New Chinesium SUV hits Oz....

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Shannow

Shannow

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Went for a walk with my wife this arv, and came across a new Chinesium SUV that is hitting the Oz market. LDV T60 Ute, parked in the local Ford/Mitsubishi/KIa/LDV dealer...price was upper end of the Chines market (Great wall and Foton Tunland)... https://www.motoring.com.au/details-firm-for-ldv-t60-ute-and-d90-suv-109127/ Looking through the windows, looked pretty well equipped...Eaton locking rear end in the lux version. 2.8VM turbodiesel (related to the baby D-Max, but only 110KW). About $15 grand less than equivalent Colorado, and apparently has the 5 Star safety, and 6 airbags. USB, 12V, and 220V outlets in the cab. https://www.motoring.com.au/outback-ready-ldv-t60-off-road-confirmed-for-oz-109133/ Apparently the outback version is on the way too...
 
It's to be tested in the Oz/NZ ANCAP tests. Looks more to me like they were influened by the Ford Ranger...
 
Wonder if the engine is a "snorty-sounding" one like what one finds in Ford Rangers, Mazdas etc these days?
 
Not too many Chinese cars in the UK as yet. The only ones I know of are the MG branded cars that are made by SAIC. To begin with, these were knock-down kits assembled in the old Longbridge factory (presumably to give them some Made in the UK cred) but I think all of them now come direct from China. Although they are 'cheaper', I wouldn't say they are 'cheap'. I would buy one except for the fact that (a) the range is one the big side for me and (b) they tend to be on the thirsty side. China doesn't seem to have figured out small & economical yet (like Suzuki for example).
 
The Chinese are the world's biggest copycats......haven't invented anything since gunpowder....
 
Originally Posted By: pbm
The Chinese are the world's biggest copycats......haven't invented anything since gunpowder....
They are really proficient at taking someone else's product, reverse engineering it using lower quality components and calling the result their own. Replication instead of innovation.
 
Australia / New Zeland are just too close to Asia for domestic manufacturing to survive without export sales, which just never happened. Even the Pontiac GTO (rebadged Holden) didn't sell in the US (not available in Canada, Mexico), and it was a relatively inexpensive high performance vehicle. Throw in the Financial Crisis and it just adds up to non-viable. Note that no matter what period in history, and no matter which nation, a financial crisis leads to automotive factory shut-downs and automotive factory clustering around the core manufacturing area, since those can survive. Every time.
 
The current Buick Envision is 100% made in China and imported 12,000 miles by ships, trains, and trucks to the U.S. at great expense. Imagine the beating these things take on trucks and trains especially to travel that distance. .... Fortunately for GM's profit margin, the shipping expense is offset by paying Chinese workers about $1.50 (U.S.) per hour of work. The factories run by GM, they do manage decent quality over there. Interesting to see how well they have copied and studied existing vehicles out there to do this UTE/SUV. Its difficult to keep process trade secrets for vehicle engineering at all the established car companies, so China has no trouble observing, hacking into computer networks, and hiring 'consultants', former engineers from other car companies, to steal the technology directly.
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: Miller88
If it came here with a manual, I'd buy it ...
Keeping with your sig line? crazy There's just too many other good choices before buying a Chinese auto. IMHO of course.
I think it all depends on the price and warranty. For 10% less, its probably not a good deal, but if its 30% off maybe so. Lots of compact tractors are made in China and India and typically JD or whoever specs the paint color, usually makes a simpler/older design in those factories which is fine for alot of buyers. Probably what stops the Chinese car companies from making a run at the N.A. market is that the existing manufacturers could build something simpler and cheaper as well(like they do in other markets), and would if the Chinese company started making money filling that niche.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Probably what stops the Chinese car companies from making a run at the N.A. market is that the existing manufacturers could build something simpler and cheaper as well(like they do in other markets), and would if the Chinese company started making money filling that niche.
I guess the only way to fight $1.50/hour Chinese labor is robots here in N.A. Robots are a big capital expenditure, or have a big lease cost, and do take some maintenance. I'd like to see the GM Envision production line in China, as access to ultra-cheap labor might make them avoid robots to some extent over there. Its hard to beat the quality of most robotics operations though.
 
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: Miller88
If it came here with a manual, I'd buy it ...
Keeping with your sig line? crazy There's just too many other good choices before buying a Chinese auto. IMHO of course.
I just want a manual transmission truck.
 
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