ROAD SAFETY / Why road-related deaths worsened over the last century

PIERRE MARTIN BOS

It’s no easy feat sitting at the helm of an automotive giant’s local division. Not only are buying trends vastly different in South Africa but in this seat you must also contend with factors like the fragile local economy and even the unpredictable nature of petrol and diesel costs. Pierre Martin Bos, the new Managing Director at FCA SA, though, looks to be up for the challenge.

Driven: The South African vehicle market has its own dynamics, trading tastes and nuances compared to other markets like the US and Asia. How is FCA SA currently poised to satiate South African buying tastes?

Pierre: FCA SA has a very long history in South Africa, including being a local manufacturer. We believe that at a local level we are well-positioned to understand the South African market, and our current model range reflects this. Saying this, we also take into consideration what is happening at a global level and this is displayed in our concentration on the petrol market to answer local customer demand for more performance, while remaining price sensitive.

For all of our brands, we are refining the range to not only cater for the true enthusiast who demands the increased power and torque from larger engines (after all we build the World’s most powerful production SUV) but also those new owners who want the brand, the passion and the higher specification of our models with smaller, more efficient engines.

Driven: FCA SA managed to sell 332 units of the Panda in the month of November, which is an impressive figure considering the lower numbers in the preceding months. To what do you attribute this spike in sales figures for the model and will these mechanisms be sustained in the forthcoming months?

Pierre: You’re mentioning the Panda, but Tipo also achieved its best result of the year in November. Our sales increased significantly over the last quarter of 2019 due to a number of customer-focused campaigns – all within a stressed local economy and the particularly depressed motor industry. At FCA SA we have had to adapt our strategy, our offering and our prices to suit the market. We are more than proud of our achievements in Q4 ending the year on an extremely high note.

We are constantly monitoring both our own sales rates and that of our competition, and ultimately this ability to be competitive defines when, where, why and what we bring into the SA Market. New models will come during this year, and we may say goodbye to some old favourites until we feel that we have a more competitive Battery Electric and Plug-In Hybrid electric vehicle offering.

Driven: Alfa Romeo, in contrast, moved only 14 units in November, despite having great products in the Giulia and Stelvio. What’s been stifling growth in SA and what is the overall South African buying market sentiment towards the brand?

Pierre: In all honesty, we still have a lot of work to do on Alfa Romeo. We have a world-class product that has won a multitude of awards overseas, but we have a major job in repairing a legacy of sub-standard customer experience. Alfa Romeo represents a credible alternative to the mainstream competition when considering its performance position against its price. FCA SA is putting all its efforts into the revitalisation of the Alfa Romeo Brand, the full customer journey and the aftersales customer experience. As we all know, there is no better brand ambassador than a happy Alfa Romeo owner.

Driven: Jeep remains a strong brand in SA with a very loyal following. Will the brand move into electrification of sorts in its future products, whether it be a hybrid or full EV form? Also, when can we expect to see the all-new Grand Cherokee unveiled?

Pierre: We are very sensitive to the issue of electrification and electricity as a whole in South Africa. It would not be prudent to introduce new models until we can be assured that the local infrastructure can support the model line-up. However, FCA SA has a clear focus on moving forward with electrification with some models now in production, and the future includes the development of electric and hybrid plug-in vehicles capable of feeding power back into the grid.

As for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the model remains one of our top sellers as it offers a platform of luxury and performance, along with a price that

keeps us clearly at the top of the competitor set. It is important that we always stay ahead of the curve, and at some point, the new Grand Cherokee will be introduced, but not just yet.

Driven: Are there plans to import Dodge and Chrysler products in the future, or would this present a too huge risk for the brands in a rather volatile trading market such as SA? I’m referring more to Dodge and Chrysler in a different capacity to what they used to represent. Perhaps occupy a niche performance market segment with products like the Dodge Hellcat/SRT models?

Pierre: Not many OEMs have the history of the brands and the model range that FCA SA currently has across the five brands that make up our local offering. Within these brands, we offer a range of vehicles that cover every customer need and then some. Any additional brand introduced, however, would be a minimum volume player and could actually cut into our own market share in this difficult economy.

The future for FCA SA in South Africa is very bright and we look forward to the introduction of a new range of vehicles that appeal to the wider market.