First step to a thousand miles
After being briefed beforehand about the product positioning of GAC’s product line, it came to no surprise to me that the GM8 is truly a premium luxury van
Chinese car brands have made their presence felt in the Philippine automotive market during the past fifteen years. And yet, it seems that they have achieved a measure of success only in commercial vehicles such as passenger buses, trucks and heavy equipment but never in the passenger car segment.
The passenger car market in the Philippines is a hard nut to crack. Although we are still a developing nation, our passenger car market is highly developed and quite sophisticated. Passenger cars are the extension of one’s status and personality, and a car’s brand equity plays a pivotal role in the success or failure of a passenger car brand in the Philippine automotive market.
One of the latest Chinese car brands that threw its hat into the passenger car segment of the Philippine automotive market is GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Corp. Group). Unlike other Chinese passenger car brands that entered the local automotive market, GAC took the leap of faith by carrying premium quality models in the passenger car segment despite having a very challenging brand image compared to European, Japanese and Korean brands. I salute the top management of Legado Motors Inc. the local distributor of GAC, for adopting such an aggressive stance in competing head on with established car brands that have dominated the Philippine automotive market. Selling cheap, low quality, unreliable Chinese cars in order to penetrate our car market has never succeeded before and it will never succeed now. I went through the product lineup of Legado Motors Inc. and each and every model that they carry has a common denominator: premium quality and competitive pricing — not cheap — but competitively priced.
I had the opportunity to test GAC’s premium luxury minivan, the GM8. After being briefed beforehand about the product positioning of GAC’s product line, it came to no surprise to me that the GM8 is truly a premium luxury van. From the exterior to the interior of this premium luxury minivan you can see and sense the feeling of luxury all over. Take away the badge and you would not think that this is a Chinese luxury minivan. Upon entering the GM8, the smell of Napa leather greets you and awakens your senses that you will be pampered once you ride this premium luxury minivan. This minivan is designed for utmost comfort and luxury. Embed yourself in one of the captain’s chair and you can lull yourself to sleep by reclining your seat, adjusting the power driven foot rest and turning on the built in electronic massager. Commune with the moon and the stars via the panoramic moon roof and listen to your favorite music through its premium infotainment system.
Take the GM8 for a spin and experience such driving pleasure. With the fob key at hand, notice the sensitivity of its proximity sensor. While approaching the minivan, the locked front doors open and the retracted power side view mirrors swing in to place as you enter the driver’s side. Left and right power sliding doors open with a touch of a button to welcome your back row passengers. At the push of a button, the powerful 2.0 liter 199hp turbocharged gasoline engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission roars into life. Turn on the air condition and experience three zones of comfortable riding temperature- front, middle and back.
Stuck in heavy traffic? No problem, the GM8 has an auto hold feature. Once activated, you can release your right foot from the brake pedal and the electronic brake takes over. Once you are ready to move, a simple tap on the accelerator disengages the electronic brake. Parking the GM8 is as easy as parking a compact car. Its high definition reverse camera will guide you even in the narrowest parking slot without any problem.
One week into my test drive, all is good with the GM8. However, GAC is a very young brand in our present marketplace and brand image is earned the hard way. Only time will tell if the quality and reliability that this Chinese brand stands for will be sustained. Brand image is built through the years through product excellence and second to none after-sales service. There is no short cut to success. I hope that the men and women of Legado Motors, Inc. will continue to persevere, believe and grow GAC as a premium automotive brand.
As the Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The first step has been taken with the introduction of GAC in the Philippines. I wish GAC a smooth and pleasant journey of a thousand miles!