The car giant started by marrying the daughter of the king

Chapter 315 General Motors’ Little Thoughts

"You have such strong confidence. Our teachers in the Department of Vehicle Engineering were very worried after hearing the news."

Jiang Hui's answer was a little beyond Zhu Jiansheng's expectations, but after thinking about it carefully, it seemed to make sense.

There is a reason why the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory had the confidence to propose the heavy truck project to the First and Fifth Ministry of Machine Building.

Not to mention other things, just the intercontinental missile launcher, whose difficulty index is several levels higher, they are almost about to assemble the prototype vehicle, which is a world-class achievement.

Not to mention that FAW and Second FAW cannot compare, even if you look at the world, only one automobile factory in Polar Bear can be compared.

On this basis, it doesn't seem that difficult to develop a heavy-duty truck product that is better than FAW and Second FAW.

"We have experience in designing Hummer military vehicles and intercontinental missile launchers. If FAW and Second FAW can still surpass us, then we should not be worried, but be proud of the strength of China's automobile technology."

"But I never dreamed of doing that."

Jiang Hui is not looking down on FAW and Second FAW, but the current level of the domestic automobile industry is indeed like that.

Otherwise, a BJ212 would not have caused such a big response in the automobile market.

"You're right. It seems that I'm still too concerned about the heavy truck project and am a little worried about gains and losses."

"In fact, as long as we can make the ICBM launcher, other trucks won't be a problem."

After figuring it out, Zhu Jiansheng felt relieved at once.

The position of Capital University of Technology in China's automobile industry will not be easily shaken by any factory or university in the future.

After putting his worries aside, Zhu Jiansheng no longer cared about what was happening at FAW and Second FAW.

Instead, he focused his attention on the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher.

Although the production process of some parts still needs further improvement, the first prototype car can now be officially assembled.

The Seventh Ministry of Machine Building naturally also personally arranged several engineers in charge of intercontinental missile design to come and confirm the situation together.

Originally, the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building thought that it would be impossible for the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory to produce a missile launcher so quickly, and the research and development progress of related land-based intercontinental missiles was now a bit behind schedule.

Now we must combine the situation of the missile launcher and produce the missile as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if we have a launch vehicle but no missiles to use, it will be meaningless.

The various movements of the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building are definitely of the greatest concern to special personnel in various countries.

Although much of their information is confidential, it is very difficult for outsiders to find out.

However, this time the missile launcher was not produced in a factory under the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building. Personnel from several departments and a large number of supporting factories took various actions, and the American Embassy naturally also received some news.

"Smith, do you think this information is reliable?"

In recent years, Woodcock has not returned to the United States to serve, but has stayed in China as an ambassador.

Intelligence like intercontinental missile launchers is definitely something that needs special attention.

Currently, only polar bears in the world have the ability to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles using land-based launch vehicles, and the United States itself has not yet made a breakthrough.

If China has a huge breakthrough in this regard, this news is definitely worth paying attention to.

Perhaps in this process, relevant American companies will also be able to acquire the ability to produce intercontinental missile launchers.

"I think it is certain that the relevant Chinese units are developing intercontinental missile launchers."

"What we cannot be sure of now is whether their project progress is as smooth as we have heard and whether they have reached the stage of assembling prototypes."

"According to the intelligence we have learned, in order to have the ability to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles, the chassis design of this launch vehicle is very special. Most countries simply do not have this capability."

"After all, it requires at least 8-axle all-wheel drive, and the various technical barriers involved are very huge."

Smith's view probably represents the views of many people.

At this time, no one in America believed that China could produce an intercontinental missile launcher.

"What you said makes sense, but it also doesn't make sense."

"China's current attitude is to focus on economic development. There is no reason to reveal that you have mastered a technology before you have mastered it."

"Most of the time, the products they proactively disclose to the public are relatively outdated products, and the most advanced ones must be kept secret."

"This time, the approach does not conform to this logic."

