GWM has officially been in Mzansi for 18 years. Quite an unbelievable and hugely impressive feat for the Chinese automotive manufacturer, considering that back in 2007, automotive consumers were not too amiable to Chinese-built vehicles. There were not many to begin with, mainly grey imports. But those that were in the country did not cover themselves in glory as far as consumers were concerned, especially when it came to reliability and longevity.
Enter GWM, which at the time was still going as Great Wall Motor. Founded as a truck modifying company back in 1976 in Baoding, Hebei province of China, Great Wall Automobile Industry Company, GWM later became an SUV specialist. The first GWM cars arrived in Mzansi in 2007 via the Durban Port. The consignment was mainly made up of a total of 1 500 Steed bakkies and the Hover SUV. Excitement was palpable, because the Steed was the first bakkie of Chinese origin to be made available to our bakkie-loving consumers. As expected, the Steed took to market with great interest, proving to be a reliable and sturdy workhorse among its peers.
Some of the cars that followed include the likes of H1, Florid, C20R, C50 T, H6 and H5, as GWM sought to establish itself as a viable alternative in the burgeoning SUV segment at a time when SUVs were still considered novel vehicles in the overall market. Reaching 2010, GWM had sold a cumulative 10 000 cars in Mzansi, and had entered the top 20 of best-selling manufacturers doing strong business in the country. By 2016, GWM had set up around 60 local dealerships, proving how its seriousness about this market. Cumulative sales have reached around 50 000 units.
It was probably the introduction of the Haval brand that led to a surge in sales and recognition of GWM as a top player in the market. Haval, established in China in 2013, arrived in our market with ambitious intentions. The brand’s future vision had been established quite early, with Haval entering the notoriously tough Dakar off-road race as a brand. And so pedigree would not be an issue as such in our market. Perhaps growing competition would be.
