via Nissan SA engages 5 local dealers | The Herald July 9, 2014
Nissan South Africa has partnered five local Nissan dealers in a direct to dealer arrangement that will see the company extending its footprints on the local market. The five chosen dealers are set to receive marketing and product support from Nissan South Africa through a “direct to dealer” partnership that will benefit the local consumer.
Amalgamated Motor Corporation, Clover Leaf Motors, Croco Motors, Golden Stairs Garage and Amtec Motors are the local dealers set to benefit from the arrangement.
This new partnership replaces the previous arrangement that Nissan South Africa had with CFAO Automotive.
Speaking at the launch of the partnership deal yesterday, Nissan Sub Saharan Africa general manager Mr Jim Dando said the contract with CFAO — Automotive ended in June because of under-performance by the company.
“Over the last six months it became necessary for us to terminate our relationship with CFAO and we ended up failing to conduct much brand activity inside the Zimbabwean market.
“We now have a contractual obligation with our new dealers in Zimbabwe to provide brands on the products here in Zimbabwe and we will take control of brand support of all products into Zimbabwe,” Mr Dando said.
He said Nissan has experienced significant growth in the Zimbabwean market commanding about 22 percent of the local market.
“Africa is the next growth opportunity and there is a growing middle class in Africa and automotive firms similar to Nissan are targeting this market,” said Mr Dando
Nissan is expecting to launch 18 new products until 2018.
Versions of the Qashqai and the X-Trail are some of the new products to be launched. Nissan is set to bring back the Datsun brand through the Datsun Go hatchback and this brand would be available on the local market by November this year.
The company however said it does not have plans to set up a manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe. Nissan South Africa expressed confidence in working with local car dealers.
Clover Leaf Motors chief executive officer Stanford Sibanda added that the partnership will improve relations between the Zimbabwean and South African motor industries.
“The new Direct Dealer arrangement will result in significant benefits to Nissan customers in Zimbabwe and this will result in more competitive prices, improved service levels and a better understanding for Nissan vehicles,” said Mr Sibanda.
Head of Nissan’s Africa Southern Regional Business Unit, Mike Whitfield described Zimbabwe as an important market for Nissan’s Power 88 Africa growth strategy.
This strategy is aimed at doubling sales and significantly increasing market share on the continent by 2016.
“As the new Nissan custodians we are confident that this dealer network has the capacity to reposition Nissan’s influence in the country,” said Whitfield.
Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
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