CHINA’S GREAT WALL BRAND TO LAUNCH IN THE UK

IM Group, the Midlands-based importer and distributor for Subaru, Isuzu and Daihatsu, has announced the signing of an agreement that will see it importing vehicles from Chinese auto maker Great Wall Motor Company.

Sales will initially get under way in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this year. But from 2011, IM Group will also be launching a range of Great Wall models in Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland.

The Great Wall Motor Company, one of the few privately-owned Chinese car makers, has designed and built all of the European-bound models specifically to meet EU whole-vehicle type approval standards. And the company claims this will prevent a repeat of the disappointing crash test results previously endured by other manufacturers when attempting to sell Chinese-built vehicles in Europe.

IM Group has operated in the Chinese market for over 15 years, and currently employs a team of 40 at its Beijing office. But so far, the company is remaining tight-lipped over which Great Wall models will make it to the UK.

There’s no shortage of choice, with Great Wall producing a wide range of cars, SUVs and 4x4 pick-ups for its domestic market. But IM Group will inevitably want to avoid any major clashes with its existing marques – and will be equally keen to ensure that only those models which offer a reasonable level of build quality will make it over here.

One thing’s for sure: where Great Wall leads in offering Chinese-built vehicles in the UK from 2011, other China-based manufacturers will be wanting to follow suit…