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Shanghai GM enlists Saab in drive into luxury car sector
By Li Jian (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-07-12 10:10 "Our co-operation with Saab is not limited to sales. Saab's brand influence
and its experience in the luxury car market will advance Shanghai GM's push into
the high-class auto market," said Ding.
Shanghai GM is planning to build
up to 20 Saab dealerships in China's major cities including Shanghai, Beijing
and Guangzhou by the end of the year, said Chen Yanming, a spokesman for
Shanghai GM.
A Shanghai GM statement yesterday said the Saab 95,
including a bio-powered version, will be Shanghai GM's mainstream model, along
with the Cadillac, in the luxury auto market.
It also said Saab's target
customers will be the new rich with a loyalty to brands and an increasing and
unique appetite for the high-quality life.
The fever for luxury products
in China saw more than 50,000 high-class sedans imported in the first quarter of
the year.
Luxury car makers including BMW and Mercedes-Benz have begun to
build cars in China to lower prices.
Shanghai GM started selling
Cadillacs in 2004, to compete with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in the luxury car
market.
Jan-Ake Jonson, managing director of Saab Automobile AB, told
China Daily yesterday at the Saab 95 launch ceremony in Shanghai that he
believes Saab can compete with any luxury car available in China.
"In
Europe, our global sales have increased by 11 per cent from last year," said
Jan-Ake. "I believe Saab will provoke whistles of surprise in
China."
Jan-Ake said Saab will be not be made in China in the coming
years.
Saab sold 70,864 cars globally last year. Even in the cooling
European market, Saab achieved a 10 per cent growth in market share last year,
said Kevin Snell, the company's China development manager.
Zhong Hui, an
analyst from Shanghai Jiuhua Auto, a leading local dealership, said luxury cars
such as Saabs are popular although it may take some time for customers to
develop loyalty to a new brand.
"As living standards improve, they become
more selective in purchasing cars, especially luxury cars," said Zhang. "They do
not only want BMWs and Benzs, but also cool cars like Saabs."
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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