BAIC to build new plant to make vehicles using Saab technology
By Andrew C., 27 Aug, 2010. 0 Comments
Saab Logo
China's Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. (BAIC) will construct a plant to produce vehicles using technology acquired late last year from Saab (formerly a General Motors unit), according to BAIC President Wang Dazong. At an industry forum before the opening of the Beijing Auto Show, Dazong said that the new plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles each year.
BAIC, which is China's fifth-largest automaker, spent about $200 million to buy all the rights to the previous-generation 9-5 and the technologies from the current 9-3 in December 2009. BAIC made the move to buy the technology after the group it had been part of was unable to enter a deal to take over Saab. Last February, GM sold Saab to supercar maker Spyker Cars NV. Under the deal with Saab, BAIC gets 9-5's tooling, which was moved from Saab's plant in Trollhatten, Sweden, to China. BAIC, which does not build cars with its own brand, said that it will use the technology in its own vehicles immediately. Commercial production of Saab-based models is expected to start as early as 2011. [via autonews]
Latest Auto Shows
