Chinese brand Chery has announced it will return to New Zealand, "bringing a range of high-quality, innovative, and technologically advanced vehicles to Kiwi drivers".
But hang on, isn't it here already? Kind of, yes. The Omoda and Jaecoo brands are both subsidiaries of Chery and sold in many markets with Chery branding already. Just not here in New Zealand.
Those models will continue under standalone branding. A Chery spokesperson told DRIVEN Car Guide: "There is no change to the existing Omoda Jaecoo brand and dealer network."
So think of Chery as a whole different thing. While the brand is yet to reveal timing or a model lineup, it has confirmed that it will launch with 10 dealerships: Whangarei, Auckland (north, central and south), Pukekohe, Hamilton, Tauranga, Taupo, Lower Hutt and Christchurch.
No more information has been provided, although Omoda Jaecoo has showrooms in all those locations. Just saying.
It's a fair bet that a key Chery model for NZ wil be the Tiggo 4 compact-SUV, not least because there was a picture of it attached to the press release. It's a budget offering that starts at just $23,990 in Australia. Other models, going up in size, include the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8.
Chery says its lineup will showcase the Super Hybrid System (SHS) technology recently introduced on the Jaecoo J7 for NZ.
However, it's unlikely the Chery product will specifically clash with existing Omodoa Jaecoo models, given they are all sold under the same branding in so many markets (including Australia) as a complementary lineup.
Chery was previously sold in NZ between 2011-14 as an ultra-budget brand with quality to match. It's a very different company now and it's safe to say very few of those original cars will have survived to remind of the bad old days. And Chery is hardly alone in this situation: both Geely and Great Wall Motors had early, undistinguished careers in NZ before recent reboots.
Chery is now very focused on global expansion and is China's largest exporter of cars.
“We are thrilled to enter the NZ market and offer our latest generation of vehicles to local customers,” says Lewis Lu, CEO of Chery Australia and NZ.
“New Zealanders have a deep appreciation for quality and innovation, and we are confident that our vehicles will exceed expectations by delivering outstanding features at an accessible price point.”