On August 29th, the 2018 Moscow International Auto Show arrived on schedule. The Haval brand brought its glory to the heavyweight models F7, H6, H9 and HB-03 concept cars. Haval's participation in this exhibition is not only for the warm-up of the upcoming products, but also shows the strong brand appeal to the world, further enhancing the international popularity.
The highlight of the Haval Auto Show was the first appearance of the Haval F7 in Russia. The Haval F7 is positioned as a compact SUV and is the flagship product of the Haval brand in accordance with the international development route. At the auto show, Phil Simmons, vice president of Great Wall Motors and Haval brand styling, vividly interpreted the design concepts of the F7 and F series., He said that Haval F7 would shape the spirit of intelligence, and create the four major consumer values of excellent appearance, intellectual technology, tough power and ultimate security for the tech savvy by means of smart technology, and surpass the leading intelligent technology and enterprising young attitude.
The Russian version of the Haval F7 will be consistent with the domestic models in terms of body structure, powertrain and vehicle configuration, but will be localized for exterior and interior design according to Russian regulations and vehicle environment. This strategy can best meet the requirements and local regulations for consumer demand on the Haval brand. In addition to production and sales in China, Russia and other countries, Haval F7 is expected to be exported to South America, the Middle East and Europe.
Haval H9 that is best-selling Haval model in the Russian market, The Haval H9 is the only model among the seven-seat large and medium-sized SUVs with strong off-road performance, luxury and technological configuration. The Haval HB-03 concept vehicle that improves the way of travel in the future also appeared in this Show. Among them, the Haval H6 has sold more than 2 million units so far since the first new car rolled off the production line in August 2011, making it the world's best-selling SUV model of Chinese brands.
Russia is one of Great Wall Motors' largest overseas markets and a long-term strategic market for the Haval brand. Wang Shihui, General Manager of Great Wall Motor International, mentioned in his speech that the Haval brand debuted at the Moscow Auto Show in 2014. In 2015, the Haval brand officially entered the Russian auto market, and is committed to bringing high-quality professional SUVs to Russian consumers.
Haval's products are in line with Russia's national style and consumer appeal, and sales in Russia are steadily rising: in 2017, 1822 units of vehicle sales were achieved, and 1138 units were sold in the first half of 2018, an increase of 31% year-on-year; By 2020, sales will reach 20,000 units.
General Manager Wang Shihui also said that as the largest overseas investment project of Great Wall Motor, the Tulahave factory is progressing smoothly and will be put into production in the first quarter of next year. The plant will invest about US$500 million and its production capacity will reach 150,000 vehicles yearly. The Haval F7 and Haval H9, which were unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show, are all produced here. The completion of overseas factories has effectively reduced costs and is more conducive to researching and developing high-quality products that meet the needs of consumers in overseas markets.
Local government officials such as the Governor of Tula, Russia, said that the Tula factory would bring a great number of employment opportunities to the local area, boost economic development and create significant economic and social benefits.
Globalization is the core strategy of GWM. The release of Haval F7 at the Moscow Auto Show and the coming localized production indicate that Haval's development in Russia will enter a new era of rapid expansion, and also show that GWM's globalization strategy has taken a solid and steady step.
