Saab ya tiene un nuevo amigo en China

De Javier Costas en Motorpasión

Parece ser que Saab va a dar un paso adelante al lograr una alianza estratégica con un fabricante chino, Hawtai, anteriormente ligado a Hyundai. Estos significa dos cosas: primero, pasta fresca, segundo, la posibilidad de fabricar localmente en China y atacar a un mercado con una increíble voracidad.

Dentro de unas horas, a las 14:30 de China, se hará el anuncio por parte de Victor Muller (responsable de Saab) y el vicepresidente de Hawtai Motor Group. Darán una rueda de prensa en Pekín, donde darán detalles de cómo van a funcionar juntos. Es el balón de oxígeno que Saab necesitaba.

Por otra parte, Saab sigue intentando que Vladimir Antonov, un magnate ruso, les compre su fábrica y utillaje, para alquilárselo a Saab y recibir dinero para seguir funcionando. La operación tiene que ser autorizada por el Banco Europeo de Inversión. A ver si esta vez salen del bache, porque últimamente parece un barco a la deriva.

Más información sobre Hawtai-Huatai:



Huatai, now known in English as Hawtai, has its еyеs sеt on a high for 2011 – thеy plan to bеcomе a major rival to local Briliancе who arе basеd a littlе way ovеr to thе еast in Shеngyang whilst Hawtai arе sеt in thе hеart of Bеijing but with factoriеs stratеgically locatеd around China – Mongolia in thе North and Rongchеng in thе East.

For 2011 Hawtai is planning to launch the B11 sedan and also the B35 SUV, both will be planning to become the Chinese leader in clean diesel energy much in the way that BYD have become the market leaders in new energy (buzz) vehicles. Hawtai bought their engines from the Italian firm, VM, and have heavily revamped them for Euro4 and eventual Euro5 emissions. Their gearboxes are from ZF which they have already improved for their own use. The B11 and B35 were on show at the Guangzhou Auto Show, both have been on display before at the Beijing Auto Show but now they are soon set to launch in early 2011 and more final products were on show in Guangzhou. The B11 is likely to be exported but the B35 is still based on the last generation Hyundai Sante-Fe which Hawtai bought in from ex-JV partner Hyundai, but it seems that they only have a sales license for that technology within the Chinese market.

The B11 will have its official launch tonight in Beijing but will come with a 1.8T gasoline engine first mated to either a 5 speed or a 4 speed auto gearbox, the diesel engines are likely to come in early 2011. The 1.8T engine will be supplied by SAIC, and is the same engine that powers the MG6 and Roewe 550, prices are expected to be 100,000rmb to 160,000rmb.

Y más cosas (muy curiosas )



China’s private carmaker Hawtai Motor plans to invest 3.5 billion RMB in Bank of Beijing, the second largest city bank in China, the automaker’s second attempt of investing in a commercial bank after its investment failure in China Minsheng Bank early this year.

Bank of Beijing announced its placement plan worth no more than 11.8 billion RMB on April 9. Hawtai offered to buy nearly 30% of the newly-issued shares, making it the largest subscriber among the 10 new investors.

The subscription amount of 3.5 billion RMB equals 28% of the company’s total assets or 10 times its net profits last year.

A source close to Hawtai Motor said that Hawtai’s biggest financial source is actually the mining right of two coal mines in Erdos, Inner Mongolia, rather than its automobile manufacturing business.

According to an industry observer, it’s difficult to make money from automobile business now, and to invest in banking business can bring it more benefits.

Menuda pasta tienen estos mandarines...
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