Auto CEOs more confident about industry prospects
The confidence of chief executives of automotive companies about the outlook for the new-vehicle market over the next six months has improved significantly.
- Industry News
- 11 September 2024
Suhail Suder at Key Pietermaritzburg has taken on a big challenge, but one he feels he was raised to succeed in. The 26-year-old salesman sells Citroën, Peugeot and Opel at what many locals in the Midlands still consider to be an Isuzu dealership.
“I’ve been selling cars for only three years now, starting on GWM bakkies, and I look forward to reintroducing the three European brands to new and old buyers in the Midlands,” he told Dealerfloor.
“The main selling points are the high levels of luxury and safety built into even the entry level models. Unlike other brands, there is no down-speccing for our price sensitive market. Instead, you get everything European motorists demand.”
He said he had all but grew up in Peugeots. “My grandfather used to have four 404 models, two to drive and two for spares.” But he adds the brand has come a long way from those robust old 404s”.
Suder said while he had a slow start, the new signage that was installed at the dealership during December will help a lot to spread awareness that the Key dealership no longer sells just bakkies and trucks.
“Using social media, local events and our CMS system, I plan to spread the word a lot further,” he said.
He said he hopes to set his marketing plans apart by using the long histories and unique modern selling points of each model to sell them to potential buyers.
“Knowing the strengths and legends of each model helps to connect with interested buyers. For example, the 5008 has a brilliant massage seat, the Corsa handles like it’s on rails and the C3 continues the legend of the Pallas.
“My challenge is to find venues and gathering places where I can best demonstrate each car’s strength to potential buyers,” he said.
“And once a person experiences what the European brands offer, they understand why our annual Cars in the Park gatherings still draw our grandfathers to talk of the Kadett Superboss, the Peugeots’ frugal toughness or the Citroëns’ unique little luxuries.”
Continuing the company’s founding vision of Being the Best, is the responsibility of the third generation of Emanuel brothers leading two divisions of the KwaZulu-Natal-based (KZN) automotive mobility group.
The foundation has been laid, the eyes are on us, and we are ready for the future. So says Ernst Dörnbrack, Dealer Principal (DP) at Westvaal’s award-winning Stellantis dealership in Paarl in the Western Cape.
A long list of awards, including Dealer of the Year accolades, runner-up awards, and a host of other much sought-after trophies during the last ten years, and as recently as this year, is a testament to the accomplishments of the Fuzion Motor Group.