Changan Auto opens third overseas R&D centre today

Shanghai, June 28 (Gasgoo.com) Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., the Chinese partner of Ford Motor and Mazda Motor, opens its third overseas research and development (R&D) center at Nottingham Science Park, in England today, which is also the Chinese automaker's eighth R&D center in the world, media reported.

Prior to the England center, Changan Auto has built its first two foreign R&D centers in Turin, Italy and in Yokohama, Japan. With the overseas R&D centers established, Changan Auto has filled the gap in the automotive interior and exterior design and in automotive styling. Initially, the center will have 25-30 employees, but the staff is expected to increase to 200 members by the end of 2013.

Changan Auto will take advantage of England's strength in developing engines and transmissions to improve its design and development capability of the powertrain system. In addition, the Nottingham center is likely to become the automaker's global core R&D center gradually, Changan Auto said.

At present, many automakers such as Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Lotus and Tata have set up R&D centers in England. In view of the ample local resources, Changan Auto has decided to focus on powertrain and transmission development as well as electric and hybrid vehicle technologies at the center.