BEIJING, Jan.12 -- U.S. imports of cars manufactured by China's Chery Automobile will likely begin at the end of 2007, the founder and president of importer Visionary Vehicles said Monday, moving back the target date for a second time.

    Malcolm Bricklin, best known for bringing the low-cost Yugo car to America in the 1980s, initially set a target of January 2007 for the first sales of the vehicles, expected to list for around US$20,000 but compete with top-line luxury brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes. He later moved back the date to the summer of 2007.

    "Now the dealers are involved, and they're going to tell us the things they want in the cars. The time line will change only from the input of the people we say we want input from, which is the dealers," Bricklin said.

    "Now it's pretty much around the end of 2007," he said.

    Visionary Vehicles aims to sell 250,000 Chery cars in the United States in the first year through 250 dealerships nationwide, raising sales to 1 million vehicles annually by around 2010.

    Bricklin said he expects to have 100 dealers signed up by the end of next month, and all 250 sites ready and financed by March, putting in place the sales network needed to introduce the cars, which the entrepreneur said will "redefine the price of luxury."

    Executives at established automakers say they aren't too concerned about the threat of competition from Chinese brands any time soon, citing quality and other factors.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)