Commentaries
Now raising intellectual capital
China picks European cars off scrapheap
Chinese carmakers are seeking to step into the gaps left by U.S. companies in Europe — but while acquisitions may give them access to badly-needed technical know-how, global brands and exposure to new markets, the question is whether they have learnt from past failures.
With China now the world’s largest car market, it’s no surprise that Chinese carmakers — which have few if any really solid brands within their home market — want to start making more of a mark.
In theory, foreign acquisitions offer a quick way to do so. Meanwhile the credit crunch has thrown world-renowned but now distressed car marques such as Volvo, Opel or Saab onto the block at what look like rock-bottom prices.
The worry is that Chinese carmakers haven’t always found it plain sailing abroad. SAIC Motor Corp is still feeling the pain of buying into Ssangyong Motor Co of Korea. Ssangyong has struggled to compete as South Korea’s smallest carmaker, failing to develop new models and running out of cash. A debt-for-equity swap threatens to slash the Chinese company’s holding in the South Korean carmaker from just over 50 percent to around 10.
Saab and Volvo – made in China?
At this rate it might not be long before Sweden’s once mighty Volvo and Saab car marques come with “Made in China” stamped on the chassis.
After failing in the auction of Opel, Beijing Automotive Industry Holding (BAIC) is set to take a minority stake in supercar maker Koenigsegg, which is bidding to take over all of GM’s Saab. Meanwhile, Geely Automotive’s parent company Geely Holding Group Co plans to bid for Ford’s Volvo.
Mandy moves to hide Byers’ blushes over Rover
At the very least, it’s frightfully convenient for the Britishgovernment to call in the Serious Fraud Office to look into MG Rover, a former carmaker. Whether there’s a shocking crime or not, it suits Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary, to organise a further delay before this gory case is finally closed.
It took BDO Stoy Hayward’s partner Gervase MacGregor 16 million pounds and four years to report on a case which looked open and shut at the time. Whatever exciting new detail he has unearthed, this attempt to smear the so-called Phoenix Four is little more than political treachery.
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The Wall