Woodcock is also considered an expert on China, and his Mandarin is more standard than many Chinese people.

He is also relatively clear about China's working style in recent years.

The matter of the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher reveals a sense of weirdness no matter how you look at it.

"It seems so." Smith scratched his head, feeling a little unsure about how to explain this matter. "Could it be that China has really mastered the design of this special launch vehicle and has already produced a prototype?"

After thinking about it, it seems that only this understanding makes sense.

"Regardless of the actual situation, since we have obtained this information, let's pass it back and see what the relevant domestic departments think after receiving the news."

If you don't understand, don't do it for now. At most, you can explain their doubts clearly when you pass on the message.

After they passed this news back, some ideas quickly came up within America and were ready to be implemented.

"Austin, do you mean to contact the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory to discuss the heavy truck cooperation project, and then go to their factory to confirm during the process, and finally see if the other party is also responsible for the intercontinental missile launcher project?"

When Smith received a call from General Motors' design director Austin, saying that General Motors was preparing to arrange an inspection team to come to China to discuss a heavy-duty truck cooperation project, Smith immediately felt the beauty of it.

China's "Three Automobiles" project is no secret.

General Motors had previously come to discuss this topic with the Ministry of First Machinery Industry, but in the end no consistent cooperation plan was reached.

It is reasonable to bring up this topic again now.

"Yes, the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory has already achieved very good results in the Hummer military vehicle project. It is normal for us to find them to cooperate on the heavy truck project."

"In the past, the attitude of Huaxia towards joint ventures was unclear. Now the situation is different, and our attitude at GM is naturally different as well."

Austin thought about what the relevant departments said when they found him, and his attitude became more resolute.

"Okay, I'll make some arrangements for you. You'd better come up with some sincere plans, otherwise you may not be able to achieve your goal."

Smith also wanted to know whether China had really come up with an intercontinental ballistic missile launcher project. Now that GM was willing to take the lead, he was naturally happy to help.

However, when the intention of cooperation was conveyed to the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory, Zhu Jiansheng naturally thought more about it.

"Xiao Jiang, GM's contact this time seems a bit strange. You are quite familiar with Austin, the leader of the other team. What do you think they are up to this time?"

When in doubt, ask your son-in-law.

Zhu Jiansheng no longer feels embarrassed to consult Jiang Hui about problems.

"There are already several joint venture car companies in China, including Shanghai Volkswagen, FAW Audi and Yangcheng Peugeot. Even Capital Automobile Manufacturing has officially cooperated with AMC in the United States."

"Under such circumstances, it is normal for GM, as a global auto giant, to want to make some achievements in the Chinese auto market."

"However, GM's most impressive brands are Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac, and several of its current joint ventures also produce passenger cars."

"It is indeed a bit strange that GM has chosen to cooperate with the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory on heavy trucks. We cannot rule out the possibility that the other party has some hidden agenda or ulterior motives."

Jiang Hui really didn't know what GM's specific ideas were. He could only extract some information from various sources and then infer some conclusions.

"If there is an ulterior motive, it can only be the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher."

"Our prototype has been officially assembled. Leaders from the Seventh and Fifth Machine Ministries have come to visit and inspect. It's not surprising that they may have heard some rumors."

Capital University of Technology itself is a military-industrial university and is highly sensitive to confidentiality.

Especially during this period when important military projects have made tremendous progress, related information has become even more sensitive.

During this sensitive period, if General Motors were to consider exchanges and inspections, everyone would definitely think in that direction.

After all, this is the second manufacturer in the world that can produce intercontinental missile launchers, and even the first one that can produce 12-axle intercontinental missile launchers.

If the project had not been run by Zhu Jiansheng himself, he would not have believed it even if he heard it.

"That is indeed a possibility, so there is no need to cooperate with them."

Jiang Hui thought about it for a while and felt that General Motors might really have this purpose.

