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Loading ...SSangyong goes back to basics, Paul Williams has made something of a speciality of driving forward small and under-performing brands, starting with Daihatsu and going through Mitsubishi and Kia. His last venture was to introduce Chinese Landwind cars to mainland Europe.
Now as reported by Motor Trader back in January, he is back in Britain, heading Koeliker UK, a subsidiary of an Italian company, which has taken over the sales and distribution of SsangYong vehicles. The Previous importer of, SYUK, went into administration at the end of last year. Koeliker which already distributes SsangYong in Italy, Austria and Hungary, appointed Williams to establish the new company and re-think the sales and marketing for UK Ssangyong.
His strategy is familiar from the previous exploits offer good value cars at “two thirds the price” of equivalent brands. For the re-launch Ssangyong is concentrating on three products - the Rexton and Kyron SUV’s and the Rodius MPV - with the same starting price for the Kyron and Rodius of £14,995. For a limited time offer of course. Free servicing through the three year warranty will also be offered.
Williams is concentrating on the functional aspects of these cars and business users, who are less likely to be influenced by fassion and aspirational brands. The new slogan : ” SsangYong it works for me ” will be promoting the launch.
Koeliker UK inherited 60 dealers but is continuing with only 35 of those and plans to be back to 60 by the end of the year and have a network of 100 by 2010. By then, SSangyong will have a wider range of products but there is an interesting twist in how the network might develop. Ssangyong is a Korean company once associated with Mercedes and briefly part of Daewoo, but is today 51.9% percent owned by Shanghai Automotive industries Corporation. (SAIC). At the turn of the year, SAIC took over Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) which owns MG and has been dragging its heels on starting a relaunched MG TF-production at Longbridge and confirming dealer appointments.
Koeliker is said to be in ‘talks’ with SAIC which may be minded to use SSangYong dealers to sell its Chinease built European cars. Since SAIC and NAC now intend to be one company for sales and marketing, a decision to go with SSangyong could leave MG dealers out on a limb.
Williams who was frustrated in his attempts to launch Landwind by delays in development and delivery relishes the idea of handling British designed cars from China’s biggest car manufacturer.