Models under the Chery brand include the Tiggo, QQ3, J3, H5 and Yoyo.
“We are not disillusioned about how difficult it will be to introduce a new brand into the market, but we are confident because of high quality and affordability, people will accept it. Some of these vehicles have shared technology with most of these other brands,” she said.
Abdulla said plans to produce the brand locally at the Mutare plant had been in the pipeline since last year July.
The Tiggo will sell for $27 000 while the QQ3 will be priced at $10 000
“We have invested $2 million into this project. It’s been difficult. It has not been easy, but we are slightly ahead of schedule. We will start by producing a two-litre manual version of the Tiggo before we can move onto the automatic version,” she said. “The brand has done well in South Africa and the US,” said Abdulla.
Quest hopes to start producing the Tiggo in mid-January 2012.
She said once production starts, Quest hopes to introduce local contact into the manufacturing of the vehicles by using locally produced parts as kits and tyres.
“We hope to try and ensure that 30% of production is local content. By so doing we will create opportunities for downstream industries,” she said. Abdulla said there were not happy with the recent indefinite suspension of import duty on second-hand vehicles as they were not adding value to the local industry.
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“South Africa does not allow them. Botswana does not allow them as well. Why are allowing them in Zimbabwe?” she said.
