Beijing's Chrysler facility to make Benz E-Class

Shanghai, August 12 (Gasgoo.com) The hot sales of China-made Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans have put its production line in Beijing running at full capacity, and now Beijing Auto's Daimler venture has revamped its Chrysler production line for making the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans, Beijing Youth Daily reported today.

"Since Chrysler pulled out of Daimler's Chinese venture with Beijing Auto -- Beijing Benz-Daimler Chrysler (BBDC) -- last year, the Chrysler production line in Beijing has been revamped and will be used for producing Mercedes-Benz C-Class and all-new E-Class sedans as well as Beijing Auto's own brand "Beijing" sedans.

The joint venture BBDC has a total production capacity of 100,000 units, with daily output of 50 Chrysler (300C and Sebring) sedans and 200 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans. As lots of Chrysler's auto parts remain and some orders have come in, the venture has never totally stopped its production of the 300C and Sebring models.

The all-new E-Class luxury sedan that Mercedes-Benz recently launched in China is in trial-production on the revamped Chrysler production line, and the "Beijing"-brand sedan, developed by Beijing Auto on Chrylser's Sebring platform, will start production in early 2010 on this line (before the "Beijing" sedan manufacturing base is completed).

Beijing Auto has diversified its products in both commercial and passenger vehicles through two vehicle plants -- Beijing Foton, Beijing Automobile Works (BAW), and two joint ventures -- Beijing Benz-Daimler Chrysler (BBDC) and Beijing Hyundai.

Earlier this month, Beijing Auto said it would pay up to 800 million yuan ($117 million) for a 40% stake in Fujian Daimler Automotive, Fujian Motor Industry Group's 50-50 commercial vehicle venture with Daimler AG in southeast China.