Great Wall Motor: Rich Product Range for More Market Share

The Chinese government's automobile revitalizing plan has bolstered up the development of proprietary brands. From January to April 2009, Great Wall Motor Co., Ltd. witnessed a domestic output and sales surge of 81%. 

The reason, besides improving market environment, must be the company's diversified product portfolio. Great Wall Motor is no longer a sheer manufacturer of SUVs and pick-up trucks.

Under its aegis, there are nine types of cars, including Gwperi, Florid, Coolbear, and a series of unnamed Cross sedans like CH031and CHC011. 12 SUV models are classified into M and H series under the trademark of Hover, representing small-displacement and mainstream SUVs respectively.

In the future, Great Wall Motor's new pick-up trucks will be named Wingle, and MPVs will still be sold under the nameplate of Cowry. The company will consolidate its leading status in the SUV and pick-up truck fields, and gear up in the sedan market, disclosed its president Wang Fengying.

This year, Great Wall Motor will promote nine new car models below the displacement of 1.6L in the Chinese market. So far, 1.3L and 1.5L Florid, 1.5L Coolbear, and 1.3L Gwperi 09 have all debuted on the market. Most of them are equipped with VVT engines.

2.0L Hover H3 has been launched, and 1.3L Hover M1 will hit the market in late May. Meanwhile, business-version Wingle and Cowry 09 have also been promoted. In the second half of 2009, brand new 1.3L and 1.5L Hover M3, 1.5L Cross sedan, and CH031 will become available to customers in succession.

Notably, 1.5L Florid saw monthly sales reach 5,000 vehicles in March. Coolbear and Hover H3 also received warm welcome. The promotion of Hover H3 is the first step of Great Wall Motor to minimize the displacement of its Hover series.

For a long term, large-displacement SUVs have been selling well in the domestic market. But, customers tend to be more rational when purchasing SUVs. Because of higher fuel taxes, they will favor car models that consume less oil.

Meanwhile, due to last year's natural disasters and financial crisis, the Chinese government will lessen its procurement of municipal vehicles. As a result, small-displacement SUVs will sell better.

Moreover, the birth of low-price Hover H3 will likely mean a challenge to Tiggo and Rein, two SUV models produced by Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC and SHSE: 600418) respectively.

They will be forced to lower selling prices or kick off more preferential promotions. So will Beijing Hyundai Motor Company, and Kia Motors China, which sells low- and medium-end SUVs.

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