Human Sounds Car Guy - Australia # 39; Got Talent
The small Chinese automaker Lifan Motors has revealed that he is considering local assembly as a strategy for better acceptance of the sales in Australia.
The Chongqing-based company is currently negotiating with several potential distributors to set up an Australian dealer network to sell imported cars, but says he can move the local assembly in the future in the form of kits semi-mounted SKD.
We discussed the SKD plans on the Australian market, build the body in China and import in Australia, General Lifan assistant Igor Tan said in an exclusive interview stroll Auto China in Beijing last week.
However, he would not give a sort of timetable for plans Lifan We are eager to have our cars in Australia, but a date is not confirmed.
Setting up local assembly would be true to form Lifan, which followed this model in some developing markets, it has so far established outside China, however, Australia is an established market prices of relatively low imports and high labor costs, and automotive manufacturing is struggling to survive.
It may make more sense economically to assemble cars in Australia than importing them, explained Tan and do the SKD in Australia, it can be much more acceptable to people than just a finished car.
SKD would also be the customer service much more convenient.
Tan said the SKD plan was at an early stage, there had been no investigation of potential government support factory premises or set a study tour in Australia can take place as early June
Lifan is a minnow by Chinese standards, selling only 60,000 cars in 2009, it aims to reach 100,000 in 2010, exports representing more than 20 percent of that.
The only care Lifan won in Australia has been for its 320 model, a minicar derided for being obviously inspired by the Mini Cooper - Chinese automakers regularly copy other designs Marqués - except that he has five instead of three doors.
Lifan is only one of many Chinese brands which provide Australian attack, but is an important step ahead of many of them because its size Toyota Yaris sedan and hatch 520 has already won the Australian Design Rule approval ADR for local sale.
Back in 2008, it looked like Lifan is the first Chinese brand in the Australian market with the 520, but that plan was scuttled by the GFC.
Instead Ateco Automotive has launched Great Wall Motors last June and will soon introduce Chery.
Meanwhile, Perth-based Chinese Automotive Distributors is the small car marketing test Geely MK in WA.
The 320 would be the second Lifan Approved for the Australian market, Tan said, while a new compact SUV launched at the Beijing Motor Show would be considered as the other models in the passenger car range is the Lifan 620 sedan Toyota Corolla size .
Tan said there were several reasons for selling cars in Australia.
First, we want to improve our quality because we know the Australian market has very high expectations for the quality Second, get involved in the Australian market may lead to a better future for Lifan through our cooperation with dealers.
We want to be well respected in the automotive industry in Australia.
Nevertheless Tan confirmed the main initial sales strategy would be the price under-cutting even the Korean competition.
But only on price, he said that we will provide good quality and safety.
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