Harmer hopes to start U.S. sales of Geely in 2008

[Variance]

Harmer hopes to start U.S. sales of Geely in 2008

Goal is for sticker price of $7,500

Charles Child

Automotive News / March 15, 2006 - 10:28 am

DETROIT -- Chinese automaker Geely wants to start selling cars in the United States by fall 2008, Geely USA Inc. COO John Harmer said Wednesday.

Harmer said his goal is for the car to have a sticker price of $7,500. In an earlier interview, Harmer said his sales goal for the first year is about 5,000 vehicles.

"It will be a basic, functional auto," Harmer said at a meeting of the Society of Automotive Analysts here.

But he noted that the vehicle would be equipped with power windows, air conditioning and a single-disc CD player.

Harmer said Geely is working to have its vehicles meet U.S. safety and emissions standards.

He also said Geely USA plans to sell vehicles through existing dealers.

That strategy is different from entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin's plan. Bricklin, who is working to import vehicles from Chinese automaker Chery Automobile Co., is asking dealers who sign up with him to build large stores at the edge of large urban areas.

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...9/1117&refsect=

[Flybrian]

Bricklin's an idiot.

[regfootball]

we should lobby the insurance industry to jack the rates of these things up to double. we need to keep the chinese out or its bye bye America

Edited March 16, 2006 by regfootball

[balthazar]

How about for once just simply saying 'No'?

[Variance]

How about for once just simply saying 'No'?

We can't stop them if they want to do business here. But hey, look at it this way: If they really are crap products, they'll fail and be out of business in relatively no time. Remember Yugo? Exactly.

[balthazar]

We can't stop them if they want to do business here.

Sure we can but no one in Policy has a spine. Ever read reports of foreign business having to pass absurd testing & certification procedures to get into the japanese market? Like loading an import row boat to the gunwales with rocks to see if it still floats?

[ponchoman49]

As a guy who constantly is repairing things I can tell you that a lot of this made in China stuff is very cheaply made. Hello.. thats why it costs so much less. If they are trying to sell a car for half price then guess what...it's very cheaply made too! That means everything from window regulators to sound insulation to engine quality to body integrity etc is below standard and won't last. It won't take people long to figure this out.

[regfootball]

yeah but 2/3 of Americans are clueless and buy things ONLY on price.

[FAPTurbo]

yeah but 2/3 of Americans are clueless and buy things ONLY on price.

Well, people gotta learn the hard way. And I see a silver lining... when they realize they have a "shi-tzu" automobile that cuts corners, then they may also realize all the Chinese crap they bought at Wal-Mart is of the same poor quality too.

[grandmarquis]

saw a pic of that heap in our local paper today........ ya wanna bet these shi-tzuboxes don't get past their warranty period?

[javisq]

Mr. Harmer is a family member of mine and he has done work over there for years. He has been impressed with the quality. Plus, they are trying it out in Puerto Rico for a bit to make sure everything is up to snuff.

[Flybrian]

Mr. Harmer is a family member of mine and he has done work over there for years. He has been impressed with the quality. Plus, they are trying it out in Puerto Rico for a bit to make sure everything is up to snuff.

Its a better plan than Bricklin who, as said, is a moron. No one is stupid enough to sink that much money into building standalone dealerships to sell chintzy, unknown, poorly-designed cars from a country with a questionable public image. Too many people have seen Tucker and seen a Daewoo up close.