Shanghai October 28 (Gasgoo.com) Daimler AG Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche, having visited China for three times this year, told the Beijing Times on October 22 in an interview that the company will invest 3 billion euros ($4.15 billion) in the next few years to boost China production capacity, confirming that a new engine plant will be built in the country.
Mercedes-Benz CLK
Earlier, Dieter Zetsche told investors in Beijing that his Mercedes-Benz Cars division plans to sell 300,000 vehicles in China by 2015, a fifth of its anticipated total volume of 1.5 million units, according to Reuters.
Sales of Beijing Benz, a joint venture between Daimler AG and BAIC Group, currently account for 30% of the total Mercedes-Bens sales in China, where the luxury brand gained 70% of its sales through imported models. But an opposite situation should occur by 2015 when Mercedes' China sales will reach 300,000 units, Dieter Zetsche said.
The European automaker is very optimistic about China market prospects. It will soon put into effect its capacity expansion plan after increasing the capacity to 100,000 units. Construction of Mercedes-Benz's first engine factory outside of Germany will start in 2013, an investment costing 200 million euros ($245 million).