"Cooperation with large companies in the United States and other countries is now in line with the general direction of reform."

"Especially because of the existence of polar bears, our relationship with the United States is becoming closer and closer. The relevant departments are already considering introducing a batch of advanced military equipment from the United States to resist the pressure from polar bears."

"Under such circumstances, the relevant departments must be very interested in the olive branch that GM has extended to them, and it is not easy for us to reject them directly."

When you reach Zhu Jiansheng’s position, you no longer simply think about the problem itself, but look at things from a higher perspective.

For example, this cooperation project with General Motors is not just a problem of the project itself, but needs to be viewed in conjunction with the overall environment.

"This is indeed a problem. There is a big gap between our domestic military equipment and that of the United States. It would be very beneficial to be able to import some aircraft or missiles from the other side during the honeymoon period between the two sides."

"In the past, many of our military products followed the path of polar bears, and it's hard to say whether this was the right direction."

"It would be best if we could develop in an inclusive way, fully combining the advantages of both sides and eventually forming our own system."

Jiang Hui naturally knew about some of the military cooperation between China and the United States in the 1980s.

During this period, the United States was unusually generous in exporting advanced military equipment.

Even products such as Black Hawk helicopters and F16 fighter jets can be exported to China.

Otherwise, because China's foreign exchange reserves are a bit insufficient, it would be possible to introduce various advanced military equipment and technologies from the United States on a large scale during this period.

This will definitely have a very different meaning for China's subsequent military industry development.

"Yes, so this time I have to have normal contact with General Motors to see what the other party thinks."

"However, the matter of the missile launcher must be emphasized within the factory, and no one can easily disclose the information to the outside world."

After a brief exchange, Zhu Jiansheng gradually came up with an idea.

Let's just be polite first and take it one step at a time.

……

Zhu Jiansheng had a perfunctory attitude toward this inspection of General Motors, but after some people learned the news, their reactions were completely different.

For example, FAW was originally very dissatisfied with the application of the Special Vehicle Factory of Ligong to the First Ministry of Machine Building for the approval of the Balong 100 heavy-duty truck project. Now that they see people from General Motors also going there to discuss cooperation on the heavy-duty truck project, they naturally have more ideas.

"Director, it seems that the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory is determined to produce heavy trucks this time and will not let us off."

In Zhao Guangming's opinion, General Motors' visit this time must have been invited by Capital University of Technology.

In particular, he knew that Jiang Hui had a good relationship with General Motors' design director Austin and others, and they had contact many years ago.

Now that the other party has brought a team here and specifically wants to discuss cooperation with the special vehicle manufacturer of science and technology, it is no surprise that Zhao Guangming has such an idea.

"Is it possible for us to arrange for someone to contact GM privately and ask them to come over to inspect our factory after they have inspected the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory?"

"The cooperation conditions that FAW can offer are definitely not worse than those offered by the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory."

Geng Weidong also felt that he had a lot of anger in his heart, and he couldn't vent it out no matter what.

Although they officially launched the heavy-duty truck project some time ago, the progress of this project is not particularly ideal.

Considering that several factories in China have already started heavy-duty truck projects, FAW naturally has a sense of crisis.

It would be very troublesome if everyone else had developed heavy-duty trucks but FAW alone had not.

"I can try to have the Beijing Office contact the other party, but it may be a bit difficult."

"It's probably not just our factory that has this idea."

Zhao Guangming didn't dare to make a promise casually, otherwise if things couldn't be handled, he, the deputy director in charge of the Beijing office, would be held responsible.

"No matter what, we have to give it a try."

"We can't let the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory cooperate smoothly with General Motors, otherwise we will be under great pressure in the truck field in the future."

Geng Weidong’s current idea is that no matter whether FAW can cooperate with General Motors, the Polytechnic Special Vehicle Factory cannot be allowed to cooperate with the other party.

Otherwise, it will definitely not be good for FAW.

(End of this chapter)