Foton To Speed Up Auman Truck Production

Shanghai, January 19, 2009: (Gasgoo.com) China's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Ltd will invest 682 million yuan ($99.85 million) to upgrade heavy-duty trucks and 1.18 billion yuan to expand the truck-making capacity in Nanhai city, Guangdong province, Beijing News reported.

Foton has been developing its all-new Auman trucks. The research work is expected to speed up when Foton¡¯s joint venture project with Daimler AG starts operation later this year.

Last August, Daimler AG and Beiqi Foton Motor signed an agreement to form a 50-50 joint venture (JV) to make medium and heavy-duty trucks in China. The venture will use Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty engine technology and the Auman brand to build international sales of low-end commercial vehicles.

The output and sales target of the JV will be increased to 100,000 units by 2012 from 64,000 this year, with products including Auman heavy-duty trucks and the mixed heavy-duty trucks equipped with Mercedes-Benz engines. All the completed vehicles will be attached with Auman brand, the report said.

Foton said Auman medium- and heavy-duty trucks would be the focus of Auman series production, and the mixed heavy-duty trucks would target high-end market and the overseas markets.

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