MG V80, a new car model developed by SAIC Motor-CP Co, a joint venture between SAIC Motor and C.P. Group of Thailand, was launched on March 26. The new model is a wide-body light passenger car specially designed for the Thai market and is a testament to the success of SAIC Motor in coordinating the advantages of its various subsidiaries in terms of brand and product development. SAIC Motor will continue to uphold a differentiation strategy for overseas markets to meet the needs of global consumers for high-quality products and services, and accelerate its international businesses.

Specifically, the successful launch of MG V80 in Thailand is the result of innovative collaboration between MAXUS and MG in leveraging their own advantages in brand and product development. MG V80 is based on the MAXUS V80, a vehicle developed with world-class technologies and that has gained a positive response from developed markets such as Australia, New Zealand and Europe. MAXUS has become a popular Chinese auto brand in Australia and New Zealand, with annual sales in the two countries ranking first among other auto makers for two consecutive years. Having been operating in Thailand for many years, MG has gained considerable influence and developed broad online sales channels in the country, with 105 dealers spread across 66 of the country’s provinces. By integrating the advantages of its subsidiaries in brand and product development, SAIC Motor will improve its product layout in Thailand to meet local needs and bring high-quality services to local customers.

In recent years, SAIC Motor has been sticking to a global business layout and multinational operation model to enhance its international competitiveness and brand influence. Its business now reaches more than 60 countries and regions in the world. The company has built three vehicle manufacturing bases in Thailand, Indonesia and India, 11 marketing centers in ASEAN nations, Europe, South America, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and other areas, and three R&D centers in Britain and the United States. The company’s sales have exceeded 10,000 units in six overseas markets - Thailand, Britain, Indonesia, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, and the Middle East. In 2018, SAIC Motor sold 270,000 vehicles overseas, up 62 percent year on year, ranking first in China in terms of overseas car sales. During January and February, the company’s MG and MAXUS cars hit a record high in overseas sales, with a year-on-year increase of 152 percent and 101 percent, respectively.

The robust growth of SAIC Motor’s overseas businesses can be attributed to the company’s unremitting efforts in adapting its products to suit local needs. By continuing to build up its brand strength, the company has developed its MG and MAXUS into two world-renowned and highly-competitive car brands, which, by focusing on major overseas countries, have become two mainstream auto brands in these countries. MG is now very popular among customers in Thailand, Britain, the Middle East, South America, Australia and New Zealand, while MAXUS is favored by customers in Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe. In the future, SAIC Motor will continue to focus on the characteristics of different overseas markets to better meet the needs of local customers by coordinating its brand and product advantages and improving brand management.

In terms of manufacturing and services, SAIC Motor will take full advantage of the spillover effects brought about by its innovation strategy pursuing electrification, intelligent connectivity, sharing and internationalization, and adopt a diversified way of thinking. For mature markets, it will focus on new energy vehicles and apply a new business model to provide creative and environmentally friendly mobility services for customers, and strive to establish an ecosystem for intelligent connected vehicles; for emerging markets, it will provide vehicles with differentiated brands and properties, as well as more convenient maintenance and financial services, while at the same time, try to lead innovation by introducing new energy vehicles and intelligent connected cars. Its MG ZS, equipped with i-SMART, the world’s first Thai language based system for internet vehicles, gained much popularity among young customers in Thailand upon launch and ranked among the best-selling internet vehicle brands.

Looking ahead, SAIC Motor will continue to uphold a differentiated overseas development strategy to provide high-quality products and services for local customers and hopes to see its vehicles running in more and more countries.