{"id":127774,"date":"2026-03-19T00:37:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T03:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automotive.einnews.com\/article\/900345545"},"modified":"2026-03-19T00:37:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T03:37:27","slug":"great-wall-motor-eyes-plant-options-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/great-wall-motor-eyes-plant-options-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Wall Motor eyes plant options in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<img width="590" height="442" class="unveil" loading="eager" src="https:\/\/auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com\/images\/default.jpg" data-src="https:\/\/etimg.etb2bimg.com\/photo\/129664563.cms" captionrendered="1" alt="<\/p>\n

GWM was outbid by Chinese rival Chery Automobile in using Nissan’s plant in South Africa.<\/p>\n

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GWM was outbid by Chinese rival Chery Automobile in using Nissan’s plant in South Africa.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor<\/a> (GWM) is weighing whether to share a manufacturing facility with another carmaker in South Africa or acquire an existing plant if available and has held talks with Mercedes-Benz<\/a> as it considers its options, \u200cregional executives said on \u2060Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Chinese automakers \u2060seeking global growth have built more car factories in overseas markets to protect themselves as foreign regulators consider imposing measures against imports of Chinese-made vehicles.<\/p>\n

“We do have discussions with Mercedes-Benz<\/a> from last year and we did also have discussions with Nissan<\/a>,” Kevin Li, Managing Director of GWM South Africa<\/a> said during a Haval H6<\/a> plug-in hybrid SUV launch presentation.<\/p>\n

“Contract assembly is one option. Another option is buying a plant, because (building) a new plant takes time.”<\/p>\n

Li said GWM continues to engage with multiple stakeholders on local production \u2060and plans \u200cto meet the South African government in China during the upcoming annual auto show.<\/p>\n

GWM was outbid by Chinese rival Chery Automobile in using Nissan<\/a>‘s plant in South Africa, \u2060which the maker of Tiggo SUVs has agreed to buy.<\/p>\n

Chief Operating Officer Conrad Groenewald said the company is still assessing which model it would produce locally.<\/p>\n

“There is a new product that we launched, a global product called codename EC15. My vote’s on that one, because I think that’s a better product, giving us more opportunity for localization and for potential exports into Europe,” Groenewald said.<\/p>\n

Mercedes-Benz South Africa said in an emailed response that the company’s East London plant remains focused on producing the C-Class and that it does not comment on speculation \u200cabout future product portfolio and production planning process.<\/p>\n

It noted, however, that “customer and market requirements are constantly changing. Mercedes-Benz strives to ensure that all its production sites remain globally competitive, are on an optimal operating point and \u2060adapted to new requirements whenever necessary.”<\/p>\n

Last year, Mercedes-Benz South Africa CEO Andreas Brand told Reuters that the East London plant had previously produced vehicles for different brands, noting that “there’s technically no reason it couldn’t happen again.”<\/p>\n

GWM, with a market share of 5 per cent in South Africa and ranked number six in vehicle sales, expanded its Haval H6<\/a> line-up with the launch of a new plug-in hybrid variant on Wednesday, hoping to capture a growing share of customers who are opting for hybrid and electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

It’s aiming to capitalize on the growing compact SUV segment, which is popular for families and has a larger share in the SUV market. <\/p>\n

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