Adding to its automotive empire, Fiat announced on Monday that it has signed a partnership with China’s Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group. The 50-50 joint venture will see Guangzhou building Fiat vehicles and engines in China by 2011.
Under the terms of the agreement, the automakers will invest 400 million euros in a new factory located in Changsha – the capital of the Hunan province. The plant will initially have the capacity to produce 140,000 vehicles and 220,000 engines per year, but those figures could eventually be ramped up to 250,000 cars and 300,000 engines annually.
The Fiat Bravo and Grande Punto will eventually be built in China, but the Linea will be the first vehicle launched in China as a result of the joint-venture. The Linea will be powered by two versions of Fiat’s turbocharged 1.4L engine, one producing 120 horsepower and the other making 150 horsepower.
Although Fiat sells a few thousand vehicles in China every year, the Italian automaker hasn’t built a car in China since its joint-venture with Naijing Automotive expired in 2007. Guangzhou is one of China’s more experienced automakers, selling more than 530,000 cars last year, according to Automotive News. Guangzhou is also the Chinese partner of Toyota and Honda.
07/06, 12:28 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
Your Comment
07/06, 12:36 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Buy FIAT. A Chinese Revolution. It is your patriotic duty.
07/06, 12:44 PM
posted by:
orangecones
This is good for Fiat, a nice way to save a little money…exactly what they need after sinking too much change into CryCo.
07/06, 12:53 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Last time I combined Italian and Chinese all I got was heartburn. But at least I wasn’t hungry 15 minutes later.
07/06, 1:06 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
They should call the Chinese-Italian Combo the MSG Alfredo!
07/06, 1:47 PM
posted by:
Long Dong Auto
I have always found the Chinese highly skilled and eager to please while the Italians burn hot with a passionate fire that overwhelms the senses. Between the Americans, Italians and Chinese this could be a threesome made in heaven,
07/06, 2:39 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
that’s something i can support…i’d gladly have a threesome with monica bellucci and lucy liu to show my commitment to the cause…
07/06, 4:58 PM
posted by:
Borat
Who knows how to spell “Tony” in Cantonese?
07/07, 2:55 AM
posted by:
KarLoveBoy88
I just don’t understand why everyone wants to whore around with Chinese car companies and their crappy crap that they build. This is just wrong
07/07, 6:33 AM
posted by:
Suzhou
you right, Kar. agree with u point.
07/07, 10:50 AM
posted by:
Lonegunman2000
KarLoveBoy88:
Fiat will come up with the designs and manufactoring expertise to Guangzhou. All Guangzhou has to do is to build the pre-assembled parts into a cohesive machine. It doesn’t take rocket sciencee to build a car these days. Even Mexicans are building cars for Americans. What Guangzhou gets in return will be profit and jobs to its people. A win-win situation for both Italy and China.
BTW, I knew a girl who had a Chinese father and Italian Mother. Gorgeous girl. We could have hooked up, siince she liked me. But I screwed things up badly, so I don’t have her.