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11/18/2008, 3:26 PM

Chrysler News

Report: Chinese automakers eyeing GM, Chrysler

Chinese automakers SAIC and Dongfeng are said to be considering acquiring the assets of General Motors and Chrysler, according to a report by China’s 21st Century Business Herald. The business newspaper cites a remark made over the weekend by a senior official at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology — the regulator of China’s auto industry.

The top official said China’s auto industry has the means and the desire to acquire assets from GM and Chrysler. What that could ultimately lead to isn’t entirely clear. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and Dongfeng Motor Corporation are among the largest carmakers in China, but have little or no experience in the American auto industry.

One possible scenario involves a bankruptcy of either of the American companies, in which case assets — like brands, facilities, and technologies — would be sold off as a part of Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings.

Another possibility is the sale of certain brands to SAIC or Dongfeng as a means of raising cash for GM or Chrysler. Some analysts have floated the idea of GM selling Buick, which is very popular in China, to SAIC.

The final (and at this point least likely) scenario would involve some kind of complete takeover of GM or Chrysler by a Chinese automaker. This seems farfetched because the only way a company could quickly turn GM or Chrysler profitable would be to take production overseas — something that would be extremely costly and time consuming. It would be a long-term investment to say the least, and probably not something China is considering at this moment in time.

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11/18, 3:30 PM

posted by:

DrFill

Vultures circle overhead
DrFill

11/18, 3:41 PM

posted by:

carguy70

((SWEET GOD NO!!!)) If the Chi-Comms buy GM or Chrysler the west is indeed DEAD!!!

11/18, 3:45 PM

posted by:

Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3

Hell, China already owns us on paper.

11/18, 3:52 PM

posted by:

inline6

“Acquiring Assets” and acquiring the whole companies are two different things.

They could be eying certain unused manufacturing plants in China, Mexico, etc. They could be eyeing certain defunct nameplates. They could be eying tooling for recently discontinued models (e.g. Uplander, ‘04-07 Malibu, GMT360, GMT800).

Frankly, I’m sick of LLN interpreting every piece of news in a way that makes GM and Chrysler look like they’re doomed. It’s obfuscating the truth for sensationalism. And it’s getting old.

11/18, 3:59 PM

posted by:

AnonymousCoward

The only parts of GM making money are the European and Asian ones. So it makes sense to sell the North American crap to China, and move GM headquarter to Germany.

11/18, 3:59 PM

posted by:

NRG

I have news for all of you. This economy will never be the same. We are going through a huge correction and almost complete change on how the economy will be in the future. IF the Big 3 survive, they will be a shell of what they were. Chrysler will probably not make it.

11/18, 4:22 PM

posted by:

sakio327

Chrysler was doomed the moment Cerberus got a hold of it. As for GM, I’m sure a Chinese owner would be really impressed by the UAW. I wonder how the “People’s Republic” would react to a strike call by the union?

11/18, 4:25 PM

posted by:

Tritonpower5.4

Where is Need More Oil for GM on these threads. Not here commenting wow what a shocker!

11/18, 4:29 PM

posted by:

Borat

It is only fitting. If they underwrite our debt due to bailout of those 3 turkeys, they might as well get the stuffing.

11/18, 4:29 PM

posted by:

andy

I just threw up all over my computer

11/18, 4:34 PM

posted by:

HoosierHero

Ugh…you know, I’m all for survival of the fittest and a free market, but the thought of those Communists owning GM and/or Chrysler gives me the willies! Damn Communists…

11/18, 4:39 PM

posted by:

pavlindrom

@andy… did you writing this from the same computer?

11/18, 4:39 PM

posted by:

inline6

Won’t happen, folks. GM and Chrysler have too many defense/government contracts. They won’t let those go to the Chinese at all.

That’s why AMC floated off AM General (makers of the Hummer H1) as an independent company when Renault bought a controlling interest in the company in ‘82.

11/18, 4:46 PM

posted by:

Ford_Sucks

need more oil is unemployed and too busy looking for work to post on here anymore.

11/18, 4:50 PM

posted by:

Borat

I hope it will happen. Better Chinese inheriting all those problems! Let communist destroy union! Let them deal with royalties in Detroit.
At the moment I don’t think there are any government contracts, beyond Impala and Magnum for police duty, that would constitute as government contract. Hummer will not be used by DoD much longer and if we can buy pants and steel from Chinese, we can buy Hummer (and cycle).

To paraphrase need-more-oil-for-gm “you should not bought all those Chinese pants and shoes - they would not have cash to buy GM”.
After all - those are just privately held companies (GM is publicly traded on NY exchange, but owners are private individuals).

11/18, 5:02 PM

posted by:

yarddog82abn

LOL……………
O.K. I give up! at least I’ll have old school American Iron to enjoy…

11/18, 5:04 PM

posted by:

Borat

Keep you iron: it will cost more if labels will be owned by gooks.

