Great Wall on way up
Car dealer excited for future
THE vision of China’s only privately owned vehicle manufacturer has spurred Cairns Audi dealership owner Alan Ren to take over the city’s Great Wall and Haval franchise.
Mr Ren confirmed he had taken over the brands a week ago after 1AAP Motoring’s John O’Brien walked away from the dealership in July last year, six months after opening to great fanfare.
After a tour of Great Wall’s sites in China, Mr Ren was impressed with the company’s “forward thinking” and agreed to take the helm of the Cairns franchise.
“The product coming from them over the next two years is going to be a significant step up to what they have now,” he said.
“I also went to see the R&D centre and it was very impressive, the best I’ve seen. “It is built for the future. “They have already built an electric car and will have those coming through.”
Mr Ren said Great Wall and Haval’s prices were also suited to the Cairns market.
“The price point is too good not to consider,” he said.
“For $18,990 you can get a single cab ute with a three-year warranty; the next competitor is almost twice that. Haval, the premium brand, starts from $20,000 for an affordable, everyday car.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that Haval has a seven-year warranty, too, so that’s its way of saying to the market and Cairns, ‘don’t worry, we’ve got it covered’.
“It is the right brand for this market. Not everyone wants an Audi, there is a market for something to get you from A to B.”
Since opening, Mr Ren has sold three Great Wall vehicles and a Haval car.
The makes will be sold from Mr Ren’s Cairns Cars site which also includes Audi at 303 Mulgrave Rd.