Great Wall returns
Chinese motor giant Great Wall has re-entered the New Zealand motor industry with its new Steed utes listing from $26,990.
Six New Zealand dealers have resumed sales of the utes after the company opened a local headquarters in Mt Wellington.
A motor industry veteran, Shane Jones, has been appointed New Zealand operations manager, and the company plans to launch Haval SUVs here later this year.Great Wall Motors Australia /New Zealand has taken over the sales of its vehicles in Australasia from previous distributors Atecco.
Four Great Wall Stead utes are now available in this country, two petrol-engined and two diesel-powered models.
The six New Zealand dealerships have committed to selling an initial allocation of 250 Stead utes during the first three months of this year.
The Great Wall Steed dual cab petrol 4x2 will have a recommended retail price of $26,990, while the petrol 4x4 model will list at $29,990.
The 4x2 Steed diesel model will list at $28,990, while the diesel 4x4 will list at $31,990.There are around 5000 Great Wall utes on New Zealand roads, with around half of them still being supported under warranty.
The general manager of Australia/New Zealand operations Tony Carraturo said in Auckland this week that New Zealand dealers were enthusiastic about the return of the brand here.
Negotiations were continuing to expand the six dealerships by at least another three, and the company would be taking over spare parts and back up support aspect of the Great Wall business from later this year.
The Great Wall Motors New Zealand chief marketing officer Tim Smith said the models included ESP and six air bags, which gave the company confidence the new models would be a hit with customers in the light commercial vehicle sector wanting a great value one-tone ute.“The new Steed is the ute New Zealand farmers and tradies have been looking for,” said Great Wall Motors New Zealand Chief Marketing Officer Tim Smith.
“New Zealanders are renowned for recognising a great value proposition when they see it, and we are confident the new Great Wall Steed will strike a chord that resonates around the country,” he said.Shane Jones has spent 25 years in the motor industry, working for Saab in Sweden, BMW-Rover, Ford-LandRover, and is a former national sales manager for Land Rover in this country. More recently he has run his own automotive businesses and worked with the Motor Trade Association in Auckland.