From China Car Times:
“Chinese netizens comment on Sichuan’s Hummer purchase.”
The big news of the day is of course, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company’s purchase of Hummer from GM. The New York Times were the first to break the story, but GM soon released a press release which confirmed earlier reports. The Chinese automotive press were naturally all over the story, and Chinese netizens were busily commenting on the story all day which CCT has summarised below.
Sichuan Tengzhong have reportedly already put down a 100 million USD deposit on the Hummer brand, and the deal will be reportedly complete by September 2009, making the iconic American brand a wholly owned Chinese company.
Sichuan Tengzhong’s plans for Hummer are not immediately clear, they do plan to keep the Hummer factories in place in the USA, and with 3000 workers in place.
Chinese netizens were very vocal in their comments on the story, here are some from the Auto.Sohu channel:
If it’s for technology, then 1 billion is worth it, if it’s for the brand, then it’s their loss
Oh! Really sad! Why are other countries brands worth so much? Why do Chinese people like to buy in foreign goods? Look at history, which Chinese brands were successful?
This deal will most certainly lose money
Hummer branding maybe worth 1 billion, but can it be made back?
What are you doing buying rubbish? Sichuan people have too much money
The king of oil consumption, not on the same level as Great Wall Motors though
When are we going to buy Boeing?
Just doing big business, but won’t make big money
Nobody has ever heard of Sichuan Teng Zhong brand, never mind the Hummer brand. In one bite they have become a fat man, I strongly support our national enterprises opening new boundaries. Could it be said that we’ve found yet another area of economic development?
What does China lack the most? It’s not technology, its branding. Technology needs one generation, craftwork takes three generations, but branding takes generations of history to build.
This is great, they [Hummers] will soon be made in China.
So we’ve sent more money to the USA?
So much money, why didn’t they just make their own brand?
So it seems that just from this small sample of comments that Chinese netizens aren’t really behind Sichuan Tengzhong buying Hummer.
from: China Car Times
A Chinese police vehicle.
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HA! thats a chinese police car??? hmm…compensating for something??
Shit investment, but made at a good price.
The most important thing about this deal is not the Hummer itself, but the fact that a taboo has been broken.
By buying the hummer brand, the door has been opened for car Chinese companies to acquire other foreign car brands that could be use for opening foreign markets for their vehicles, and a greater awareness of Chinese car brands abroad.
Something that has been possible only by the financial crisis that has forced GM to seek cash with urgency, and averted any possible intervention of US govt. against that deal.
Even if this acquisition loose money, or they are not able to sell many of them outside China, it may prove to be very valuable for the future by the opportunities that are now thinkable.
A very smart move in my opinion.
As long as the Hummer doesn’t shrink and bleed ink when you wash it.
the big mistake here is the reason the hummer was discontinued – nobody wanted to buy them. yeah, it’s a well-known brand, but pretty much detested by most people in the US. It’s a stupid car – big, clunky, difficult to drive, uses far too much gas. A status symbol for idiots not classy enough to drive an audi or benz.
GM didn’t let go of the brand because of the financial crisis, they discontinued the line sometime last year when people flat-out stopped buying them because gas prices went through the roof. The original hummers were terrible cars. The H2 was a lot nicer, but only sold well for a few years. GM lost a ton of money on the brand.
I bet rich Chinese people would LOVE to drive a hummer. If not for themselves then to give to their spoilt little brats to play with as a status symbol. “Mum, Dad,, can I have a hummer? I’m tired of the Audi and my friend just got a Maserati from HIS dad.. PLEASE!”
And somewhere in China another child is saying “Mum, dadd…can I have some food. I’m so hungry. I’m tired of eating dirt. My friend just got some rice from his dad….Please!”
The most valuable thing about Hummer is not the brand. It’s the dealer network. Now the new “Hummer” can import cars into the USA and distribute them for Chery, BYD, etc. Speaking of “hummers” time to go get a massage.
i was reading named chinese company does not produce chery but something of this kind:
http://18woshaulin.wbl.sk/mixered3.jpg
i want to see happy hummer dealers with this products in showrooms
Excellent article ;)
My Chinese wife borrowed her friends Hummer H2 for the day. Much fun was had, at least until she had me fill it up for her :(
Wow the Chinese finally bought something instead of stealing or copying it.
the guy behind this deal is a local crook,a leader of big mafia group,son of bitch Liyan
What does the US Army use ?? Hummers . What is the Chinese
Army going to use: Hummers ???/ Everything is just humming along.
yeah, actually they don’t. The army uses something called HMMWV (humvee) manufactured by a company called AM General. It’s an entirely different vehicle than the commercial Hummers sold by GM. They look really similar but that’s about it. The Chinese actually already manufacture HMMWVs – this article is about the commercial Hummer brand.
I don’t really know how to explain it – they’re two different vehicles and this article is about the sale of the civilian brand. GM doesn’t even own the rights to the military vehicle.
I’ve seen plenty of hummers around Hong Kong, even a couple in the Mainland. Chinese people love big cars, the bigger the better. So while a billion may be abit much, I have no doubts that they’ll sell plenty of the dangerous oversized smoke belching monsters.
It’s not just the Chinese, it’s a lot of people. A lot of men like big cars (not just SUVs but big luxury cars too) to, you know, compensate (okay, that’s mean, it’s still an effective symbol of success). A lot of women like big cars because it makes them feel safer (SUV moms?). I definitely think, however, that Chinese car culture is still very young, and size still connates a certain status.
Can see the marketing slogan already “the world knows you have the smallest weeners, at least now you can drive the biggest car”.
Bout time we take over the oppressor. just like Indians who bought Land Rover. Chinese Power!!! Now you whiteboys gonna be roadkill of the future!!! HAHA
Many mass media wrote that #1 in economy is USA, but the truth, China is the most powerful economic country in the world now.
many poor citizen in china, but getting better now.
china develops the fastest now.
which country’s products the world’s people used most?
china of course. So do americans.
Buick is succed in USA, I hope hummer too…
I hope China can make hummer as a fuel save car or maybe a hybrid car. cause american never notice it. biggest world poluttion is made in USA, not in china.
for example is using of hummer.
here comes the new concept of China’s Hummer, baby!~
haha!
I guess we could argue on the economy thing if you look at it from a different perspective other than buying power and whatnot. As far as the pollution…yeah the US is bad about it…but worse than China? Come on.
Mass use of things “made in China” doesn’t mean that those goods are worth a damn. Quantity over quality isn’t necessarily a good thing.