May 16,2008  From Auto News

May 16--By year end, Chrysler LLC will start shipping a China-made car to Mexico, says the car’s manufacturer, Chery Automobile Co. 
     
Still under discussion are Chery-built cars for U.S. dealers of the automaker. 
     
The car for Mexico, sold in China as the Chery A1, will be badged with a Chrysler brand, says Zhang Lin, general manager of Chery International. 
     
In July, Chery and Chrysler agreed to work together to develop cars for global markets. 
     
Chrysler "sent engineers to Chery in China to work on the A1," Zhang said last month at the Beijing auto show. 
     
The A1 cars to be exported to Mexico are virtually the same as those sold in China, said Zhang. The car was styled by Bertone of Italy. 
     
A supplier source in China said the current A1 will not be sold in the United States. 
     
Chrysler co-President Tom LaSorda said his company and Chery are discussing cars that Chery could assemble for the United States and Europe. 
     
"We need small cars," LaSorda said last week. "Chery’s cars are still not ready for that exposure into these markets." He said China-built cars probably won’t be ready to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards for "three years or more."

Editor: Haijing Qu