SA to get Chinese bakkie
Oriental express
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A Johannesburg-based motor group, Autohaus Göbel, has announced that it has reached an agreement with China's ChangAn Automobile Group to import the small forward control bakkies.
It's Chana vehicles will be distributed through a network of dealers representing a wide geographic area from the third quarter of this year.
The move follows the news first revealed by Wheels24 last week that Geely cars are coming to SA, as well as GWM pickups and SUV's.
And McCarthy Motors has still to announce which vehicles it will bring to this country, though it HAS said it has reached a deal.
No confirmation
We hear on the grapevine that McCarthy has tied-up with the Chery brand, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Autohaus Göbel says an importer head office and flagship dealer will be established in Beyers Naude Drive in Northcliff, Johannesburg.
Its deal follows a year of negotiations, and a delegation from both companies met in Chongqing, China to sign the official importer and distribution agreement for Southern Africa 10 days ago.
Autohaus Göbel's CEO Karl-Heinz Göbel says his group will be the first in SA to import and distribute Chinese vehicles in South Africa.
He says the group has done careful market research and it has found a need for light commercial vehicles to suite a variety of applications.
New segment
"We have been very careful not to pitch our Chana products in market segments that are currently serviced by local manufacturers," he said.
"We aim to provide quality, value for money, reliable transport for new business entrepreneurs and established small businesses that need to transport their products or services," said Göbel.
Trevor Thomas, general manager for Chana South Africa, has been closely involved with the process of compulsory specification testing and homologation at the South African Bureau of Standards for the past ten months.
He says the Chana range of vehicles has met all the safety and quality standards prescribed by the SABS and the first order of vehicles has been placed with ChangAn Automobile.
The Autohaus Göbel Group has been involved in the motor retail industry for a number of years, and is currently the official importer and distributor of the London Taxi.
The group owns and manages a number of franchised dealers including Peugeot, Nissan and premium brand used vehicles.
ChangAn Automobile Group Company Limited was established in 1862 and is the largest small vehicle manufacturing company in China, as well as being fourth-biggest overall. Current export markets include South Asia, South East Asia, Middle East, South America, the United States and Europe.
by John Oxley
25/05/2006 08:21
A funky little runabout pickup is the latest vehicle from China to be pegged for South Africa - and in fact it could be the first the arrive here.
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A Johannesburg-based motor group, Autohaus Göbel, has announced that it has reached an agreement with China's ChangAn Automobile Group to import the small forward control bakkies.
It's Chana vehicles will be distributed through a network of dealers representing a wide geographic area from the third quarter of this year.
The move follows the news first revealed by Wheels24 last week that Geely cars are coming to SA, as well as GWM pickups and SUV's.
And McCarthy Motors has still to announce which vehicles it will bring to this country, though it HAS said it has reached a deal.
No confirmation
We hear on the grapevine that McCarthy has tied-up with the Chery brand, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Autohaus Göbel says an importer head office and flagship dealer will be established in Beyers Naude Drive in Northcliff, Johannesburg.
Its deal follows a year of negotiations, and a delegation from both companies met in Chongqing, China to sign the official importer and distribution agreement for Southern Africa 10 days ago.
Autohaus Göbel's CEO Karl-Heinz Göbel says his group will be the first in SA to import and distribute Chinese vehicles in South Africa.
He says the group has done careful market research and it has found a need for light commercial vehicles to suite a variety of applications.
New segment
"We have been very careful not to pitch our Chana products in market segments that are currently serviced by local manufacturers," he said.
"We aim to provide quality, value for money, reliable transport for new business entrepreneurs and established small businesses that need to transport their products or services," said Göbel.
Trevor Thomas, general manager for Chana South Africa, has been closely involved with the process of compulsory specification testing and homologation at the South African Bureau of Standards for the past ten months.
He says the Chana range of vehicles has met all the safety and quality standards prescribed by the SABS and the first order of vehicles has been placed with ChangAn Automobile.
The Autohaus Göbel Group has been involved in the motor retail industry for a number of years, and is currently the official importer and distributor of the London Taxi.
The group owns and manages a number of franchised dealers including Peugeot, Nissan and premium brand used vehicles.
ChangAn Automobile Group Company Limited was established in 1862 and is the largest small vehicle manufacturing company in China, as well as being fourth-biggest overall. Current export markets include South Asia, South East Asia, Middle East, South America, the United States and Europe.