Haima

China’s Haima to launch A0 segment car in 2009
Yet another Chinese car maker will see global attention focused on it during the run up to year 2009 as it lines up a new brand of car. FAW Haima Automobile Co is expected to unveil its new own-brand car in the A0 segment next year thereby launching itself into the big league.
The new model, which will be built at its production base in the southern China city of Haikou, will be an A0 class car powered by Haima’s 1.6L and 1.3L engines. The car maker had earlier announced plans for expansion of two production facilities this month. The two new plants are expected to increase Haima’s annual car production capacity to 450,000 units, which is three-fold.
With China’s auto market already having earned a name as the world’s second largest car mart, the growth registered annually is to the tune of more than 20 per cent . However, a slowdown had been lurking in recent years following a series of natural calamities and a recent fuel price hike.
While the Haikou plant will concentrate on building the A0 cars first followed by the B-segment car or SUVs later on, the Zhengzhou facility will mainly produce minicars,the source added. However, it has been clarified that Haima is in no rush to develop high-end models but will stay focused on minicar segments in the next one or two years.
Haima is expected to invest close to $206.1 million in its plant at Zhengzhou and will produce 150,000 cars there annually. The Haikou plant is also expected to have a similar investment coming up.
The company clearly has lined up its measures toward being a competitive player in a changing world. China’s quest to be on top of the world is expected to be fuelled by the hopes of such projects, it is said