American companies have recently become quite interested in the Chinese automotive industry lately, American Investment Group (AIG) recently took a stake in Chongqing based Lifan Autos and now Rocket Capital Investment Group and Red McCombs are set to take a 10 to 15% stake in Brilliance automotive.
To take the stake in Brilliance Automotive, the investment group are set to pay 100 million USD. The 100 million USD investment into Brilliance will go into further R&D of MPV’s SUV’s and new sedans to fill up the Brilliance line up.
Rocket Capital is owned by the founder of the Houston Rockets,Mr. Leslie L. Alexander, he also owns one of the largest bond trading accounts on the Wall Street stock exchange.
Mr. Alexander hopes to have the Brilliance range of cars in the USA by the middle of next year, once Brilliance cars are able to pass US safety and emissions standards.
I would love to be able to purchase and drive a Brilliance car in New York City. If and when they or any Chinese car for that matter ever pass US safety and emissions ratings. My main concern is if I can find parts for Chinese cars in the US say 10 years later. I tend to keep my cars over 20 years.
I’ll take the Brilliance BS3 Coupe please. Funny how everyone blasts the “horrible” plastic interior, yet it looks about the same as a Mazda Protege. Sure it might be, say, 3-4 years behind in terms of finish, but it’s something I could live with. Not to mention the styling is even better (IMO). I love Brilliance’s front grille.
Good news for Brilliance. Any news on when Yao Ming will be the official spokesperson?
I hope that Leslie will get along well with David and Max, as they prepare the long awaited grand entry into the U.S. market.
I thought Brilliance already had a US distributer though.
http://autokam.us/
from that site:
Behind China Car Distributors are its president Max Holmes and its executive vice president Don Bishop. Holmes is owner and president of Holmes Automotive Group, which operates Chevrolet, GMC, Honda and Hyundai dealerships in Des Moines, IA. Bishop has more than 35 years of wholesale experience in the automotive industry with General Motors. [Editor’s note: learn more about China Car Distributors at www.chinacarsusa.com].
wrong link — it is http://www.chinacarusa.com/
Brilliance will start shipping some cars late this year or early next year. The late this year inventory will be minimal. Autokam has decided to just import brilliance for now.
RV65, I’m afraid that “late this year or early next year” has been what we have been hearing for about three years now. And I predict that this latest investment may very well change the import game plan.