Beijing Benz

Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd.
Private joint venture
Industry Automotive
Founded 1984 (1984)
Headquarters Beijing, China
Area served
 China
Products Automobiles
Owner Beijing Automotive Group (50%)
Daimler AG (50%)
Website www.bbac.com.cn/
Beijing Benz
Simplified Chinese 北京奔驰
Traditional Chinese 北京奔馳
Literal meaning Beijing Benz

Beijing Benz (officially Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd) is an automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Beijing, China, and a joint venture between Beijing Automotive Group and Daimler AG.[1][2] Since its founding in 1984, the company has kept the same Chinese co-owner but has had several foreign co-owners.

As of 2009, Beijing Benz assembles and manufactures the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (long wheelbase), C-Class, and GLK-Class in China.[3]

While Beijing Benz does not produce all the Mercedes-branded autos sold on the Chinese market, such cars currently enjoy a reputation for high quality and popularity.[4] Some Mercedes offerings, the S-Class for example, are imported by Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd.[5] Mercedes Benzes are, alongside FAW Group Audis, some of the only Western luxury cars to have gained popularity in the Chinese market.[6]

Sales in 2010 were expected to reach 50,000 cars,[7] but total Mercedes Benz sales in China including imports were near 150,000.[8] In 2008, Beijing Benz's production capacity was estimated at 100,000 units/year[9] although that figure may consider engines and vehicles as discrete, and the company was likely able to produce only half that number of whole vehicles.

History

While its history can be traced back to the oldest of the Chinese auto-making joint ventures with a Western partner, Beijing Benz was established in 2005 and is currently owned by Beiqi and Daimler AG.[10]

American Motors

Beijing BJ2021, a Jeep XJ with raised roof and longer wheelbase for more rear passenger room

Beijing Benz grew out of what was originally the Beijing Jeep Corporation (Chinese: 北京吉普汽车有限公司), China's first Sino-western automotive joint venture having been established in 1984 with American Motors Corporation.[11]

American Motors began negotiations in 1979 to sell its vehicles in China and to gain access to then low-cost Chinese labor.[12] The Chinese wanted more-modern automotive technology; Beijing Jeep suited the needs of both parties and produced the American Motors Jeep Cherokee (XJ) in Beijing.[12] While talks began in the late 1970s, operation started in 1985.[13] Assembly of the Cherokee continued after Chrysler purchased American Motors as did production of the classic Beijing BJ212-based SUVs.[12]

Beijing Jeep has since become well known as an example of early FDI in China.[14] Its pitfalls and successes are pored over in case studies, and such academic reports sometimes compare the marketing strategy of Beijing Jeep with that of Shanghai Volkswagen, another early Sino-foreign joint venture.[15]

Chrysler

Beijing BJ2500 in 2004, a Jeep XJ with a facelifted front end

When Chrysler purchased American Motors in 1987,[16] its Jeep brand came with an unexpected boon, Beijing Jeep. A few Chrysler models were subsequently added to the Chinese company's product line including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, and the Mitsubishi Outlander, as well as some Beijing Jeep-branded, locally developed vehicles. Chrysler no longer has any ownership in Beijing Jeep as of early 2009 due to its sale of Chrysler to Cerberus after its failed acquisition and "merger of equals". Daimler kept the profitable China manufacturing operation, started by AMC, for itself. [17] Domestic manufacture of Jeep-branded vehicles ceased in 2006.[18] Newer Jeep models are now being produced at a joint venture between Guangzhou Automobile Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, current owner of the Chrysler and Jeep brands, however.[19]

Daimler AG

During Chrysler's short-lived partnership with Daimler AG, maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, production at Beijing Jeep was expanded to include Mercedes-Benz-branded products. Its legal name was changed to Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co Ltd,[11] with then German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in attendance at the 2004 naming ceremony.[11] While Chrysler was removed from the company in 2009, it remained in its legal name[17] for several more years.

The company started producing the Mercedes-Benz E-Class locally in 2006 and the C-Class in 2008.[8] Manufacture of Chrysler-branded models continued until at least 2008.[9] This included the 300C, which was both locally produced and imported.[20]

Prior to 2010, the E-Class was assembled from knock-down kits, with a low localization rate of about 30%.[21]

Incidentally, Daimler had previously cooperated with FAW Group to produce the then-recently discontinued Mercedes-Benz W123 (200 and 230E) sedans although these did not prove popular. Between January 1988 and sometimes in 1990, a mere 828 units were assembled in Changchun most of which were 230s.[22][23] A few dozen of the long wheelbase 230E (V123) were among the cars assembled.[23]

