US automakers plan to step up European sales of cars built in North America as a way to take advantage of the dollar’s weakness against the euro, Reuters reported, citing industry newspapers.
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According to the news agency, Germany’s Automobilwoche said DaimlerChrysler would launch US-based Dodge as an entry-level brand targeted at young people in Europe next month.
The paper reportedly quoted Thomas Hausch, international marketing director for Chrysler, as saying the group’s US arm expected to generate “up to 30%” of its global sales from Dodge in Europe by 2007 – around 30,000 cars at today’s levels.
A DaimlerChrysler spokesman in Stuttgart told Reuters he could not confirm the report, which said Dodge would offer more than three model lines in Europe, including a compact car based on the Mitsubishi Lancer platform to replace the Neon model in 2006.
According to Reuters, the paper also quoted General Motors product development chief Bob Lutz as saying the world’s biggest carmaker planned to offer GMC brand sport utility vehicles in Europe in one or two years, expanding its range to seven brands.
Automobilwoche reportedly said GM aimed to sell up to 15,000 GMC vehicles in Europe by 2010 in addition to boosting sales of US-made Chevrolet cars.
Reuters added that Automobilwoche’s sister publication Automobile News reported that GM may also assemble some Opel and Vauxhall vehicles in North America, then ship them to Europe.