11/18, 5:06 PM

posted by:

beemerdude

inline 6: I COULDN’T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

“Frankly, I’m sick of LLN interpreting every piece of news in a way that makes GM and Chrysler look like they’re doomed. It’s obfuscating the truth for sensationalism. And it’s getting old”

What’s up with LLN interjecting their own point of view instead of only REPORTING the news … without bias and sensationalism?

11/18, 5:07 PM

posted by:

shitalker

makes GM and Chrysler look like they’re doomed..? uh.. They are!!

11/18, 5:15 PM

posted by:

Borat

No they aren’t! They just requesting billions of tax dollars, because of poor news reporting. And btw, their begging falls on death ears.

11/18, 5:22 PM

posted by:

Need more oil for GM

These slimeballs have no morals. GM is an American company not a company for communist focks.

11/18, 5:29 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

One day we’ll all look back at this and fondly remember when referring to an American car as a lead sled was just a perception.

11/18, 5:43 PM

posted by:

Lionwithoutpride

beermerdude-

I agree with you that if Leftlane (L.L.) holds itself out as a straight news service then the opinion expressed in their reports would be wrong. However, I am of the view that a site which reviews vehicles (an entirely subjective matter) has license to comment on other pieces they feature on their site. Though, I “feel the pain” of the readers/posters on this site who come here to read about cars only and do not want to think about the policy side of the auto industry. Perhaps L.L. should create another section for policy and opinion pieces? Either way, as most of you know, I am one of the relative newcomers (have only been reading on this site for about a year and commenting for less time) who thoroughly enjoy the stories emphasizing the management decisions, marketing strategies, strategic dialogues, etc. So, I hope they do not reduce the coverage of the current automotive bailout debate.

11/18, 6:14 PM

posted by:

PassingGear

Need more oil for GM - “These slimeballs have no morals.”

Exactly which ’slimeballs’ are you referring to?

It couldn’t be the moronic GM or UAW brass who literally rode the company into the ground could it? (Now perish that thought..)

Nah, I’m sure it’s the fault of us disloyal’ ‘traitors who didn’t buy a GM product…

Your screen name should be: “Need more braincells”

11/18, 6:51 PM

posted by:

elviososa

Good news for Big 3.

11/18, 7:11 PM

posted by:

DrFill

Need for oil
That’s like the pot calling a pot a pot!
Domestics bones go to the highest bidder
Can’t get any more capitalist American than that
DrFill

11/18, 7:22 PM

posted by:

nowei

I know versions of this phrase have been used in a number of cases:

“For a bunch of communists they turned out to be pretty good capitalists.”

11/18, 7:57 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

I love how NMOFGM always says that Americans need to buy American, but then pisses on Ford and Chrysler. How American is that?

11/18, 7:57 PM

posted by:

Architect

What an embarrassment. But not to worry, this will never happen.

11/18, 8:14 PM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

LOL!

Well done UAW!

11/18, 8:19 PM

posted by:

Borat

@beatusmongous
I don’t believe NMOFGM really means what he writes. I think he is messing with some of us. There is no amount of inbreeding can produce someone who really has that twisted mentality. I think it is a crafty prankster.

11/18, 8:19 PM

posted by:

Mutant@DCX

Option one most likely.

Although, I always thought Chry HQ in Auburn Hills would make a beautiful upscale shopping mall. This could easliy be done, very simple conversion.
Fish mongers and pig farmers in the massive concourses and enclaves of a chinese open city market in that scenario never occurred to me.

11/18, 8:25 PM

posted by:

Commodore

NO! If China gets our automakers, I will be so pissed. I am so sick of these dumbass asian companies simply buying out foreign companies instead of starting their own and working to make them successful. They simply buy out already established companies going through tough times.

Only thing - in the worst case scenario, GM/Chrysler being bought by the communists, the UNIONS better get transferred to them as well. DO NOT let China get rid of the unions, keep them in place so they can drag down their new owners as well

11/18, 9:23 PM

posted by:

Architect

This is a ridiculous article. No way the assets of GM or Ford are purchased by the Chinese. Chrysler, maybe.

11/18, 9:56 PM

posted by:

TomF

The guy who talked about the Chinese acquiring discarded tooling and idle plant capacity had it right. It’s selected assets, not the whole kaboodle. The US government would nationalize GM in a heartbeat if it thought the Chinese were in a position to get control of it. Which, come to think of it, is why GM is probably happy to let this rumor circulate.

11/18, 10:48 PM

posted by:

Commodore

Well, yea TomF - nationalization is actually not that ridiculous in this case. Remember the national defense argument GM made in that video it produced? If we were to lose the Big 3, we would have a much weakened industrial production capacity in a time of war or something. It is an unlikely scenario but is still plausible

11/18, 10:53 PM

posted by:

DetroitWatcher

Hmmm… if a Chinese company has enough capital to by controlling interest in GM, or Chrysler, there’s not much stopping them from doing so. It would be a smart move on there part, as it would shave years off of their efforts to modernize. Not a good thing for the US… foreign ownership would send profits off shore, eventually bleeding us dry.

