How Chery intends to stand out in Australia

Chinese brand Chery will target younger buyers with a re-launch in Australia, with constant car updates and exclusive events for owners.

Trademark will debut with Omoda 5 SUV when it returns to Australia, followed by the larger Tiggo 7 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro crossovers.

Examples of all three will be shipped to Australia from Shanghai in July for potential customers and dealer partners to view, although the brand has not confirmed plans to show the vehicles locally as of yet. how.

When it had cars for sale, Chery specified CarExpert it plans to target Generation Z buyers with a range of initiatives, including owner events aimed at creating a community.

Chery has held events in markets such as Peru, Ecuador and Qatar under the With Chery With Love (WCWL) banner. Now in the “second season”, WCWL . Program (above) also includes an online element.

Some brands have managed to build a strong owner community in Australia, albeit with a focus on passionate buyers.

Hyundai holds multiple watch days for its N Performance community, while Toyota rolls out the Gazoo Racing brand with the promise of events for GR Supra owners. However, this practice is less common for passenger cars and SUVs.

Along with owner events, Chery plans to be one of the first mainstream car brands to offer constant updates across its entire range.

Pioneered by Tesla, over-the-air (OTA) software tweaks allow automakers to add new features or deploy fixes to their vehicles remotely.

Tesla is no longer alone in providing OTA capabilities; Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Polestar and Porsche can not only update their car’s infotainment systems, but also update elements of how the vehicle operates through firmware changes.

However, this functionality has yet to find its way to the mainstream market. The new Ford Ranger can get OTA updates, but the technology is absent in most of Australia’s best-selling cars.

In addition to owner events and OTA capabilities, members of Chery’s startup team have pointed out that CarExpert the brand is considering Lexus or Genesis-style service, where technicians collect the vehicle before servicing and return it to the owner afterwards.

Chery has grown tremendously since first entering the Australian market.

Tiggo’s range of six powerful SUVs offered abroad gives it potential rivals in everything from Location Hyundai arrive Hyundai Santa Feand it also offers a Toyota Camry-size sedan.

Power across the range comes from a compact turbocharged petrol engine and the latest Chery models feature an updated active driver assist suite.

At its Australian debut, the Chery will face fast-growing Chinese brands GWM (Great Wall Motor, including GWM Haval) and MG in the race to establish itself.

Like its rivals, Chery is focused on increasing sales outside of China. It is now available in more than 80 markets, from Peru to South Africa.

Chery never reached great heights Down Under on her first attempt. Announced in 2008 and launched in 2011, the brand is distributed by Ateco Australia, which currently looks after brands ranging from Renault to RAM.

Sales of the J1 city hatch, J3 hatch and J11 SUV were all slow during Chery’s first test.

The J1, valued at around $10,000 before being dropped from sale due to lack of stability control, peaked with sales of 434 units in 2011 and ended with just one in 2015.

The J11 SUV had a high sales volume of 1114 units in 2011 and finished with 84 units in 2015, while the J3 hatch topped with 468 units.

The brand itself sold 1822 vehicles in 2011, 1133 vehicles in 2012, 903 vehicles in 2013, 592 vehicles in 2014 and 201 vehicles in 2015.

THAN: China’s Chery confirms scope to restart in Australia
THAN: Is this China’s next best-selling low-cost compact SUV?