After months of intensive cooperative study, Luxuriant Automotive Group, Inc. (LAGI) and Great Wall Motor (GWM) have formalized its partnership through the signing of a distributorship agreement on October 26, 2022, at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. The strategic move was fueled by Great Wall Motor’s goal to expand its operations in the Philippines, closely following the opening of Malaysia and Thailand, and SQ Group’s vision to further diversify its multi-business footprint.
LAGI is the automotive business division of SQ Group, which was established in 1988. SQ Group currently has business interests in manufacturing, real estate, as well as import and distribution. After years of observation, the group has gained insights into the auto industry and has noticed the dramatic improvement of China-made automotive products in terms of quality, intelligence, and aftersales service, making it a viable business opportunity.
At the signing ceremony, Ms. Lilian Cui, general manager of Great Wall Motors’ Philippines project shared that the brand is experiencing bullish growth in ASEAN markets and she is optimistic that the same will be true for the Philippine market. For his part, Mr. Ruben Tan, president of Luxuriant Automotive, SQ Group’s automotive division, said “in order to achieve the same success as Great Wall Motor has reaped in ASEAN markets, my team will be committed to delivering a new customer experience through new technology and innovation, and aftersales excellence.” Tan added that while they still cannot disclose many details regarding their first dealer location and the brand’s initial vehicle line-up, the Philippine market can expect to take full advantage of Great Wall Motor’s rich product lineup, with products that have earned excellent reviews from the Australian, South African, and Thai markets, to name a few.
Great Wall Motor
After more than 30 years of development, GWM has become one of the largest auto groups in China. With its considerable continuous investment in research and development, GWM is now capable of providing a comprehensive lineup of models of distinct characteristics. As an automotive maker, GWM is able to satisfy the full range of vehicle types: Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), and Battery-powered Electric Vehicles (BEV). This superior R&D capability and the huge potential it carries is the reason LAGI endeavored to partner with GWM. LAGI believes GWM models can provide elevated car ownership and usage experience to Philippine customers.
“Working with Great Wall Motor, we will leverage its product lineup strengths, and we would like to launch SUVs, pickup trucks, and other popular categories in the Philippines. We look forward to new forms of energy for the Philippine customer. All this time, we will put the customers’ wants at the forefront of our local strategy, bringing enhanced products and services to local consumers, and meeting their needs. LAGI has set up the team for working with GWM, the models we are planning to bring into the Philippines market are all very popular in other overseas markets, and GWM models will make 2023 a very exciting year for Philippine automotives,” said Tan.
Great Wall Motor owns several brands offering crossovers, pickup trucks, SUVs, and electric vehicles. It is the leading pickup truck manufacturer in China’s domestic market, while also leading in the SUV segments, under its SUV brands Haval and Tank. Great Wall Motor is one of the most recognized auto entities in China, with 1.280M units sold in 2021, to more than 170 countries. To ensure continuous enhancement of its customers’ experience, it has established R&D centers in China, America, Canada, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea for advanced research and development of cars, core components, EVs, and intelligence systems. Great Wall Motor also has 10 factories with full automotive manufacturing capabilities in China and similar-scale factories in Thailand, Brazil, and Russia.
The brand is set to make its comeback in the Philippines by the first quarter of 2023.