(Untitled)

[thedr9wningman]

The Chinese acquisition invasion has begun:If the purchase is completed, it would mark the first acquisition of a well-known American automotive brand by a Chinese company, after many months of speculation about when this might occur. Chinese automakers have already purchased the MG and Rover brands, two of the most famous names in British

Comments

[thedr9wningman]

Well, you're not considering the environmental effects. It would be different if a small, efficient car company were purchased.

In newly capitalist countries, especially ones where the gap between the rich and poor is widening, consumption is through the roof and luxury goods/wasteful items are purchased and used for status. For example, in Thailand, people either drove motorcycles or BMWs. There wasn't a lot of mass-commuter vehicles- it was either utilitarian or showoff.

China has a backlog of rubbing wealth in the face of their comrades, and with the purchase of Hummer, I see more Hummers entering the Chinese market and all the environmental destruction that that entails.

I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[sunlao]

Do you have stats on Hummers and what kind of footprint they made in the US?

I know lots of urban (non farm) companies bought them under a tax loop hole for farm equipment.

I think they are very silly cars of course, but I wonder how serious are they as a threat. Especially if it is only the top 1% of China buying them.

ie. Is there a measurable difference between a Hummer and a Limo? Neither which I think are that great. At least one of them will always be around.

[thedr9wningman]

"Especially if it is only the top 1% of China buying them."
1.3B*.01=13M

http://www.gmfleet.com/pages/shopBy/HUMMER_byFuelEconomy.jsp
The H3 gets 13-14 MPG, and it is the most efficient of the lot. The H2 got a n/a. I'm guessing it is lower than 13-14.

I guess my point is that they're wasteful and fashionable, and China's big on fashionable as they get more wealth. In the scheme of things, they're just a reminder that people are greedy, image-conscious (even though that Louis Vitton is a knock-off!) and wasteful on purpose. The real problem is not transportation (that's only like 20% of the problem), but the industry I work in (to fix): Energy. Especially in China.

Still, trading in your Hummer for a bike wouldn't be a step backward for air quality in China or anywhere else.

Oh, and there aren't many limos in suburban driveways. So, while the efficiency of the vehicle is really no different, the prominence and use of the vehicle is

[sunlao]

Begun?

ummmm..... there is a lot of Chinese Money with controlling or near controlling interest in American companies.