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The Vietnam News

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BMW to come back to Vietnam in July

It is expected that in early July 2007, five BMW 2007 models will appear on the domestic market. BMW’s cars will be distributed in Vietnam by authorised distributors. The five models will include the luxury sedan 7 series and the multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) X5.

It remains unclear who will be the authorised official distributors of BMW cars in Vietnam. It is said that the distributors still have to complete several other procedures before presenting themselves before the public in July, when they will introduce the imported models manufactured by Germany’s BMW.

In Vietnam, BMW has been one of the two most favourite brand names. However, the German automobile manufacturer was not successful with its plan to assemble cars in Vietnam to sell domestically in the VMC joint venture. VMW decided to withdraw from the joint venture. However, finding Vietnam a market with potential, the automobile manufacturer has decided to come back to Vietnam, but in another way: selling foreign-made cars through a new distributor.

Two days ago, Japanese automobile manufacturer Daihatsu also announced it would withdraw from its joint venture in Vietnam. People think that the Japanese company may seek another Vietnamese partner and set up a new legal entity. To date, X5 and 7 series models have been imported to Vietnam, but just in small quantities. Analysts said that the domestic car market would see big changes once foreign made BMW cars were imported.

Though being a small car market, the purchasing power in Vietnam is very encouraging. Especially, Vietnamese connoisseurs are now tending to use luxury models. Cadillac, Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Maybach cars all have appeared in Vietnam. Imported cars prove to sell very well in Vietnam. That explains why several automobile manufacturers in Vietnam have decided to import cars to sell domestically together with the models they assemble themselves.

Truong Hai Automobile Company, for example, has reported that it sold 3,500 imported units in May 2007 alone. The manufacturer plans to assemble the Kia Morning to sell on the domestic market as the imported Kia Mornings have sold very well in Vietnam. In related news, AutoTech 2007, one of the four biggest automobile and motorbike exhibitions in Vietnam, will take place in Hanoi from June 22-25.

Th?i báo Kinh t? Vi?t Nam - June 14, 2007.