Hold on to your deposits

Just about two years ago, I made some noise about Malcolm "Yugo Your Way" Bricklin's plan to bring over Chinese cars for the North American market.

Well, put that on hold for the moment: Bricklin's Visionary Vehicles and China's Chery Automobile are no longer Best Friends Forever. Instead, Bricklin will cherry-pick (sorry) a variety of Chinese manufacturers, perhaps including Chery, in search of suitable vehicles to sell over here for cheap. A Visionary spokesperson says that Bricklin will select three Chinese partners in the first quarter of 2007.

Meanwhile, Chery is talking to DaimlerChrysler about a possible small Mopar-branded car, and Shanghai Automotive, builder of the Roewe, has a tie-up with General Motors. I have to figure that one way or another, we're eventually going to get Chinese cars here, even if they're old British cars built in Oklahoma.

Posted at 8:47 PM to Driver's Seat