GM recently started work on a new R&D center in China, with the cornerstones being layed in formal pomp earlier today.
GM have reportedly poured 2.5 billion USD into the new R&D center, which is located in the New Pudong area of Shanghai. The building, once completed, will house 2500 workers, and 300 of these workers will be directly involved in R&D.
Pomp…..give me a break….. Why another tech center GM? At a time when money is tight, couldn’t you have managed to more efficiently use the one you built for millions, and currently share with SAIC, called PATAC.
In China, coloured paper fete sprayed all over middle aged men in suits improves the companies image in the media the following day when the story hits the press.
Or something like that!
> Why another tech center GM?
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This one is solely owned and operated by GM, sharing nothing with SAIC. Which kinda tells you how GM feels about PATAC, or why Chinese domestic market models are primarily developed in Korea instead of China.
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If China wants to be a global auto export power like Japan or Korea, then it must permit 100% foreign ownership of auto companies in China. Without this foreign auto majors continue to see China merely as a market to sell their cars, not the place to source their cars.
Hah.. Korea an automotive power like Japan? I was just saw a poster selling the Hyundai Genesis for $30k; trying to undercut the LS? It’s looks like an Infinity I30 from the 90s and performs probably worse than my 1991 Skyline GTS-T. I rather buy a G37 for that price. The Chinese or Koreans will never reach the automotive pinnacle that the Japanese have. We reached the level of the Hyundai Genesis (supposedly the “best” non-Japanese asian car) in the 80s with the Acura Legend, Lexus LS, and Mazda 929, and have since long passed that era. We have set the trend that bucks the convention of power and unnecessary “luxury” into post-contemporary cars such as the Toyota bB, Daihatsu Materia, and of course, the ground breaking Prius and LS400H that incorporates style and embraces modern and contemporary lifestyles. Where’s the Korean or Chinese hybrid? Long way to go before they can even compare to Toyota, Infiniti or Honda. Why do you think you never see a non-Japanese car in Japan? Because they utterly pale in comparison in terms of quality AND price. GM is wasting their money doing R&D in Korea and China; but of course, no one in Japan would actually work there if they could work at Toyota.
> trying to undercut the LS?
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Lexus GS actually.
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> It’s looks like an Infinity I30 from the 90s and performs probably worse than my 1991 Skyline GTS-T.
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You can read Genesis Vs Lexus GS comparison test result here. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=130686
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> Why do you think you never see a non-Japanese car in Japan?
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The same reason you don’t see Samsung HDTV sets in Japan, even though Samsung is the king of US and Euro HDTV set market.
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> GM is wasting their money doing R&D in Korea and China
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GM’s ownership of Suzuki and Subaru didn’t provide them with compelling models to sell. On the other hand, GM’s betting it’s corporate future on Daewoo’s Gamma-II and Delta-II world cars.
This is new “GM Asia Pacific and China headquarters”, with a R&D center called “Center for Advanced Research and Science” focusing on new energy. And PATAC is a design and engineering tech center just locating next to it. I suppose this well reply the crap IHC maded.
> I suppose this well reply the crap IHC maded.
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You fail to explain why GM decided to go alone and shun SAIC in the process, I did. Basically, GM doesn’t want to give SAIC a free-ride on its R&D activities.
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My explanation stands valid; that global auto majors will refuse to engineer their cars and export out of China as long as the Communist party doesn’t allow them 100% ownership and keep Chinese “partners” out of their facility.
Maybe this R&D center will be used to help develop technologies for other major markets where they have no relationship with SAIC (USA, Europe, Oceania etc). This would explain why they don’t need/want to share the place with SAIC. Due to higher labour costs in other places it would make sense to do some testing in China if it will save on development costs.
Exactly, GM doesn’t want to “share” anything with SAIC. It is the fear of technology leak that is holding back GM from doing full-blown automotive R&D in China. This also prevents GM from assembling its latest US and Euro market models in China for export, due to the fear of technology leak.
The communist party has only two options, kick foreigners out and wait 20 years until Chinese brands become competitive enough to export to developed markets, or remove foreign ownership restriction and let foreigners export out of China under their own brand in the next 3 years.