China's Geely motors to make debut in Indonesia

englisheastday.com, 18/5/2007 15:33

Aiming at grabbing a slice of Indonesia's reviving automotive market, Chinese automaker Geely International Corp is to make presence in Jakarta with its Geely CK sedan, the local press said today.

The new car, to be launched in July, will be assembled here by Malaysian-based firm PT IGC International and PT Gaya Motor, a subsidiary of the country's largest auto firm PT Astra International, reported English daily The Jakarta Post.

With three engine variants, the sedan will sell for between 80 million rupiah (US$9,095) and 95 million (US$10,800) .

"Our idea is to supply the market with a quality product at an affordable price," Geely International president director George Zhao was quoted as saying.

The Geely CK sedan first hit the Chinese markets in 2005, and has been exported to 60 countries and sold more than 80,000 units worldwide.

"We selected Indonesia as our first market in Southeast Asia as we are aware that the automotive industry here has been making very promising progress," Zhao said.

Geely International will become the second Chinese automaker to assemble its products in Indonesia after Chery Automobile entered the market last year in collaboration with the country's second- largest auto producer and distributor, PT Indomobil Sukses International.

Geely expects to produce 2,000 cars per year and intends to introduce at least five new models over the next two years.

IGC International chief commissioner Suhaelly Kalla said that Indonesia would become the center of production of the Geely CK for the Southeast Asian market. The cars would be exported to East and Southeast Asian countries, he said.

In addition to establishing an assembling facility at a cost of about US$6 million, IGC International will also set up spare- parts and after-sales service centers.