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Jaguar Land Rover leaps into prime position [China Daily: Hong Kong Edition](China Daily: Hong Kong Edition Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Quintessential British premium automaker displays its stunning fleet as Chengdu Motor Show opens, Li Fangfang reports Bob Grace, regional president of Jaguar Land Rover Greater China, recorded several firsts for himself and the British marque during his tightly scheduled trip to the Chengdu Motor Show 2014 that began on August 29. The quintessential British premium automaker brought a stunning fleet from the dual brand to the biggest auto exhibition in western China, stealing limelight with the first showcase of the full Jaguar XF family and debuts of several Land Rover special or limited editions. May Che (left), executive vice president of Jaguar China, Bob Grace (middle), regional president of Jaguar Land Rover Greater China, and Lily Song, vice president of Land Rover China Marketing. Photos Provided to China Daily Jonathan Rayner, executive vice president of Strategy, Jaguar Land Rover Greater China, introduces the highlights of Land Rover Discovery 25th Anniversary Special Edition. Before the exhibition, the Briton steering the company also taught English lessons and shared his growing pains and gains with students at the Jaguar Land Rover Hope School in Ya'an to stoke their passion for pursuing their dreams. "Here in western China, we bring our latest, most advanced products, we bring our sincerest hearts to the youth, we bring our best industry practices with the apprentice training program, and we seek a quicker response to customers with the brand-new west regional office in Chengdu," said Grace. "All of these demonstrate our long-term commitment to the rapidly developing western China, the new growth engine of the industry." Jaguar Land Rover, already highly recognized in western China, continues to make headway in the region. In the first seven months of the year, its sales in western China grew nearly 60 percent than a year ago as the company's nationwide sales climbed 43.8 percent to more than 71,000 units. Western China, which long trailed in the nation's economic development, has begun to flourish since the central government launched its Go-West campaign, triggering higher demand for big-ticket durables like cars. The Chengdu Motor Show, encapsulating the whole auto industry's westward movement, is for sure a stage the British automaker wouldn't miss to showcase its expertise. With a showroom covering 1,560 square meters in the Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center in Chengdu, Jaguar Land Rover put together one of the biggest and most eye-catching exhibitions at this year's show with 13 display models for the two brands. "We want the show to be a funfest for all true blue Jaguar Land Rover fans," said Grace. "We want those who are smitten with the dual-brand to enjoy it to the full - that's why we bring our best products here." When the curtain for its show was raised, Grace did get the "wow" he expected. Reflecting market recognition, Jaguar Land Rover won five awards from three media outlets at the Chengdu Motor Show. China dedication Grace said he seizes every opportunity to make Jaguar Land Rover a household name that stands for British excellence in China, reflecting the company's "customer first" philosophy. "Customer first has been the guiding philosophy behind so much of our success in recent years in China," Grace noted. Under his leadership over the past four years, the dual brands have become sought-after among Chinese customers as almost all their models now have waiting lists. To quench the thirst, the company has engaged intensively with headquarters and secured an increased supply of Jaguar Land Rover's most popular vehicles to China in time for the third quarter. What's more, by the end of this year, the company will have started the production of its first China-made vehicles at an 11-billion-yuan ($1.8 billion) joint venture plant with Chery Automobile Co, the automaker's first and sole overseas manufacturing plant. The company is also expanding its network to maximise customer satisfaction. It currently has 153 dealerships operating across the country and will open 100 more in the coming year, with the focus on lower-tier cities. "Powerful products, caring services, expanding network and on-going training are all deployed in accordance with the customer first philosophy, which is deep in the Jaguar Land Rover DNA," he said. Doing business in a vast country like China can't be an easy task. But Grace said he is ready to take on any challenges to navigate Jaguar Land Rover in China's dynamic automotive market. "We at Jaguar Land Rover are utterly committed to China. We have seen a rapid rise in our status and success. By focusing on our commitment, responsibility and development, we are confident of building a sustainable and enduring future for Jaguar Land Rover in China," Grace concluded. Contact the writer through [email protected] Bob Grace, regional president of Jaguar Land Rover Greater China spends time with the Hope School students in Ya'an. (China Daily 09/01/2014 page18) (c) 2014 China Daily Information Company. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |