GWM to shorten development time of its models by half as it expands global presence
CY Foong ยท Jul 2, 2021 11:30 AM
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GWM (Great Wall Motors) might be the second-biggest private car company in China after Geely but its global expansion efforts are eclipsing that of the company that owns Proton. After taking over plants once owned by some of the world’s largest automakers, GWM wants to shorten the development time of its new models by half.
In an interview with Australian automotive site, GoAuto, GWM Australia/New Zealand head of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver, said that the company aims to be a high-volume, high-quality manufacturer and to be “the most active automotive company”.
To do so, GWM has planned the “Fast Iterative Development Approach” that would shorten launch-to-update product lifecycles to between 6 and 12 months. Most automakers have a development period of 12 to 24 months.
“In terms of timing, we want to try and condense the time in between the new models,” Maciver said. “Product is the key and so that will help drive up sales.”
GWM is ranked the 14th biggest car company by capitalisation with USD 51.54 billion, placing it between Hyundai (USD 54.03b) and Ferrari (USD 49.56b). It built 1.1 million vehicles in 2020.
GWM has been “over-investing” in research and development (R&D) with centres planned to be opened in Austria, Germany, India, and Korea. It also has a design centre in Japan and autonomous vehicle development centres in America and India. These are on top of the existing operations in China.
After facing problems ranging from warranty issues to the questionable quality of early models, GWM is confident that it can gain the trust of Australian buyers. It has been on sale Down Under for a decade and sales for the Ute Cannon (GWM Pao) for 2021 have so far already exceeded the entirety of 2020.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.