Chrysler and Chinese automaker Chery have already announced plans to build a future small car and now Volkswagen is forming a similar relationship. VW and Shanghai Auto are going to work together to produce a car that will be aimed at the global market. The car will initially be sold in China and then in the U.S.
The launch date of the new car has not been announced although there are reports that the first car will be a follow up to the Passat Lingyu.
Hopefully they can get the quality in check this time. The Volkswagens produced in Mexico have hurt the automaker's quality ratings in the U.S.
Full Story: Motor Authority
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Comments (12)
Can't be any worse than the Mexican built VW's.
Posted by jose | July 19, 2007 4:40 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 16:40
Can't be better, either. And VW doesn't need any additional stigma - their reputation is terrible in the states already.
Posted by Leroy Brown | July 19, 2007 4:53 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 16:53
Sad that even the Germans have gone cheap and people are going to start associating German engineering, which is great, with Mexican quality. I'm thinking the Chinese will be a lot better than Mexico, but we'll have to see. Next, BMW and Mercedes will be going that route:(
Posted by Mike M | July 19, 2007 5:12 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 17:12
Sad that even the Germans have gone cheap and people are going to start associating German engineering, which is great, with Mexican quality. I'm thinking the Chinese will be a lot better than Mexico, but we'll have to see. Next, BMW and Mercedes will be going that route:(
Posted by Mike M | July 19, 2007 5:12 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 17:12
That things about as bland as the Ford 500/Taurus
Posted by Gary | July 20, 2007 3:05 AM
Posted on July 20, 2007 03:05
Used to be when you bought a VW you were just supporting a socialistic welfare state. Now when you buy one, You are supporting a Communist Country who are a bigger threat to freedom and democracy than the USSR was during the cold war. WAKE UP AMERICA!!
Posted by Mark | July 20, 2007 10:55 AM
Posted on July 20, 2007 10:55
Oh Mark knock it off with that political bullshit conspiracy garbage.
Maybe if you stop living by the theory "everyone is out to get me or us" then you just might live a better life and have clearer, less radical thoughts liek the previous who have posted.
Posted by Tanooki | July 20, 2007 1:06 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 13:06
I'm sure the quality won't be any worse (and will likely be better) than it already is.
Posted by gm0n3y | July 20, 2007 1:51 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 13:51
I completely agree with Mark.
Posted by David | July 20, 2007 8:03 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 20:03
I used to drive a Shanghai-built VW Passat in China. The quality is definitely much better than VW cars in US.
Communist country?? Go to China to have a look and don't just watch Fox news or Lou Dobbs all the time.
Posted by Yezhou | July 21, 2007 5:20 PM
Posted on July 21, 2007 17:20
I use to drive a Shanghai-built VW Passat in China. The quality is definitely much better than VW cars in US.
Communist country?? Go to China to have a look and don't just watch Fox news or Lou Dobbs all the time.
Posted by Yezhou | July 21, 2007 5:21 PM
Posted on July 21, 2007 17:21
Firstly, China is more capitalist than America in many ways, and far less in others. Its political system is still ruled by the communist party, but that may be changing. Even though the Chinese government is telling everyone the meat-bun scare is a hoax, the Chinese are publicly admitting they do not believe it. The last time people publicly denied a government line, we ended up with Tianamen Square. Want to believe the government will try that again? They have over a billion empowered people, many professionals and those people have global resources. The government can try it again if they want: if an uprising occurs in China though, it wont be some pussy-foot style uprising like we have here in the West: 10% of the population is 100 million people. Just 10%.
Secondly, I remember plenty of shitty quality American cars coming from America. I'd say everything made in the 70s by GM, Ford, or Chrysler is a good example. So the fact that a low quality product can come from somewhere other than America is no surprise: its not like the American makes haven't hard problems too. And really, its not fault of the workers: its all about the design, engineering, and machinery. The difference between a American swinging a hammer and a Mexican swinging a hammer? Given that limited amount of information, nothing.
And not all Chinese products are low quality. In fact, the overwhelming majority are of quality similar to anything made in America. I've owned digital cameras now made in (pick any far easy country) and America, and even a Phillips that came from a factory in Belgium! Were there some variances? Yes, but you'd be surprised at how low quality an American made product can get....
Posted by Allen | July 21, 2007 5:35 PM
Posted on July 21, 2007 17:35