Great Wall Motor's vehicles hit Cambodian market

Cambodia's Phnom Penh-based Worldwide Garage began importing Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Company's vehicles for the first time this month, director Kan Pisey said Jan. 14, Phnom Penh Post reported.

The Cambodian company has exclusive rights to import the cars, which cost between $10,000 to $40,000, into the Southeast Asian country. "In early January, we imported 18 vehicles ... six models, to test the market," said Mrs Kan Pisey, director of the distributor.

The six models are called Peri, Florid, Cool Bear, Hover, Windle and Cowry. The garage hopes to import up to 150 units this year, and will also import some Great Wall's auto parts. Worldwide Garage estimates that Cambodia's demand for new vehicles could be around 2,000 cars a year.

At present, Great Wall Motor manufactures several types of vehicle, including sedans, SUVs, Pickups, MPVs, with an annual production capacity of 400,000 vehicles. It also independently produces car parts such as engines, as well as front and rear axles.

Great Wall Motor sold about 225,000 vehicles in 2009, up 77 percent. It led Chinese automakers in sales of pickup trucks last year by selling 71,000 units, securing a 28 percent domestic market share. The company aims to sell 400,000 vehicles in 2010.

Last year, about 80 percent of Great Wall's exported cars had been sold to India and Australia. Its vehicle products are sold to more than 121 countries.