Jeeps to be Made in China by 2015

Sudz said:

everything else is made in china so whats the big deal?

american heritage? that died a long time ago

Click to expand...

Chrysler Announces Deal for China Jeep Production


Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., Chrysler Group International LLC and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group) have reached an agreement to expand their joint venture partnership to include Jeep brand vehicles for sale in the Chinese market.

By the terms of the agreement announced Saturday in Beijing, GAC Fiat, the group’s joint venture in China, will produce three new Jeep vehicles for the Chinese market. The Chinese government has already approved the expansion and the related projects.

GAC Fiat will finalize its localized production plans, including consideration of a Jeep model uniquely designed for China, and begin production by late 2015. Jeep vehicles will be built at a GAC Fiat manufacturing branch to be established in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province. In earlier comments, Jeep CEO Mike Manley had indicated the production site would be the GAC Fiat plant in Changsha in Hunan Province, located to the north of Guangdong.

Guangdong Province is where many of the manufacturing jobs outsourced from the United States went, making it one of the most prosperous of the Chinese provinces.

“Today’s announcement represents the next chapter in the proper utilization and expansion on a global scale of the Jeep brand,” said Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat S.p.A and Chrysler Group LLC. “Equally important is our continued development in the Chinese market with an established and respected partner such as Guangzhou Automobile Group.”

GAC Group Chairman Zhang Fangyou said: “The world-noted SUV brand Jeep being introduced into GAC Fiat will bring the cooperation between GAC and Fiat-Chrysler to a new phase. It will enhance the sustainable development of the JV, and will surely bring premium experiences of driving and services to the Chinese customers.”

Worldwide, China is the second-largest market for Jeep vehicles. Jeeps were last produced in China by Beijing Benz DaimlerChrysler Automotive in 2006.

(Note: The Chinese characters in the illustration translate as “ji” “pu” and “che.” Together they are the Chinese term for “Jeep.”)

Article can be found here:
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2014/04/chrysler-announces-deal-for-china-jeep-production

Click to expand...

wayoflife said:

My understanding is that they will just be adding to existing production of every model with the exception of the Wrangler. While I understand their desires to tap into the growing Chinese market, it just would have been nice if they could have made it possible to employ Americans to make these vehicles and export them to China. I know that's near impossible to do with the all the taxes and tariffs there are but, we'll never be able to level out the trade imbalance we have with them if nobody tries.

Having said all that, my biggest concern still lies within the fact that Jeeps being made in China will mean parts will be made there too and I have little doubt that more and more of them will find their way back here in the US.

Click to expand...

fmdualexhaust said:

What color lead paint would you like on your Jeep?

Click to expand...

10frank9 said:

Cool so Chinese Jeeps for the Chinese market. Thanks for sharing this article. It puts the rumor of Chinese made Jeeps for the US market to rest. :yup:

Click to expand...