vegas

July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Chrysler Group will introduce a Chinese-made small car in the U.S. next year that retails for about half the price of its cheapest model, as it seeks to win back market share from Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co.

The carmaker will begin selling Chery Automobile Co.'s A1 hatchback in the first quarter of 2008, Chery President Yin Tongyao said in Beijing today. The 1.3-liter A1 costs from 53,800 yuan ($7,100) in China. Chrysler's least expensive U.S. model is the $13,850 Dodge Caliber, according to Edmunds.com. Yin didn't say how much the A1 would cost in the U.S.

Would you buy it.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...CBk&refer=home

dukeynorton

In Texas? No. One journey on the roads here and I think that cute little thing will fall apart. In England though, I would consider it but then again the're are many other options in the UK in that bracket.

Leslie

Yes I would. I'm sick of expensive gas guzzling cars. I would buy a roller skate with a lawn mower motor if I thought it would put more money in my pocket monthly.

dukeynorton

That's pretty much what I have at the moment!

fatbrit

So many good subcompacts on the world market and they choose to import some Chinese piece of crap. Not much hope I think!

Jerseygirl

It would disappear down one of the NJ potholes...no thank you.

Duncan Roberts

I thought I saw Top Gear a while ago and they said pretty much the same thing. That class is very competitive and this car doesn't stand up well to things like the Yaris or the Fit. I might have made that up though!

vegas

THE CHANGING FACE OF AUTO MANUFACTURING

$73

Average amount unionized assembly line workers make per hour in the United States, including benefits (U.S. dollars).

83¢

Amount in U.S. dollars that Chinese auto maker Chery says it pays assembly line workers per hour, a total of $132 a month.

lapin_windstar

But what proportion of manufacturing costs is labour?

I wouldn't buy the first year's edition of any car (again), let alone one made by a relatively new company in China. But then, I wouldn't buy a new car, so perhaps my opinion doesn't worry Chrysler much.

scrubbedexpat099

But what proportion of manufacturing costs is medical cover?

dukeynorton

Bloody hell, the US guys get paid well dont they? Or am I doing my sums wrong?

scrubbedexpat099

Including benefits......

lapin_windstar

Is that the wage that the employee is paid gross, or the amount it costs the company to have the employee per hour (i.e. including HR, IT, healthcare, pension...)?

What's the source of that info?

My vague relation was a semiskilled line worker at Ford getting $23 per hour before he was laid off - if I remember correctly, which I might not be.

lapin_windstar

Oh, hold on: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...-gm-usat_x.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/bu...erland&emc=rss


"GM parts supplier Delphi plans to axe 24,000 jobs: reduce hourly wage from $27 to $9; pay managers bonuses worth $90m"

"On average, U.A.W. members at G.M and Delphi cost the equivalent of $67 an hour, including pay of about $27 an hour plus pensions and health care expenses."

scrubbedexpat099

Fords pay more for healthcare than they do for steel.

$1000 plus a vehicle?