Chinese cars tipped for June

However, Ateco Automotive chief, Ric Hull, is confident Chinese cars and light commercial vehicles will be in local showrooms by June.

Ateco had originally aimed to launch some Chinese cars into our market last month.

Hull says the delay "is purely a function of exchange rates at the moment".

He's hoping the Australian dollar will recover or "market pricing levels will adjust to the exchange rates".

For Ateco, the first cab off the rank will be four vehicles from Great Wall Motors.

The lineup is tipped to be two light commercial pickups with 2.2 and 2.4-litre engines, a small 1.3-litre hatch and a 2.4-litre four-wheel drive off-roader.

GWM has right-hand drive versions of the Wingle and Sailor pickups ready to go, as well as the stylish Hover off-roader.

"In tough times the light commercial segment is not a bad place to be," Hull says.

In the third quarter, once its cars meet tough Australian Design Rules, the Chery brand will follow.

Ateco has previously expressed interest in the Chery Tiggo off-roader A1 hatch and A5 sedan.

News that China cars are still on the local agenda is worrying for marginal importers like Proton, SsangYong and recently launched Mahindra, all fighting for market share.

Hull has a proven track record with start-ups, having been behind Hyundai, Daewoo and Kia in Australia.

He is heading to China in April for the Shanghai Motor Show to meet with both GWM and Chery executives.

"Great Wall is talking about launching several new models this year, so we'll be interested in talking to them about those," he says.

Like GWM, Chery will concentrate on the volume hatch and sedan small car segment, as well as the compact four-wheel drive segment.

Hull says Ateco's strategy will aim at the rival Korean brands but add more equipment in the Chinese cars.

This means buyers can expect safety and comfort features normally found on more expensive cars.

Things like electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes, curtain airbags, a full suite of in-car electronics and high-end stereos are likely to be standard.

"The Koreans are an uncertain benchmark at the moment because the Won is one of the least affected currencies by the depreciation in the Australian dollar," Hull says.

By comparison the Australian dollar has lost 40 per cent against the Japanese Yen.

Ateco has signed 60 dealers, mostly metropolitan, to sell GWM cars.

"They are quite unperturbed by the delays; they understand completely," Hull says.