Better to break GM up into 8 separate companies so that the strongest can survive, and the weakest (Saturn, Pontiac) can be allowed to die without affecting the others. Jobs would be lost, but not as many as if the entire ship went down. Majority interest could be held by a GM holding company, and the US government (temporarily), to prevent foreign takeover.

11/18, 11:05 PM

posted by:

elviososa

Commodore….you call GM, Ford and Chrysler a successful companies?? If they are, they will n ot in today’s messes.

11/19, 12:00 AM

posted by:

Impulsive

Buy gold. It’s all that’s gonna save you.

These pigs, along with the USA, should just claim bankruptcy and start fresh.

They ALL have FAILED.

11/19, 12:34 AM

posted by:

Commodore

I didn’t call the Big 3 successful. I just said they are well established companies going through tough times. Imagine if “well established” companies like Sony, Toshiba, and Nikkon were near bankruptcy in Japan’s current recession. Then the US government used its money to buy them out and make them American. That looks to be what China is doing with the Big 3…taking an industry that they are clueless about and just bringing it over to China

11/19, 2:03 AM

posted by:

quickster007

Genera Motors need to realize that they are not the answer to everyone automotive needs. GM should only have Chevrolet and Cadillac. Chevrolet is the non luxury division to compete against all the asian carmakers. Cadillac on the other hand, should compete against European and Asian carmakers. Both Chevrolet & Cadillac should offer the 10yrs 100,000 warranty, price their cars a thousand less than the competition, buy better materials for the interior. If they do what I just said, they should be fine. Just look at Toyota & Lexus, Honda & Acura to name a few. GM knows how to design cars better than any Japanese carmakers. Asian cars have the quality not the design. European cars have the design but lack quality. American carmarkers can easily do both. That’s my take.

11/19, 2:21 AM

posted by:

steve333

So you guys dont want our Govmnt heloing out our industry but its OK to have companies owned by the Chinese Govmnt buy out our industries?

Are you all just royally ****ed up?

11/19, 3:18 AM

posted by:

beatusmongous

Actually, Borat, I called him out on that a while back, and after much badgering, he seemed pretty sincere. Unbelievable to me that someone would be that idiotic, but apparently he’s a real, genuine GM lover and hates anything and everything that isn’t GM. Go figure. But I just look at whatever he says and laugh my @$$ off each time he posts.

11/19, 10:17 AM

posted by:

MercMark

Can’t let those commie bastards get any more. This is a matter of national security.
Congress needs to do something NOW!!!!!

11/19, 11:27 AM

posted by:

stick2clutch

The sad reality is that this company is being sold at a discount.

11/19, 11:27 AM

posted by:

stick2clutch

I meant to say — this country is being sold at a discount.

11/19, 11:28 AM

posted by:

stick2clutch

And this website has been sucking balls ever since they decided to get all fancy.

11/19, 12:24 PM

posted by:

planet_drive

Technically China is not a communist country. Communist countries don’t have multi millionaires and Communist countries do not allow people to own their own companies. China is a free market dictatorship. Much like America is today!

11/19, 1:57 PM

posted by:

Catiadesigner

Oh the irony of it all, The Chinese buying out American industry because of all the American companies that tried to max out their profits for the shareholders by outsourcing all their manufacturing to china…..lol
So if American consumers/shareholders/companies hadn’t been so greedy for slightly cheaper consumer goods/profits/profits, they might be able to afford to pay the slightly higher prices on the consumer goods because they might actually still have a job….

11/19, 5:41 PM

posted by:

jayjc08

planet_drive- For the most part, that’s just a fake facade.

Friend told me a while back a pretty interesting story. He traveled to Russia years ago, not too recent. Russia got him his own guide, route and everything, but he couldn’t travel to where he wanted to. His guide told him how the route he was to follow was the clean parts of Russia, with little poverty and mostly government subsidized/fixed up, however he put it. He says everything he saw was beautiful. He also says that from what he heard from his guide, the rest of it wasn’t, and we know today it wasn’t.

Now… technically it might be a free market dictatorship (freak market maybe?)

11/19, 5:43 PM

posted by:

jayjc08

I’m pretty sure I’m just going to stop visiting LLN. After the new layout, you guys have failed to address problems we’ve mentioned many times, and every article written concerning Detroit has been ridiculously biased. You still fail to cite sources. You guys obviously don’t care. Best of all, you take the weekends off from writing a few articles!

11/25, 9:40 PM

posted by:

Dante_JoseCuervo

@Borat

While I do agree with you, I do know a guy who shares that EXACT mentality but also touts german engineering. How this makes sense, I have no idea. He considers the Camaro to be like the epitome of a car, yet would rather drive a VW, and better yet was forced to get rid of his Camaro in order to get a DelSol (yes, a delsol) due to gas prices this summer. Inbreeding has nothing to do with it, it’s the mind of… well I actually don’t know, but they do exist. Still, I have a hunch that either this person is messing with us, or is that guy I know who has conflicting views.

 
 
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