SHENZHEN, China ¨C China¡¯s BYD was a battery manufacturer trying its hand at building cars when it showed off its newest model in 2007. American executives at the Guangzhou auto show gaped at the car¡¯s uneven purple paint job and the poor fit of its doors.
¡°They were the laughingstock of the industry,¡± said Michael Dunne, a China auto industry analyst.
Nobody is laughing at BYD now.
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