2013 Audi A3

Chinese bureaucrats cause a ruffle by approving Mercedes and BMW cars for government use

 
3 1,815 views Jul 10, 2009

2010 mercedes benz s class 028

It appears it’s not just Detroit’s automakers posting billion dollar losses this year

It appears it’s not just Detroit’s automakers posting billion dollar losses this year

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China is now the single biggest market in the world for new cars but that doesn’t mean the government is slowing down on the purchase of cars for its official fleets. While this usually would not be worthy of reporting, the fact that the Chinese government has approved luxurious Mercedes Benz and BMW vehicles for its fleets has started to cause a stir among local citizens.

The announcement was made last month and has since lead to an outpouring of criticism from people like 50-year old chauffeur Yang Jun, who stated to state-controlled newspaper People’s Daily: “Why should they enjoy such luxury? It’s a waste of public money.”

Adding to the anger is the hypocrisy of the government, which has been calling for people to buy domestic products in an effort to help boost the economy.

In fairness, no cars have actually been bought as the Mercedes Benz and BMW brands have only been added to a list of approved vehicles for government purchase. Furthermore, the approved cars must be manufactured in China. Both Mercedes Benz and BMW build cars in China together with their respective local partners Beijing Automobile and Brilliance, and much of the government’s fleets are already filled up with Volkswagen and Audi vehicles.
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HI-RES GALLERY: 2010 mercedes benz s class 028

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Comments (3)

  1. ma_bepsf avatar bepsf Posted: 7/10/2009 9:32am PDT

    "...the government...
    ...been calling for people to buy domestic products in an effort to help boost the economy."

    Protectionism Anyone?

    Why doesn't the US Government do the same?
     
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  2. ma_NoNameDenton avatar NoNameDenton Posted: 7/10/2009 2:13pm PDT

    "...the government...
    ...been calling for people to buy domestic products in an effort to help boost the economy."

    Protectionism Anyone?

    Why doesn't the US Government do the same?

    There was something ike that on the table in Congress but it ticked out our allies off.
     
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  3. ma_bepsf avatar bepsf Posted: 7/10/2009 7:34pm PDT


    There was something ike that on the table in Congress but it ticked out our allies off.

    No need for anything like a law - perhaps just a few well-worded public service messages on the major networks to the American Public that if we don't want to continue to lose jobs and be in debt to the Chinese for the next century that buying American products whenever possible might not be a bad idea...
     
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