He highlighted the brand's commitment to delivering affordable luxury with a strong focus on customer satisfaction, before Jetour’s official launch soon.

In a market characterised by intense competition and financial constraints, introducing a new brand of SUV is daring according to newly appointed Vice President for Jetour in South Africa, Nic Campbell.

Nic has been in the motoring trade for over 14 years, with extensive experience working with international car brands and original equipment manufacturers in South Africa. He understands the needs and expectations of the key stakeholders within the value chain and what is needed from a South African perspective and says that finding the middle ground is key.

Dealing with international OEMs and understanding their expectations have positioned him well for this new role at Jetour South Africa, understanding the brand’s non-negotiables and adapting these to the South African setting.

While keeping dealers and staff happy is vital, putting the needs of the customer first is what Nic says will set Jetour apart from its competitors.

“When customers come into a dealership at the end of their 10-year, one-million-kilometre warranty, we want them to be as happy as they were when they first bought their vehicle,” he says.

Globally, Jetour's 10-year, one-million-kilometre warranty is a powerful offer that demonstrates the brand's confidence regarding the durability and reliability of its vehicles, providing significant peace of mind for customers and building trust in a brand that was first launched in China in 2018.

“Any new brand will create hype and excitement. How we interact with our customers and develop that trust means we must get it right from the start and that’s why we are driving so hard now to get everything in place,” he says.

With the 7-seater Jetour X70PLUS and 5-seater DASHING models arriving in South Africa in September 2024, he says that the company is entering the local market with what customers want, affordable luxury, alongside a comprehensive strategy to ensure that parts are available, that dealers are on board and that after-sales service is in place.

Nic says that introducing a new brand in a competitive market is very exciting but requires addressing the learnings and challenges faced by previous brands.

As such, Jetour has already started stocking parts worth R100 million. This, alongside having secured 40 dealerships nationally, shows just how much detail has gone into the planning of their South African launch. Parts are also not being outsourced or kept off site, but at their headquarters in Kyalami, Johannesburg. “If there are issues, we’ll know about them,” Campbell says.

Another key priority is instilling Jetour’s brand culture and values across this extensive dealer network, with the understanding that for South African customers, their vehicle purchase is one of their biggest assets. “South African customers expect the best and they deserve the best,” he says. “Understanding the mobility needs of the South African consumer and servicing those needs are a key focus area of our network.”

A training facility has been established at their headquarters in Kyalami, with intensive sales and after-sales training already underway.