A new showroom is gearing up to advance the UAE's car market, as GAC Motor showed off its first outpost in Abu Dhabi.
The facility opened in partnership with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management and is located in the shadows of Yas Marina Circuit, the home of motor racing in the UAE.
To mark the event, motoring enthusiasts and guests piled on to the island for a gala event, which was hosted by dignitaries from Gargash Group.
The showcase also marked the arrival of the GAC GS8, a new arrival aiming to break into the market dominated by Nissan Patrol and Toyota Land Cruiser. Other GAC models are due to arrive in the near future.
Shehab Gargash, managing director and group chief executive of Gargash Group, said: “We are proud to be one of the earliest international partners of GAC Motor.
“Since 2015, we have worked closely to provide a robust proposition to an ever-growing customer base in the UAE and deliver the utmost value to them.”
Worldwide, the manufacturer produces a series of sedans, SUVs and MPVs, as well as the Aion Y electric offering.
The new showroom on Yas Island is part of an initiative to join fellow Chinese-owned brands — notably MG, Haval, Geely and Great Wall — in making in-roads into the UAE market.
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The Trumpchi GS8 is a three-row, seven-seat SUV from Chinese manufacturer Guangzhou Automobile Group. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National -
The GS8 is a contender for the UAE's crowded SUV market. -
The GAC badge on the GS8. -
On the move. -
The GS8 is driven by a four-cylinder turbo engine rather than the V6 engine used by many rivals. -
The vehicle comes with LED headlights and tail lights, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, cruise control and lane-change assist. -
Standard kit includes ventilated leather seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, panoramic sunroof, Apple CarPlay, 10-inch infotainment touchscreen and six-speaker stereo. -
The GS8 retains a capable air. -
Front and middle-row seating is comfortable, but the third-row pews are best suited to children. -
Wind noise from around the windscreen pillars and mirrors can intrude on an otherwise near-silent and seamless driving experience.
Zeng Hebin, general manager of GAC Motor International, said the Emirates is one of the most important strategic regions for the brand in the Middle East.
“With the cooperation of our partner Gargash Motors, we have achieved remarkable results in this market,” he said.
GAC’s sales continue to improve globally and last month the company reported an 84 per cent increase in the number of units sold from the previous year.
