Chinese Negotiating to Buy The Tritec Factory

Sections: In the Press Feb 17th, 2006 19 Comments

A Chinese company is currently trying to buy the Brazilian factory where BMW produces engines for the MINI according to today’s New York Times. For those that may not be aware, the Tritec plant was created by Chrysler and BMW in 1998 (months before the Daimler Chrysler merger). However now that BMW is producing it’s own engine in conjunction with PSA, it has little need for the Tritec facilities. Similarly Chrysler products originally planned for the engine have been disasters in the market place and are no longer in production that we can find. All of which makes it a perfect opportunity for the Chinese. Here’s an excerpt from a New York Times article about the potential take over:

In the latest sign of this country’s manufacturing ambitions, a major Chinese company, hand-in-hand with the Communist Party, is bidding to buy from Daimler-Chrysler and BMW a car engine plant in Brazil.

Because the plant is so sophisticated, it is far more feasible for the Chinese carmaker, the Lifan Group, to go through such an effort to move it 8,300 miles, rather than to develop its own technology in this industrial hub in western China, the company’s president said Thursday.

You can read more below:

[ China Seeking Auto Industry Piece by Piece ] New York Times

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Written By: MF Reader

TSizemore3

I wonder what this would mean for spare parts supplies five to ten year down the road?
minimc

I’d like to know where this comment is coming from:

“Similarly Chrysler products originally planned for the engine have been disasters in the market place and are no longer in production.”

Who the heck wrote this? The above sentance makes me question the credibility of this story, or at least its author’s knowledge of the engine.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Wow that’s quite a statement you made. You may want to do some reading-up on the subject before you question the author’s credibility

Export Neons and PT Cruisers have all but disappeared from the marketplace outside the US, thus Chrysler’s grand plans with the Tritec have basically dried up. With the Hornet concept Chrysler may resurrect them but even if it is built the engine choice is anything but clear at this point.

So please know the subject before you attack the authors credibility.
minic

If they are saying the euro-neon, or PT cruiser then OK. So… we’d see Cherry cars from China and the Hornet with the engine? Or is the Hornet concept just a bargaining tool/device. If there’s interest in the Hornet it either raises the price or Chrysler keeps the factory. No lose?
MINI VANILLI

OK, so taking this into account. in your guys opinions, would it be a good move or a bad move to buy a current generation MCS right now. i wanted one because i love the current car and engine but this makes me wonder. its almost like this engine is becoming the redheaded stepchild nobody wants. ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
MINI VANILLI

and when i say nobody i mean nobody but the Lifan Group hand-in-hand with the Communist Party as stated in the article.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Unfortunately it was unwanted the minute Damlier swallowed up Chrysler in 1998. Actually many at BMW didn’t want the engine at all since it contained no BMW engineering and no BMW technology. This is why they’re so excited about the new Prince family of engines that will debut next year in the R56.

But all that aside don’t let this you from buying the current car. BMW will stock plenty of engines and engine parts for decades to come.
Siddhartha

Well, I bought an IBM Thinkpad, even though they are made by Lenovo, a Chinese company now. I don’t think the Chinese mean to buy the Tritec factory and then keep all the parts for themselves. I read yesterday that China is now a net exporter of cars, so it seems more likely they see this plant as an entre into the global market. IMHO, buy one now before they go away. No one can convince me a brand new Citoren-Peugeot-BMW turbo engine will be without teething problems for a year or two. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Chris LW

Wonder if the inference can be made then that this engine will definately not be in the Dodge Hornet….
David

its almost like this engine is becoming the redheaded stepchild nobody wants. ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?

Seeing as DC just came out with a 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4 liter 4 (Dodge Calibur, Jeep Compass), I can easily see the Tritec being abandoned. Another solid powerplant down the drain all for the sake of “new tech.”

That reminds me of my other car, a ’99 Olds Intrigue. Arguably GM’s best sedan at the time, it used a 3.5L DOHC V6 that ended up in Ward’s Top 10 engines list. Problem was, it was only ever offered in the Intrigue and the redesigned Aurora. To only be in 2 models out of GM’s vast product portfolio is not good for an engine’s longevity. Needless to say, the engine was abandoned after Olds was killed. It was replaced by the 3.6 “high-feature” V6.
David

More to Minivanilli’s point, there are not very many Tritecs in the US at all (150,000 or so?). My worry is that after the requisite 10 years of stock parts that BMW must maintain, support for the first gen MINI could very well be dropped like a hot potato. The business case isn’t there.

For the record, I own an ’05 MCS.
Siddhartha

And you’re what? Still driving your ’05 MCS in 2016? Mine’s up on blocks by then awaiting a favorable auction date and I’m driving a 350 bhp all wheel drive Peugeot with brake calipers the size of watermelons.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com Dave

I wonder what this would mean for spare parts supplies five to ten year down the road?

Chinese Tritec parts at your local Walmat?
Siddhartha

Oh wait! This just in. If they could find a way to cram one of these under the bonnet, I’m in line for a new MINI that day.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/02/17/bmw-officially-announces-new-n54-turbo-engine/
David

Sid,

Ideally, I’d like to keep my MCS for a long time, perhaps even giving it to my first kid at 16. Of course, knowing the number of issues MINIs have had, the long-term build quality remains to be seen.
Dave

There is not much to say really…BMW hates Daimler and the new MINI gets at BMW engineered PSA powerplant. I still love my supercharged Tritec.
Patrick

After reading this article, I’m reminded of the Buick/Olds/Rover V8 that GM sold to, was it Rover in the early 1960′s… that kept bouncing around from car to car well into 1990′s. Just because an engine is sold, doesn’t mean it dies.

I guess soon enough they will be turning out engineers, too, but in the meantime, it seems the Chinese do not develop anything on their own — especially if they can pilfer it or buy it at a fire sale.
Serj

Did Chinese buy Tritec or not? Yesterday I read in news that Russians want to buy it.
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