Communist Audis!

[Jim Jordan]

Hi,

Reminds me of when China first began to normalize relations with the US
after the cultural revolution.  Among other things they bought a 707 from
Boeing.  They meticulously copied it in an aircraft factory near Shanghai, I
think.  Trouble is, they couldn't get it to fly, for the materials they used
were simply too heavy for an operating airplane and I suspect their engines
were a little low on thrust.  They probably have it parked somewhere still.

Reason:  China had been in bed with the Russians and got all kinds of planes
from Russia, transports, airliners, fighters, etc.  However, the Russians
weren't big on safety in those days and the planes routinely crashed, making
the Chinese very unhappy with their purchases.  I used to cringe when I had
to fly from Canton to Peking, Guangzhou to Beijing to newbies.  

HST, I wonder how the "Chinese Copy" of the Audis came out?  When I was in
PRC, there were few, if any, cars for the people.  There were lots of big
kahuna cars that looked like tanks that were chauffeur driven, usually by a
Chinese version KGB with a female translator who was the "tour guide".  I
once tested a chauffeur's ability to speak English by calling one an ugly
SOB in a conversation with someone;  you should have seen him snap around to
see who said that....

I once walked among the spooks and China watchers;  interesting show to say
the least.

Cheers!

Jim Jordan
  

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dave Kase [mailto:davekase at pdqlocks.com] 
>Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2006 9:23 AM
>To: Alex Kowalski
>Cc: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Re: Communist Audis!
>
>I have seen these cars in Shanghai.  It was weird, the only 
>Audi's I saw were the type 44 and they had strange badging 
>from what I remember.  I will try to see if I have a picture 
>of one on my computer at work.
>
>Dave Kase
>
>Alex Kowalski wrote:
>
>>This morning I was chatting with a friend online about cars, telling 
>>her about the 100/200/5000 nomenclature breakdown and 
>different models, 
>>when I decided to stop by Wikipedia to see what the on-line free 
>>encyclopedia had to say about our cars.
>>
>>Apparently the Chinese were engaged at some point in 
>producing replicas 
>>of the C3/Type 44 Audi 100.  Check out the photos of a "CA7180A2E - 
>>ABS" in the "trivia" section of the page.  Has anyone ever 
>seen one of 
>>these in the flesh?  The page notes that there was apparantly some 
>>cooperation between VW and the Chinese to make these cars.  
>Anyone have more information on them?
>>
>>Alex Kowalski
>>'87 5KCSTQ
>>'86 5KCSTQ
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>
>