a year earlier.

However, despite the two large increases, SAIC suffered a book loss related to stocks of China Construction Bank and Bohai logistics by the end of the third quarter. The gross book value only totaled 21,002,400 million yuan from January to September, a loss of 4,829,300 yuan from its initial investment of 25,831,700 yuan.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1008...own-42-67.html

[mememe]

SAIC set to expand car financing business

November 16, 2008

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), China's largest carmaker, plans to expand its car financing business in an effort to spur consumption and boost profitability, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday, citing SAIC Chairman Hu Maoyuan as saying.

Hu said during a conference in Tianjin that the company is striving to offer more car financing services to customers. But he did not elaborate how SAIC would strengthen its car financing arm.

He added 30% of the company's net profit was generated from servicing business.

SAIC posed a net profit of RMB 260.8 million for the third quarter, representing a 78% of sharp decline year-on-year, due to slowing demand for vehicles.

General Motors China and SAIC has secured regulatory approval to jointly set up their finance arm GMAC-SAIC Automotive Finance in November last year, becoming the first operational automotive financing company offering both retail and wholesale business in the country.

According the report, car financing business is still underdeveloped on the mainland, with only 20% of buyers taking out loans to pay for car, which is far below the rate of 50% in Japan and 90% in the United States.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1008...-business.html

[mememe]

SAIC group to spend $300 mln on green cars

November 26, 2008

SAIC Motor Corp, China's biggest automaker, said on Tuesday it plans to set up a venture with its state-owned parent that will invest 2 billion yuan ($293 million) to develop clean-energy cars.

The SAIC group will hold a 90 percent stake in the venture, which will focus on the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, while its listed unit will hold the remainder.

Domestic and foreign automakers are pouring increasing resources into the development of "green" cars as concerns mount over the environment and the threat of global warming, which is linked to carbon dioxide emissions.

In January, SAIC's car venture with General Motors rolled out its first locally produced hybrid car in China and said it planned to introduce fuel cell-powered vehicles into the world's second-largest auto market after 2010.

Rechargeable battery maker BYD Co plans to launch its first all-electric car in China in the second half of 2009, Henry Li, general manager of BYD Auto's export trade division, told Reuters last month.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1008...reen-cars.html

[CCF mod]

SAIC top man Mr. Chen Zhi Xin, announced yesterday that Roewe and MG will unite together for research, production, scope, purchasing and share investment resources to build their respective brands.

SAIC plans to merge its production bases into one east coat production base, the three factories, Pukou (in Nanjing), Lin Gang, Yi Zheng and An Ting (Shanghai) will come together to produce cars in the SAIC portfolio.

According to SAICs plans, SAIC will no longer be based on brand, but rather platforms. The Nanjing factory will be focussed on production an A-class small car, and small engines. Lin Gang will be focused on producing A+B segment cars, as well as producing the current Roewe 750, Lin Gang will also produce the Ssangyong range of SUVs in China.

The Lin Gang factory will produce 6 different types of car, the Roewe 550, and the next generation 750 and engines. The next generation 750 is expected to enter the market in either 2009, or 2010, further information on the next generation Roewe 750 was not forthcoming. The next generation MG7 is also in the development stage, and could also be produced in the Lin Gang factory.

MG plans to have an A-segment car, which will be available in hatch and sedan format. A small MPV will also be made, and work on a compact car is also in progress, these cars may be named the MG5 and MG6. The MG6 will be the next car to go on the market after the launch of the MG7 Automatic model, and will go on the market in 2009. MG spokesman, Mr. Jian Lu Qiang revealed that the MG6 wont be based on the Roewe 550 platform.

December 2nd, 2008, China Car Times

[mememe]

Israel among first to import SAIC cars from China

January 29, 2009

Peugeot Citroen importer Lubinski will begin the regular import of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. cars in the fourth quarter.

Peugeot Citroen importer David Lubinski Ltd. will begin the regular import of vehicles made by Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SSE: 600104) (SAIC) in the fourth quarter of 2009, and will begin marketing in January 2010. The first SAIC cars will arrive within a few weeks to give Lubinsky the time to study the cars and train its sales and service staff.

