Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

"Secretary Bai, I understand how you feel when you say my data is impossible," Chen Dong said calmly, without a trace of sarcasm. "If I were you, having worked in the automotive industry for thirty years, and someone suddenly presented me with this data, I would also think it was fabricated!"

"I completely understand how you feel right now. I'm a pretty blunt person," Chen Dong straightened up, staring at Bai Jianbo. "Suddenly, someone comes to you with this data and tells you that everything you've created has long been swept into the dustbin of history!"

"No one could stand it!"

Bai Jianbo's lips twitched, and his face turned somewhat ugly. Chen Dong's words were no longer just blunt, but rather hurtful. However, lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharpest knife!

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) has indeed been stagnant for too long, to the point that it has fallen far behind international advanced levels. This huge gap is like an insurmountable chasm!

Ji Shuzhi also lowered his head and remained silent. Chen Dong's words not only pierced Bai Jianbo's heart, but also pierced their Second Automobile Works. While they were still happy that their truck engine had increased its power to 100 horsepower, Chen Dong's 300-horsepower V8 engine was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

"But the problem is, what you think is impossible is now presented to you with the data," Chen Dong changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Bai Jianbo and Ji Shuzhi, "The aftermath of the oil crisis is still lingering, and the mainstream international car market has already pushed fuel consumption down to 10 liters per 100 kilometers!"

"In America, the streets are full of 200-horsepower V8 cars. One floor on the gas and your Shanghai-plated 760 won't even see their taillights!"

Hearing Chen Dong's words, Bai Jianbo shook his head, a bitter smile tinged with helplessness. Chen Dong, seeing that he had said enough, did not want to be too discouraging.

"Gentlemen, I'm not showing you this data to boast, but to tell you that times have changed. I can completely conceal the data and catch you off guard once my 'Dilu' prototype is built!"

Chen Dong tapped his fingers on the coffee table. "The reason I'm presenting these data in front of you is to show you that there's a significant technological gap between us. If you truly want to cooperate with Xiaochi Motors, you need to have the attitude of cooperation!"

"Comrade Zai Dong, is this engine... really developed by you?" Ji Shuzhi suddenly asked.

"It's an improvement we made on Saab's existing engines," Chen Dong said casually.

"And what about the electronic fuel injection system?"

Chen Dong smiled and said, "It's a patent of our Xiaochi Motors. We've applied for seventeen international patents worldwide, so there's absolutely no need to worry about being held back!"

"So, how much are you planning to sell this 'Dilu'?"

"We position the 'Dilu' as a high-end executive sedan, competing with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The current price is US$250,000, which is approximately RMB 750,000!"

750,000!

Bai Jianbo silently calculated his current salary and realized that he would have to work for more than four hundred years to be able to buy this luxury car!

Ji Shuzhi then asked, "Doesn't your Xiaochi Motors have any more affordable sedans?"

"Of course," Chen Dong said, offering cigarettes to everyone and lighting one for himself. "'Dilu' is a high-end luxury car, it's the brand name of our Xiaochi, it tells people that we at Xiaochi can build luxury cars!"

"But the real flagship product has to be an affordable car that ordinary people can afford," Chen Dong said, taking out another set of design drawings from his briefcase. "A 1.6L four-cylinder front-wheel drive, consuming a little over 6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, with the price controlled around 100,000 yuan!"

Bai Jianbo held the blueprints given to him by Chen Dong, on which were written the three characters "Zhaoyebai" (meaning "Shining White at Night"). He knew that this would be the name of the car in the future: a 1.6L four-cylinder front-wheel drive, consuming more than 6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, and costing 100,000 yuan!

If Xiaochi Motors can really produce such a car, then their Shanghai license plate 760 will still be thoroughly crushed, the only difference being that it won't be as embarrassing as the previous "Dilu".

Bai Jianbo thought to himself that Shanghai Automotive still had a price advantage. The Snapdragon 'Night White' sold for 100,000 yuan, while their 760 sold for more than 60,000 yuan. With a price of more than 60,000 yuan, plus the Shanghai Automotive brand, he believed that Chinese people would not completely abandon the 760!

But Bai Jianbo didn't consider that in this era, people who can afford a car costing over 60,000 yuan are definitely not ordinary people. They would look into the "affordable cars" launched by Xiaochi Motors, and they wouldn't mind spending an extra 30,000 to 40,000 yuan.

Currently, the only improvements Bai Jianbo can make to the 760 are its exterior and interior design. After all, the existing designs are right in front of him, and Shanghai Automotive can still make improvements to the exterior and interior decorations of Xiaochi cars if they grit their teeth.

If we can actually cooperate with Xiaochi Motors in the future, and talk to Xiaochi Motors and have the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology act as a go-between, then the Shanghai license plate number 760 might really be able to have a new lease on life.

Unlike Bai Jianbo, who was harboring ulterior motives to imitate, Ji Shuzhi was much more pragmatic. Chen Dong did not produce any design drawings for light and heavy trucks, and even if they wanted to imitate, they had no reference at the moment.

Ji Shuzhi put away the blueprints Chen Dong gave him and handed them back to Chen Dong. "Comrade Zai Dong, the parameters you showed us are indeed very impressive. Now it seems that our three companies' resources are really not enough in front of Xiaochi Motors."

"Comrade Zai Dong, I just wanted to ask if there's anything we could do to cooperate?"

Chen Dong took out the parts list that his second brother Chen Zaisheng had prepared the night before from his briefcase and handed it to Ji Shuzhi. "This is the parts list we need for the next two years. As long as your supporting factories can supply according to our quality standards, deliver on time, and offer competitive prices, we can allocate a portion of these parts to you."

Ji Shuzhi looked down and saw hundreds of different items, big and small, including tires, glass, seats, wiring harnesses, stamped parts, and plastic parts. The densely packed table listed the product name, specifications, annual demand, and technical standards in each row.

Bai Jianbo also leaned over to look, frowning as he stared at the list. He gritted his teeth and said, "We can produce these standard parts!"

"Don't rush, gentlemen, I haven't finished speaking yet," Chen Dong said with a smile. "You can take these orders, but I have one condition: you must open a branch factory in Tuocheng. These days, efficiency is everything, and I don't want our car production to be affected by a shortage of one or two parts!"

"this……!"

Ji Shuzhi hesitated. Opening a new parts factory in Tuocheng would mean new expenses, which would be a huge burden for the Second Automobile Works, which was already struggling to make ends meet.

But Bai Jianbo tentatively asked, "Comrade Zai Dong, we can discuss opening a branch factory, but I have one request: could you allow us from Shanghai Automotive to send people to your Xiaochi Automotive to learn advanced engine technology?"

"hehe!"

"Secretary Bai, do you think that Shanghai Automotive's only problem is outdated engine technology?"