Chinese carmaker hopes be a hit at the Detroit Auto Show

Global Business

One of those companies trying to establish a larger presence in the U.S. is GAC. The upstart Chinese car maker is in this year’s show-and they’re hoping to get noticed.

CGTN’s Nick Harper reports.

GAC is hoping 2017 is going to be a big year. As well as showing of these three new cars they’re getting ready for a move. Currently they don’t operate in America, they’ve got no formal presence, and they don’t sell cars there.

It is the first time in the Detroit Auto Show’s more than 110 year history that a Chinese car maker is appearing on the main show floor. And to mark that milestone the company’s president announced a new research and development center.

Silicon Valley facility will be the company’s first foray into the U.S. It had hoped to rely on its partnership with Fiat Chrysler to enter the American market. But according to Fiat Chrysler’s CEO that plan is on hold, until it’s clear how difficult the new President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies make it for foreign cars companies to do business in the U.S.

Even so GAC’s presence at this year’s show is an indicator of something big in the future.

But in an already crowded car market, GAC may struggle to break away from the pack. With no name recognition and little brand awareness among U.S. consumers, experts feel the company still has a long road to travel.

GAC may not be in pole position in the U.S., but the company sees 2017 as the starting line. From here it’s full speed ahead, with the plan to start selling cars in America, at the latest, by the end of 2019.


Zhang Fan talks about the China’s GAC at Detroit Auto Show

Big plans ahead over the next couple of months and years for GAC – which means their position on the main show floor is could become a permanent fixture. CGTN’s Nick Harper spoke with Zhang Fan, vice president of GAC Engineering department and the man who’ll be heading up the planned R&D facility.