Johannesburg – Great Wall Motors (GWM) is celebrating its 15th anniversary in Southern Africa. The Chinese giant was founded on 1 July 1990 by then 26-year-old Jack Wey and produced its first vehicle in 1993.
The Southern Africa subsidiary was established in 2007, with the first shipment of vehicles containing only one model, available in Single Cab, Double Cab, and Multi-wagon.
In 2017, the company’s name changed to HAVAL Motors South Africa with GWM, symbolising an investor change. GWM changed from a distributor model to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Great Wall Motors group while establishing a presence in over 60 countries.
Since then, HAVAL Motors South Africa has remained a constant player in the South African automotive space. The company was the fastest-growing brand in South Africa with 54% growth YOY.
GWM’s customer-centric dealer network enjoyed explosive growth too and loyalty locally expanded from 60 to over 95 dealerships across the country. Globally, there are over 70 subsidiaries and almost 60 000 employees. The GWM P-Series bakkie, launched in December 2020, captured hearts with exceptional technology, build quality, and unbeatable value for money. P-Series boasts class-leading features; like wireless charging, traffic sign recognition, 360-degree camera, autonomous braking, and even a sunroof.
To celebrate its 15th birthday locally, GWM is launching a campaign for all customers as well as aspiring customers to showcase their love for the brand and its cars.
Participants are encouraged to record a short video or take a photo that shows how much their GWM means to them. R15 000 in prizes are up for grabs.
GWM is firmly entrenched in Mzansi and will continue improving little by little every day to ensure South Africa receives the most innovative, technologically advanced, and affordable vehicles along with responsive aftersales support.
Great Wall Motors is the proud owner of leading brands – HAVAL, GWM, ORA, and TANK. ORA, a full Electric Vehicle, and TANK, a Hybrid Vehicle, are considered for the local market given the success experienced with P-Series and Haval.
