Combined Motor Holdings (CMH), the JSE-listed importer and distributor of MG and Maxus vehicles, has announced a number of structural changes for the brands in Africa.
MG and Maxus are sold locally through Mandarin Motors.
CMH has bought out the shares of Alan and Terry Horseman, with Mandarin Motors now fully owned by CMH.
The legal entity of Mandarin Motors remains, but now trades under CMH Brands, which will represent Maxus South Africa (SA) and MG SA, among others.
CMH Brands will be located in Little Falls, Roodepoort, where it will share the building with West Rand Volvo and GM Westrand.
Derrick Bishop will head up the MG and Maxus commercial vehicle brands, while Alan and Terry Horseman have been appointed as Maxus taxi sub-distributors.
They will focus on setting up Maxus taxi dealers around South Africa.
The biggest news for car buyers is probably the arrival of the new MG3 compact hatchback towards the end of August.
CMH now has “absolute commitment” from the MG and Maxus brands for the “dramatic acceleration” of product range development and improved pricing, says Bishop.
This comes on the back of news that the MG and Maxus parent company, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), has started production at a new facility in Thailand, with “an aggressive commitment” towards introducing new models for right-hand-drive (RHD) markets, including South Africa.
“The move is the start of great things for both the MG and Maxus brands in South Africa,” says Bishop.
SAIC Motor is rated 103rd in the Fortune 500 and, in 2013, achieved global sales of more than 5.1-million vehicles – an increase of 13.71% on 2012 sales.
Around 230 000 units of this figure can be attributed to sales of the MG and Roewe marques worldwide.