Chapter 306 BMW Light Prototype Rolls Off the Production Line
Things are not that simple with industrial software.
Even if you plagiarize AUTOCAD and CATIA, it won't be done in one or two years.
Jiang Hui is just starting the project now and consciously cultivating talents in this area.
With the development and growth of BMW and Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Plant, only when there is a trend of using industrial software developed by BMW in China's automobile and motorcycle industries will real success be possible.
For this process, ten years is not too short, and twenty years is not too long.
"Director, our BMW Light prototype can be assembled today."
"Should we invite some leaders to come and visit us then?"
Hou Guoming has basically been staying in Shencheng since this year.
He has slowly begun to hand over the work at Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory.
Of course, in order to keep the development technology of BMW motorcycles in his hands, Jiang Hui is also preparing to recruit a group of technicians from Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory to BMW Technology.
At that time, a BMW Technology (China) Co., Ltd. can also be established next to BMW cars to be responsible for managing related domestic enterprises, and at the same time, a special R&D department can be established to develop motorcycles.
As for Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory, it will play the role of a joint venture factory.
Anyway, the various engines and other products they are currently researching are actually based on the information provided by BMW Technology as a reference.
In the future, it will definitely be beneficial to BMW Technology to further take back the rights to research and development and turn the Chaoyang Motorcycle Factory into a pure production factory.
In this way, there is no need to worry that Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory will see its annual profits so good and want to kick BMW Technology out.
As long as someone dares to do this, BMW Technology can find partners from other places in minutes, and then produce similar BMW motorcycles, putting Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory into development difficulties in a very short period of time.
"The information on the completion of the assembly of the BMW Light prototype must be reported to the leader of the First Machinery Department, but there is no need to specially invite it."
"The capital is so far away from Shenzhen. We don't have to be so anxious to promote it this time. We can just wait until the BMW Light officially rolls off the production line before we start taking action."
BMW Technology has now formed a certain cooperative relationship with Huaxia Taiwan. Previously, the BMW S of Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory also advertised during the Spring Festival Gala.
It is obviously not that difficult to continue cooperation in the future.
Although the BMW Light is just a minivan, the price is relatively low.
But no matter how cheap a car is, it is not affordable for ordinary people in this era.
In 1983, people who had TV sets at home were basically not ordinary people.
If you advertise on a TV station, the effect should still be worth looking forward to.
"That's true. If we get the project started properly, the leaders will naturally think of coming to visit when they inspect the area in the future."
Hou Guoming did not feel disappointed at all.
BMW Light is a product for BMW to open up the market and cultivate the supply chain. The sales volume will definitely be worth looking forward to.
Although the positioning of these Santana cars is higher than that of BMW Light, they only sell a few thousand units a year, which is not enough to cultivate their own supply chain.
But BMW Light is aiming for a monthly sales volume of over 10,000.
The significance of setting such a high goal in 1983 was absolutely extraordinary.
Therefore, even if the low-end minivan first had an impact on BMW's brand image, Jiang Hui still chose the most popular product.
If it doesn't work, we will refer to the path Toyota has taken in the future.
The BMW brand has been operating for ten or eight years. After cultivating its supply chain and R&D technology, it will launch a high-end brand.
This is just like the Toyota brand and the Lexus brand, which were quite successful in the end.
At worst, the high-end brand will be called Mercedes-Benz.
Driving a BMW, riding a Mercedes-Benz, by then this sentence will be closely related to BMW technology. A pure local Chinese company will have nothing to do with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
"After our prototype vehicle is assembled, in addition to confirming all aspects of vehicle performance and component performance, the parts production capacity of each supporting factory also needs to be confirmed simultaneously."
"We must not be in a situation where the supply of BMW Lights exceeds the demand in the market, but our production capacity cannot keep up."
Jiang Hui specifically reminded that this kind of thing is completely possible in this era.
