Local company RMA Cambodia on Thursday opened the country’s first Jaguar Land Rover showroom, establishing exclusive dealership over the iconic British brand, which was purchased by India’s Tata Motors in 2008.
The dealership, located on Russian Boulevard a short distance from RMA Cambodia’s Ford showroom, will offer Jaguar models priced at between $145,000 and $165,000.
“We hope to capture the luxury segment to compliment the mid-price range we are in [with Ford] and achieve our vision to be the leading company in the automotive industry,” said Hin Sopheap, deputy general manager of RMA’s Automotive Division.
The key to success in a country where a lot of cars are imported through unofficial channels is to focus on after sales care, said Steve Martin, regional business manager of Guava International Ltd., the sales company for Jaguar Land Rover.
Jaguar is a newcomer to the Cambodian market, but Land Rover is not. RMA will become the sole dealer of the SUV at the end of this month as previous sole distributor Envotech Co. Ltd. hands over the mantle. Guava awarded Envotech the exclusive Land Rover contract in 2005.
However, since RMA Group acquired Guava in 2007, Envotech will officially lose the title of Land Rover’s sole distributor when the firm’s almost decade-old contract expires at the end of the month.
“Of course we are unhappy, but on the other hand we still have access to [Land Rover] spare parts and can offer after sales service,” Finn Viggo Gundersen, general manager of Envotech, said.
Although Envotech has lost Land Rover, its place in the luxury automobile market is not over as it looks to bring China’s high-end coach company King Long into the country.
Jaguar’s new dealership adds to the local luxury car market, which now includes Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche, who are all vying for a slice of Cambodia’s small but potentially lucrative market.
“I think the market is there, but it’s not a huge market. Until last year there wasn’t really a middle class, now the middle class is coming,” Mr. Gundersen said.
