The FINANCIAL — Leading auto dealers Toyota Center Tbilisi, Mercedes-Benz Georgia, Iberia Business Group – incorporating Peugeot, Skoda, Mitsubishi, Renault and Kia – will all offer new models of cars in 2010. Among them will be the business class sedan Renault Fluence and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, at a retail price of 156,500 EUR.
The FINANCIAL — Leading auto dealers Toyota Center Tbilisi, Mercedes-Benz Georgia, Iberia Business Group – incorporating Peugeot, Skoda, Mitsubishi, Renault and Kia – will all offer new models of cars in 2010. Among them will be the business class sedan Renault Fluence and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, at a retail price of 156,500 EUR.
In February 2010 sales of Toyota Centre Tbilisi dropped 20% compared with the same period of last year. Mercedes-Benz Georgia also says that there was no significant increase of sales in February 2010. Both companies hold a pessimistic outlook for 2010. They say the number of cars to be imported in 2010 will be lower than in 2009.
“In February 2010 Toyota Centre Tbilisi sold 51 autos. The most popular model was the Toyota Prado. The price for it is 37,500 USD. In 2009 we imported 1,500 cars. We doubt that in 2010 the number of imported cars will be less than last year. The reason for that is that people are still avoiding spending large amounts of their money,” Irakli Gurchiani, General Director of Toyota Centre Tbilisi, told The FINANCIAL.
Recently Toyota was involved in a global scandal when Toyota Motor Corp. recalled over two million vehicles, including some of their most popular models like the Toyota Camry and Corolla, due to a problem with the gas pedal sticking and forcing undue acceleration. Gurchiani says that the recent scandal has not seriously harmed the volume of sales neither in Georgia nor on the global market.
“Toyota said its North American sales overall jumped more than 50% over the first eight days of March compared with the same period in 2009,” the LA Times reports.
In 2009 the most active month in sales at Toyota Centre Tbilisi was March. The company managed to sell 225 cars.
Annual turnover of Toyota Centre Tbilisi was 90,000,000 USD. “We have not calculated the net income yet,” Gurchiani states. “According to the results of 2009 Toyota occupies 55% of the local market in the segment of new cars,” he says.
Gurchiani says that in 2010 the new model that Toyota Centre Tbilisi will offer its customers will be the Toyota Avensis.
The price for the Toyota Avensis will be 27,000 USD.
“In general the bestselling model of our centre is the Land Cruiser Prado. We sell around 500-700 annually,” Gurchiani declares.
Toyota Centre Tbilisi cooperates with all commercial banks operating in Georgia. The average interest rate for auto loans varies around 16%.
Gurchiani declares that the main factor that will support the Georgian auto industry in emerging from the economical downturn will be the improvement of the economical situation of individual persons.
During 2009 Mercedes-Benz Georgia imported 60 units of cars. “In 2010 we plan to import 50 units,” says Lasha Lomidze, Sales Manager of Mercedes-Benz Georgia.
“Sales at our centre have not risen compared with the same period of last year. In February 2010 we sold 12 units,” Lomidze notes.
Last week officials of Mercedes-Benz released the information that in February, Mercedes-Benz was once again able to continue its momentum of the past months, with sales increasing by 13 percent, equal to 72,100 vehicles. As a result, the total number of deliveries has risen by 18 percent since the beginning of the year.
The most popular brands of Mercedes-Benz in Georgia were C and E class Mercedes. Lomidze says that September and October of 2009 were the bestselling period for their centre. “In September we sold 8 passenger cars and in October – 6 passenger cars and 5 trucks. In 2009 the bestselling brand at our centre was the C class Mercedes, of which we sold 37 units,” he says.
The main novelty that Mercedes-Benz Georgia will offer its customers in 2010 will be the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The price of that will be 156,500 EUR.
Mercedes-Benz Georgia cooperates with TBC Bank, Bank of Georgia and KOR Standard Bank, which offers auto loans.
Lomidze says that presently Mercedes-Benz occupies 2% of the local market in the segment of new autos. “The total rehabilitation of the Georgian economy will be the main factor that will encourage sales of cars in Georgia,” Lomidze believes.
According to Ia Modebadze, Marketing Manager Assistant of Iberia Business Group, the company will offer different types of new brands to its customers.
In 2010 Kia Motors Georgia, will offer: Sorento, the all new highline cruiser; C + class sedan Kia Cerato, with completely new design, as well as Cerato Koup; Mohave, new premium class off roader from Kia and Cadenza is a luxury class large sedan with modern dynamic design.
Iberia Business Group, (IBG) was established in 1999. In 2001 it was already a united, powerful trade-industrial holding. Today IBG comprises the automotive industry, as well as real estate and development and also fashion stores. In Georgia IBG is the official representatives of automotive brands – Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda, which makes it part of the Volkswagen Group – a German automobile manufacturing group. IBG imports and sells brand new cars and provides all services related to vehicle exploitation.
Iberia Business Group is an authorized dealer of Kia Motors in Georgia. The company has operated on the Georgian market since the year 2008.
Peugeot will import 3008 – 4 WD crossover which is a completely new model in the whole world as well as on the Georgian market.
Skoda will offer Yeti – 4 WD crossovers.
As well as this the Volkswagen centre will present Touareg, a premium class off roader with renovated design and Amarok.
Renault will present Fluence, the all new business class sedan Renault Fluence and Logan, a new model from Renault, for the corporate segment.
And Mitsubishi will offer Outlander, a crossover with renovated design and Lancer, a B class sedan of sports design.
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