China’s Great Wall Gears for Second Oz Breakthrough

Chinese automaker Great Wall makes another run at Australia with the arrival of the first shipment of its Steed pickups.

Parker Shi, managing director-Great Wall Motors Australia, says the relaunch of China’s all-new Steed dual-cab utility vehicles ushers in a new era for value in Australia’s light-commercial market.

The Steed goes on sale in September, with pricing to be announced at launch.

“We will launch with a 3-model lineup boasting a rugged new design, high levels of safety, 1-ton payload and very attractive price points for Australian customers,” Shi says in a statement.

Great Wall will offer three dual-cab models – an all-wheel-drive diesel and rear-wheel-drive diesel and gasoline versions – with electronic stability control and six airbags standard on all three models.

“They will all come with a long list of creature comforts, including cruise control, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control air conditioning and heated front seats.”

Great Wall first entered the Australian market in 2009 with distributor Ateco Automotive handling the brand. It sold about 40,000 units before it was hit with a series of setbacks.

Shifting exchange rates saw the Chinese automaker lose its large price advantage over Thai-built rivals. More than 20,000 units had to be recalled because of parts found to contain asbestos, and poor crash-test results further curtailed sales.

Only 11 units were sold in the first six months of this year following deliveries of 114 units for all of 2015.

Great Wall Motors Australia assumed control of its Australian and New Zealand operations in July, pledging continued service for the existing customer base and dealer network.

Shi says negotiations with the sales network are going well, with 50 dealers across the country already committing to the brand at launch.