……
BMW's factory is in Shenzhen. Some of the supporting factories must be found in Lingnan Province, but some of them must have intersection with the Capital Automobile Manufacturing Plant.
For example, the 4MT manual transmission provided by Capital Gear Factory and the wheel hub bearings provided by Capital Auto Parts Factory are all supplied by the same suppliers.
In this way, it is naturally impossible to completely hide some news about BMW cars from peers such as Capital Automobile Manufacturing Plant.
As soon as BMW Light went offline, Chen Qi had already received the news.
"BMW's first passenger car has completed the assembly of prototypes and may officially start sales by the end of this year."
"Although their first car has a different positioning from our BJ212 and BJ310, it will have some impact."
"We need to pay more attention to their movements, and at the same time consider in advance whether to launch a model similar to the BMW Light."
Chen Qi called Lu Jianqiang to his office.
According to the information he had grasped, the configuration of BMW Light in all aspects was very crude, and the technology used was far from advanced.
The level of the R&D center at Capital Automobile Manufacturing Plant is not high, but he thinks there is still hope by improving the technology of existing products and building a simple version of a van.
“I heard that some military-industrial companies in the Northeast are engaged in military-to-civilian conversion projects similar to BMW’s Light.”
"This kind of car can pull people as well as goods, and it is likely that its sales performance will be relatively good."
“Looking at the sales data from Chaoyang Motorcycle Factory, we can tell that motorcycles like BMW X, which are convenient for people and goods, are selling very well.”
"So the BMW Light is likely to sell better, and we can consider starting the van development project now."
As the head of the R&D center, Lu Jianqiang naturally hopes to have some big projects in hand.
Otherwise, both the BJ212 and BJ310 cars would not make any big noise, and many people in the R&D center would not have enough work every day, which would be a bit embarrassing.
Besides, having no project in hand means that the power in his hand cannot be fully utilized. This is also a situation that Lu Qiangqiang does not want to see.
You need to do more projects.
"Jiang Hui's vision and technical level are second to none in the domestic automobile industry."
"Since he chose BMW Light as the first product of BMW, it shows that he is very optimistic about it."
"Please make formal plans and our factory will also start a van project."
After listening to Lu Jianqiang's words, Chen Qi's inner thoughts became firmer.
There is no need to hesitate about this matter.
……
"Director Jiang, I heard that BMW's first model has completed prototype production. Congratulations." Zhao Guangming personally called Jiang Hui.
Among the domestic automobile manufacturers, FAW is the most anxious one right now.
In the field of trucks, Second Automobile Works has begun to exert its strength, which has made FAW feel the pressure.
In the field of sedans, Hongqi sedan has no presence at all, and the new products planned to be redeveloped after cooperation with Audi are not released so quickly.
But other car manufacturers have taken many actions.
The combined sales volume of the Capital Automobile Manufacturing Plant's two models has equaled or even surpassed that of FAW.
As the first domestic car produced by a joint venture car company, the Santana produced by the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant has begun to enter relevant departments as official vehicles, making the future development of Hongqi sedan full of variables.
Some military factories in the Northeast also transformed and launched some automobile products.
Now even a special car company like BMW has begun producing prototype cars, and new products will be officially sold soon.
The leaders of FAW are definitely under great pressure.
“We have just assembled the first prototype, and there are still many problems that need to be solved.”
"In the field of car manufacturing, we are newcomers and need to learn more from our big brother."
Jiang Hui met Zhao Guangming twice before when he was in the capital, and the other party even poached him on behalf of FAW.
Although BMW's sales will soon surpass FAW's in a few years, there is no need to hang its tail in front of others.
Otherwise, it’s not worth it if you don’t know when someone will trip you up.
"You are newcomers to the industry. You have no historical baggage, and you can quickly introduce new technologies and equipment from abroad. The speed of development makes us envious."
"I heard that you are also planning to produce cars in the future?"
Obviously, this issue is what Zhao Guangming is most concerned about.