The cars arriving next month will not comply with standards, so they cannot be driven on the roads. SAIC already manufactures cars that comply with EU Euro-5 emissions standards, and these are the cars that will be delivered later this year. SAIC is a partner of General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) and Volkswagen AG

SAIC selected Israel, the UK, and Spain as its first target countries in Europe. Some of the cars will come directly from SAIC's factories in Shanghai and Nanjing, while others will come from the company's UK factory, which it acquired from Rover.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1009...rom-China.html

[CCF mod]

Roewe, MG sales teams merged to cut cost

February 9, 2009
Last week, SAIC's affiliated Roewe, and the sales division of Nanjing MG Auto Co., Ltd. moved out of their former offices to the building of their parent's technology center in Shanghai, said sina.com today. In its effort to cut costs, SAIC is merging the sales networks of the Roewe and MG brands.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) plans to gain nearly 1% more profits through cutting costs in 2009, as a measure to fight against the worldwide financial crisis that started in the second half of last year. The 1% profit is not only a target set for the parent, but also each affiliate, to be achieved by by lessening expenditures, and lowering salaries of top executives.

SAIC has decided to cut down the losses of affiliated proprietary brands and enhance their profitability through unified marketing. Earlier this month, the sales and marketing divisions of Nanjing GM said they were moving out of their Nanjing offices to SAIC's technology center located in Anting of suburban Shanghai, to be merged with the Roewe sales team of SAIC Motor.

Besides, Nanjing MG will be merged into Nanjing Auto Corp, which SAIC acquired one year ago. With the MG assets as its major part, Nanjing Auto will become an important base for SAIC to develop own-brand models. In addition, the Nanjing Iveco Auto Co assets of Nanjing Auto will also be handed over to SAIC Commercial Business Unit.

Industry experts pointed out that SAIC is the first leading automaker in China to announce its target to lower costs after the financial crisis. As China's auto sales growth is expected to dive to the lowest point of 5% since 1998, more domestic carmakers will follow suit to cut costs and boost profitability.

source: Gasgoo.com

[shgenii]

The poor treatment that the 4S dealers give foriegners should give Roewe poor sales forever.
My 7 years in Shanghai, I had never been treated so poorly as I was from Roewe. I had thought that Roewe was a good automobile until 2 weeks ago at the SIAC dealership where I was not permitted to even look inside or touch the cars.
I felt poorly and left but returned 2 hours later to request a test drive. At that time when I walked in and seen Chinese children jumping in the back seats, people looking and touching every part of the cars yet the same SIAC representative that requested me not to inspect the cars (with a test car parked in front) told me the cars had no batteries even after looking under the hood and I pointed to the battery, she turned and as she walked away told me I could not drive or even sit in the car.

[KiwiGuy]

SAIC to buy van maker LDV
From China Car Times:

Dr Li’s China Ventures operation is said to be the only bidder now left in exclusive talks with LDV administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers following suggestions that Malaysian group Weststar has finally walked away.

Last week’s long awaited Longbridge inquiry report revealed that Dr Li was paid £1.7 million for consultancy work with MG Rover over a 15-month period.

Dr Li, whose affair with Nick Stephenson was exposed in the report, refused to deny the LDV claim.

Some industry experts have said that a takeover by China Ventures could spell the end for van-making in Birmingham, with a “lift and shift” operation to China ruining hopes of a resumption of production at Washwood Heath.

But a well-placed source said: “Dr Li has very well established contacts with Nanjing and SAIC. Instead of moving the LDV kit 10,000 miles to China, wouldn’t it make far more sense to move it 10 miles to Longbridge?”

For those that aren’t aware who exactly Dr. Li is, she was the girlfriend of an MG-Rover executive that drove MG-R into the ground before selling up to NAC
The odd thing is, SAIC already have a van producing JV going on with IVECO, but what they don’t have is their own IPR to produce their own branded vans. Perhaps what we might see in the future is a full size MG van? Stranger things have happened.