The first Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) MG 350 family sedans will arrive in Israel in early 2012. These cars are expected to significantly change the Israeli automotive market in terms of the unprecedented dimensions/accessories/price ratio.
The new car, which is produced partly in Europe and partly in China, is 4.52 meters long, 1.79 meters wide, and has a wheelbase of 2.64 meters. The SAIC car will come equipped with a 1.5-liter, gas-powered, 110 horsepower engine, with a Japanese-made automatic gearbox. The car will have high standard accessories, including electronically controlled seats, leather upholstery, and a premium stereo system.
The final price has not yet been determined, but the initial target price will be about NIS 110,000, which is the average price for the category of smaller cars, such as Mazda 2.
SAIC importer, David Lubinski Ltd., estimates that the accessory/price ratio will greatly help him enter the leasing market, because of the relatively low cost to the user, which is a percentage of the car's price.
Lubinski is a private leasing company. In contrast to the original SAIC cars that have been marketed in Israel until now (only 300 have been imported since the car did not have full approval), the new Chinese sedan will be imported with all the proper authorizations. Full European standardization has recently been received, including Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA), which will enable SAIC to receive Israeli import approval. Israel will be one of the first countries to market the new SAIC car.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 3, 2011
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