Dongfeng is a major player in the Chinese auto world, they have joint venture agreements with Nissan, Citroen, Peugeot, Kia, and last but not least Honda, as well as making their own range of MPV’s, light trucks, and heavy trucks. When it comes down to it, Dongfeng is one of the ’silent players’ that dont always steal the limelight, like some other Chinese car makers (we’re thinking of you, SAIC!)
DONGFENG Motor Corp will invest 7.6 billion yuan (US$1 billion) in a production center for own-brand passenger cars in Wuhan in central Hubei Province, the Shanghai Securities News said, citing unidentified sources.
The production center, due to begin operations in 2008, will have an initial capacity of 120,000 cars a year, which will eventually rise to 330,000, the Chinese-language newspaper said, without providing a timeframe. The company will also make engines, the report added.
Nanjing only had to divert its attention from Fiat when it decided to self develop. But as Dongfeng strikes out on its own, it must divert its attention from ventures with Nissan, Honda, Peugeot-Citroen, Mitsubishi, Kia, Renault, and Cummins.
How did it get central government approval for all those alliances afterall? I suppose as an SOE it can do things that Geely cannot.
Anyway it’ll be interesting to see if it can juggle all those balls at the same time.