One newcomer Chinese brand is planning a multi-model takeover of Australia's new car market, leaning on its global partnership with Toyota to launch into 10 vehicles segments over the next five years.
GAC might seem like yet another Chinese brand hoping to make it big in Australia, but there are a few reasons why it should be taken seriously – not least of which is a long-standing partnership with Toyota in China which, GAC says, has allowed it to match the Japanese giant on quality while beating it on price.
GAC has launched in Australia with three models – the bite-sized Emzoom, the mid-size Aion V electric SUV and the massive M8 people-mover – but the brand has confirmed plans for seven more models by the end of the decade, ensuring they're active in just about every vehicle space we have.
That would put them on a collision course with BYD, which has also vowed to enter every segment in Australia.
Supporting that fleet will be a planned network of 100 GAC dealers around the country.
"Today, we bring three models here, but we hope to reach 10 models by 2030," GAC's International President, Wei Haigang, told CarsGuide.
"We hope to have more than 30 dealers by next year. In this way, we can cover the major cities in Australia. And for the longer term, for example, for the next five years, we hope to realise 100 dealers by 2030."
Among the first products to arrive could be the Toyota Kluger-troubling GAC S7 PHEV, an example of which is already in Sydney.
Powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the S7 promises a total driving range of 1000kms, and an all-electric range of up to 200kms, albeit under China's more lenient testing cycle.
"We are now studying about this," Mr Haigang says. "Its range, just under electric (power) is 200kms."
Toyota and GAC (officially Guangzhou Automobile Group) joined forces in China in 2004, producing a host of Toyota-badged models, including the Toyota bZ3X – a cut-price city EV that attracted more than 10,000 orders in its first hour on sale. The brand says it learned from the Japanese giant the importance of quality and customer satisfaction.
But the brand's Australian push will take place with Toyota's involvement, with the brand investing heavily in its own products.
"So for the cars we bring today, all were developed by GAC Group itself without the involvement of Toyota," Mr Haigang says. "And over the past few years, GAC has invested more than 7.6 billion US dollars into the development of our self-owned brands."
But it's the brand's history with Toyota that it insists will make the difference in Australia. Asked what separates GAC from the other Chinese hopefuls in Australia, Mr Haigang immediately pointed to vehicle quality.
"I think the first difference is that our products are of high quality," he says. So, number one is that, in terms of the products, our products are of high quality which also can catch up with the standards of Toyota."