Operations

Beijing Benz has a production base at the Beijing Economic & Technological Development Area.[24] Another plant opened in 2010.[7] This opening may have increased potential Beijing Benz production capacity to 300,000 units/year.[9] Such unit counts may consider engines and automobiles as discrete. A future engine-making production base is scheduled to become operational in 2013.[8]

Government procurement

As of 2009, Beijing Benz products, alongside those of several other makes, are purchased for use by Chinese State officials such as ministers and provincial heads.[25] A First Automobile Works Audi is the traditional choice for this purpose.[25]

Models

Current

Mercedes C-Class W205 front 
Mercedes C-Class W205 rear 
Mercedes E-Class V212 facelift front 
Mercedes E-Class V212 facelift rear 
Mercedes GLK-Class facelift 

Past

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Daimler Northeast Asia". Mercedes Benz China. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. ↑ "2009 Annual Report, 2. Significant acquisitions and dispositions of interests in companies and of other assets and liabilities". Daimler AG. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  3. ↑ For assembly of vehicles, see "2009 Annual Report, 34. Related Party Relationships". Daimler AG. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Motoring: Short Torque". China Daily. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  5. ↑ "Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a leader in innovation". Global Times. Shanghai Daily. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  6. ↑ Shirouzu, Norihiko (7 June 2011). "Chinese Begin Volvo Overhaul". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  7. 1 2 Zheng, Amanda (6 December 2010). "Beijing Benz 2010 sales expected to hit 50,000 units, up 179%". Automotive News (gasgoo.com). Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "Daimler Expands Activities in China". Daimler AG. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 "BBDC Improves Budget Management and Keeps Pace with Fast-Changing Automotive Market" (PDF). oracle.com. November 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  10. ↑ For pedigree, see Qiao, Yu (7 December 2004). "JV renamed Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler". China Daily. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 Qiao, Yu (7 December 2004). "JV renamed Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler". China Daily. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  12. 1 2 3 Mann, Jim (1997). Beijing Jeep: A Case Study of Western Business in China. Westview Press. ISBN 978-0-8133-3327-4. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  13. ↑ Doing business in China: the last great market - Page 192 Geoffrey Murray - 1994 "BEIJING JEEP Finally in this chapter, I want to return to the ongoing story of Beijing Jeep. When the first Cherokee rolled off the assembly line on 26 September 1985 - almost six years after talks on the joint venture had begun - an ..."
  14. ↑ Needle, David (2010). Business in Context: An Introduction to Business and Its Environment (5 ed.). Cengage Learning EMEA. pp. 42–44. ISBN 978-1-84480-613-3.
  15. ↑ Gu, Zhibin; Frank, Andre Gunder (2006). China's global reach: markets, multinationals, and globalization. Fultus. pp. 84–86. ISBN 978-1-59682-093-7.
  16. ↑ Adler, Dennis (2000). Chrysler. MotorBooks International. p. 15. ISBN 9781610608718.
  17. 1 2 Gao, George (17 May 2010). "Guangzhou-Fiat JV to make Chrysler Jeep in Changsha". Automotive News (gasgoo.com). Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  18. ↑ Ramsey, Mike; Rogers, Christina (May 9, 2013). "Chrysler's Jeep Faces Uphill Climb in China". WSJ.com (Dow Jones & Company). Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "Marchionne Arrives Late To China Party with Fiat Viaggio". bloomberg.com (Bloomberg LP). Apr 23, 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  20. ↑ "Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler recalls defective sedans". China Daily. Xinhua. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  21. ↑ For knock-down assembly of E-Class, see "China's domestically-made Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans to get off the line in Beijing". China Business News. Shanghai: May 31, 2010.
  22. ↑ Sutcliffe, Ashley (2011-06-01). "The Cherokees that sparked revolution". chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  23. 1 2 "比奥迪国产早1年 奔驰E级9代车型历史解析" [A year before the Audi: A history of nine generations of the Mercedes E-class] (in Chinese). www.cnfol.com. 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  24. ↑ For Beijing Economic & Technological Development Area, see "Daimler Northeast Asia". Mercedes Benz China. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
    • For 15kM from Daxing Caiyu, see "Part Overview". Beijing Hainachuan Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  25. 1 2 Shasha, Deng, ed. (13 June 2009). "Chinese public revved up over BMW, Benz on gov't car list". xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  26. ↑ "Beijing built Mercedes GLK pops out for pictures with minor facelift and 2.0T". chinacartimes.com. July 14, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  27. ↑ Dunne, Timothy. "Can Chrysler Rebound in China?" Business Week, November 2, 2007. Retrieved on January 22, 2008.

External links

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