Chinese manufacturer makes a fresh start in SA after sales decline
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Great Wall Motors (GWM) has been rather quiet in recent years, although given that so many Chinese automotive brands have come and gone, at least it has stuck it out and is still here.
It is one of the best Chinese brands to find its way to SA but in the past few years its sales have declined hugely and it has been lambasted for substandard sport utility vehicles (SUVs). It has continued to produce good bakkies, though, and these have basically kept it going.
After 10 years in the South African market, the company has announced substantial changes. First of all, it will no longer be GWM but will adopt the name of its SUV division, Haval, to become Haval Motors SA. It is also no longer an independently run distributor, with the Chinese parent company now firmly in control.
The new company is promising to continue with the GWM products, including the reintroduction of the H5 and H6 SUVs as well as the latest Steed bakkies. However, the changes also mean new products and the company will be bringing in the Haval SUV models, starting with the Haval H2 at the end of May.
Havel is the premium subbrand of GWM, and while the name might still be unknown in SA, it’s massive in its home market of China, having achieved sales of more than 900,000 units in 2016.
Powering the H2 is a 1.5l turbo petrol motor making 105kW and 202Nm of torque. Drive is to the front wheels via a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. Equipment includes man-made leather upholstery and a high-resolution touchscreen infotainment system.
Pricing for the H2 has not yet been announced but we will be driving it this week at its launch and will let you know more details in next week’s issue.
The company is promising that it will undercut many of its rivals but it remains to be seen whether it can match competitors such as the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR on value and safety.
The company says it will be launching its smaller crossover, the H1, at the same time.
“The South African market plays an important part in our international expansion strategy and going forward we will continue to distribute Haval and GWM vehicles, offer parts and service support as well as administer warranties through the already established dealer network,” says Charles Zhao, MD of Haval Motors SA.