Beijing Olympics debut for Chery’s A5 Hybrid Vehicles

As China is wearing its eco-conscious outfit for the 2008 Beijing Olympics that will begin in two days time (August 8 – 24), it comes to no surprise that the organizers decided to use a fleet of 50 hybrid cars as part of the transportation arrangements for the Games. Known as the “Olympics Green Messengers”, the vehicles of choice are China’s own Chery A5 BSG and A5 ISG Hybrids that are expected to go into full production in the months following the games.

The A5 BSG is a start-stop hybrid that uses a 12-volt Belt Starter-Generator (BSG) linked to 1.6 litre gasoline engine that’s matted to a 5-speed manual gearbox while the A5 ISG is a more comprehensive mild-hybrid equipped with a 1.3-liter gasoline engine and a 12 kW crankshaft-mounted 151-volt Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG). -Continued

According to Chery, in the ECE Urban drive cycle, the A5 BSG achieves a 7% improvement in fuel consumption over the baseline product while it is expected that the improvement will be greater than 10% in real-world urban driving. For the more complex A5 ISG with its 1.3-liter engine, Chery says that while performance is equivalent with that of a larger 1.6 litre engine, fuel consumption improvement over the NEDC cycle is expected to approach 15% compared to the 1.6-liter benchmark vehicle.

Chery Faira YY Coupe Coming to Beijing Show

Like its Chinese counterpart Geely, Chery is also readying a spectacular number of new cars and concepts for the 2008 Beijing Auto Show. To be precise, Chery will exhibit 26 models and among them, a new series of mini cars that will be sold under the name Faira. The YY Coupe (ok, it’s just a 3door hatchback, but that’s what Chery calls it) is the sportiest of the Faira series. If anything else, Chery’s Xerox team –err, we mean design team, deserve our kudos for turning a cute car –see Toyota Aygo, into a good looking sporty mini hatch. –Click through for the image gallery

Via: Auto.sina

Dodge Breeze: Chinese Built Minicar Scooped

While Plymouth might be resting in peace, one of its nametags, the “Breeze” will make a reappearance in a Chrysler Group product, and more specifically, in Dodge’s forthcoming Chinese built minicar. This scoop picture appeared on a Chinese internet forum today and it seems to confirm the rumors supporting that Dodge minicar will be a re-badged version of the recently introduced, Chery A1.

We remind you that the Chrysler Group signed an agreement with Chery Automobile Co. last July to jointly develop, produce, and distribute small cars under the Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge brands for North America, Europe and other markets. -Follow the jump for more pictures of the Chery A1

Chrysler Seals Deal With Chinese Carmaker Chery

After several months of negotiations and in the midst of Chrysler Group’s divorce with the Daimler Group, Chrysler and Chery Automobile Co finalized their agreement today in Beijing to jointly develop, produce and distribute small and sub-compact cars.

Under the agreement, the Chery will manufacture the cars in China and the Chrysler Group will distribute them under the Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge brands for North America, Europe and other major markets. Just before the boyz in white let the ink roll down the paper, Chrysler’s CEO Tom LaSorda said that the agreement with Chery will play a big role in the American car manufacture’s plan of doubling sales in the next three to five years. -Continued after the jump

According to LaSorda, exports of the Chinese made mini and sub-compact car will begin in Latin America and eastern Europe within 12 months while U.S. exports are expected to commence in mid-2009. However, the first model exported, a Dodge badged vehicle based on Chery's A-1 small car will not be exported to the U.S. or Europe.

Via: automotivenews

Official: Chrsyler Group approves small-car agreement with Chinese, Chery Motors

Theoretically and for the time being, the Chrysler Group is up for sale but that doesn’t mean that the Group has halted all its future projects. Today DaimlerChrysler announced that its Supervisory Board approved the framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chinese Chery Motor Company. Although this agreement has to be approved by the “almighty” Chinese government, consider it a done deal with the final paper work to be signed by the end of March.

According to DC, under the non-equity partnership, the Chery-built vehicles will be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North America and Western Europe. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the press release

PRESS RELEASE: Auburn Hills, Mich./Stuttgart, Germany - The DaimlerChrysler Supervisory Board today approved the framework of a limited partnership to develop small vehicles between the Chrysler Group and Chery Motor Company of China. The deal is still contingent upon approval by the Chinese government, but the final pact of the framework is expected to be signed by the end of March. Under the non-equity partnership, Chery-built vehicles will be distributed under Chrysler brands, primarily in North America and Western Europe.

Chrysler Group indicated that the partnership would allow the company to become a bigger player on the global automotive stage by giving it access to products in new segments more quickly, with less capital spending.

Small vehicles such as these will allow Chrysler Group brands to compete in segments in which the brands do not currently compete, and which are especially important in price- and fuel-economy sensitive markets. Some 67 percent of all vehicles sold outside of North America are in these segments. Chrysler Group's major competitors in the U.S. and Western Europe have similar arrangements with Asian manufacturers for vehicles in these segments.

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