FAW is already preparing to vigorously promote its sedan project, whether it is a joint venture with Audi or its own development, it is taking action.
Therefore, other car products in the industry are the objects of Zhao Guangming's great attention.
BMW's sedans are the focus of attention.
"I have this idea. There is still a big gap between domestic car technology and foreign automobile giants. One Santana has already made many units fall in love with it."
"This is not the most advanced product yet. If cars from foreign luxury brands enter the country, the impact will probably be even greater."
"So I also want to develop a model that is comparable to the sedan products of international automobile giants, so that each unit has more choices."
In this era of sedan sales, the official car market cannot be ignored.
The purchasing power of ordinary people in this era indeed needs to be further improved, and the demand for official vehicles from various units is very huge.
Models such as Santana, Passat and Audi A6 can become household names, and the impact of official car sales cannot be ignored.
BMW's sedan products will naturally not let go of the official car market.
Jiang Hui even hopes that BMW can drive Volkswagen products out of most of the official car market, which will definitely be beneficial to BMW's future development.
"BMW built its factory in Shenzhen, and the promotion of various projects is really Shenzhen speed."
Zhao Guangming felt sour in his heart, but he praised BMW cars a little against his will.
At the same time, he is also a little dissatisfied with the efficiency of various tasks within FAW.
He planned to discuss this topic with the factory director Geng Weidong later.
……
"Director, according to BMW's requirements, we have to add a new production line to meet the 4MT production capacity requirement."
"Although it is just to increase the assembly line, it will take at least half a year. We have to get started as soon as possible."
Ji Hua has been dealing with Jiang Hui for a long time, and he takes the production capacity requirements put forward by BMW very seriously.
Capital Gear Factory is not worried about sales now. Facing the demand from some automobile factories, they are relatively strong.
But BMW is different. Ji Hua is ready to be a Party B honestly.
“With annual sales of more than 100,000 vehicles, BMW has so much confidence in BMW Light?”
Li Nanhai is a little confused about whether he should increase production capacity so much in one fell swoop.
Although the sales volume of the 4MT manual transmission is very good, the sales price is not very high.
Therefore, the profit margin of the Capital Gear Factory is not particularly high. This year, they were stimulated by the Chaoyang Motorcycle Manufacturing Factory and have just started the construction of two family buildings, and are planning to build several more buildings.
In this case, funds will definitely be tight.
If a large amount of money is spent to expand production capacity, it is likely that the construction of subsequent family buildings will be affected.
This is certainly not what Li Nanhai wants to see.
"Director Jiang always brings unexpected surprises to everyone when he works."
"The BJ212 and Hummer military vehicles he designed before were very popular. I heard that the models he designed for General Motors also sold well."
"Under this circumstance, we have no reason to doubt that the BMW Light he designed will not sell well."
When Ji Hua said this, Li Nanhai did not refute.
After all these are facts.
"Director, the 4MT manual transmission is a difficult part for other factories to produce, but it is not the case for BMW."
"If we hold back, BMW will definitely consider producing its own 4MT manual transmission in the future."
Seeing that Li Nanhai was still hesitating, Ji Hua immediately added.
This time, Li Nanhai didn't dare to get entangled.
"Okay, then we will formally discuss starting the expansion of the new production line."
There have been too many good times, and Li Nanhai absolutely does not want to return to the previous state.
If BMW really produces its own 4MT and sells it externally, it will definitely be a disaster for the Capital Gear Factory.
Not to mention continuing to build more family buildings in the future, the factory may soon fall into operating losses.
As the factory director, he is very aware of the various shortcomings in the factory.
The cost of the 4MT produced by BMW will most likely be lower than that of the Capital Automobile Gear Factory.
He didn't dare to take this risk!
And just when various supporting factories began to prepare for the expansion of parts production capacity in response to BMW's needs, a very important thing suddenly happened in China's automobile industry.
(End of chapter)