Foton to speed up Auman truck production

Shanghai, January 19 (Gasgoo.com) China’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Ltd will invest 682 million yuan ($99.85 million) to upgrade heavy-duty trucks and 1.18 billion yuan to expand the truck-making capacity in Nanhai city, Guangdong province, Beijing News reported.

Foton has been developing its all-new Auman trucks. The research work is expected to speed up when Foton’s joint venture project with Daimler AG starts operation later this year.

Last August, Daimler AG and Beiqi Foton Motor signed an agreement to form a 50-50 joint venture (JV) to make medium and heavy-duty trucks in China. The venture will use Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty engine technology and the Auman brand to build international sales of low-end commercial vehicles.

The output and sales target of the JV will be increased to 100,000 units by 2012 from 64,000 this year, with products including Auman heavy-duty trucks and the mixed heavy-duty trucks equipped with Mercedes-Benz engines. All the completed vehicles will be attached with Auman brand, the report said.

Foton said Auman medium- and heavy-duty trucks would be the focus of Auman series production, and the mixed heavy-duty trucks would target high-end market and the overseas markets.