By Moses Akaigwe 08072100049
Two front-running auto companies – CFAO and KewalramChanrai Group. – have collaborated to establish Massilia Motors Limited, a vehicle importing and marketing firm that is now the sole representative of Mitsubishi Motors in Nigeria.
The joint venture was officially announced in Lagos last week by the partners who explained that Massilia Motors was sired to project the image of Mitsubishi and boost sales of the Japanese brand’s vehicles in the local market.
At a press briefing, CFAO’s Thomas Pelletier and Managing Director of Massilia Motors; Deputy Managing Director of KewalramChanrai, Mr. Victor Eburajolo; and Deputy Managing Director of Massilia, Mr. Kunle Jaiyesimi, assured that with unhealthy competition eliminated as result of the formation of the new company, the customers and the brand would be the ultimate beneficiaries.
“I believe that the coming together of CFAO and KewalramChanrai will impact positively on market share and profitability of the brand,” Mr. Pelletier remarked as he pledged that the company would place high premium on the provision of a line-up of Mitsubishi vehicles that would satisfy the various segments of the market.
He said that Massilia also focus on achieving an efficient, cost-effective after-sales support network, bearing in mind the importance of genuine and affordable replacement parts and reliable workshops.
Massilia Motors Ltd. will provide customers with Mitsubishi Motors passenger cars, SUVs, pick-ups, spare parts and after-sales services across Nigeria. The head office at Ijora Causeway, Ijora Lagos, is a major after-sales hub with a fully equipped workshop and qualified technicians.
The companies’ vision is to become Nigeria’s leading automotive distributor with delivery of world class customer service. In addition, Massilia Motors Ltd. is set to ensure effective talent management that will result in motivated and customer oriented employees.
The modern flagship showroom in Victoria Island which hosted the press briefing and the new Mitsubishi Motors website are steps taken to show the company’s commitment to revitalise the brand’s new image in Nigeria.
The Managing Director spoke further on the new company’s policy: “The Massilia advantage is that we do not only sell cars. We consider our customers as stakeholders and provide solutions tailored to their needs. From counsel on the best product for each use to establishing a maintenance plan, we follow the customer through the product life cycle to ensure good value and a longer life span”.
A complete range of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles is now available with compact cars, sports utility vehicles and pick-up trucks with renowned models such as the Pajero or L200.
The Massilia team drew attention to the reputation of Mitsubishi Motors as the manufacturer of reliable and rugged products, adding that with the coming of the new distributor, the brand aims to exceed customers’ expectations, “thanks to skilled technicians trained according to the manufacturer’s requirements, the expansion of its authorised dealer network and provision of service centres nationwide”.
The two partners have enviable track records in the Nigerian business environment. CFAO is a front-ranking specialised distributor and preferred partner of major international brands, serving the high-potential equipment & services, healthcare and consumer goods markets in Africa and the French overseas territories.
On the other hand, the history of KewalramChanrai Group goes back a century and a half. Beginning modestly as a small textile trading house in India in the 1860s, it now proudly stands as a multi-national entity, with diverse business interests and operations spread across Africa and Asia.
Kia wins Triple honours at iF Design Awards 2017
Kia has won three prestigious iF Design Awards for the outstanding design of its latest vehicles. The Niro hybrid crossover, Optima Sportswagon and all-new Rio supermini have all received prizes for product design.
2017 is the eighth consecutive year in which Kia has received at least one iF Design Award. The latest hat-trick of prizes brings the manufacturer’s total number of iF award-winning models to 12.
Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Designer of Kia Motors Corporation, commented, “These latest iF Awards are recognition for our excellent global design team. All three models, on which the Kia design centers in Korea, Germany and the United Stated cooperated closely, are highly important for our brand. With the Niro and the Optima Sportswagon, Kia has pushed into new market sectors, and has carved out a distinctive position in both segments with innovative, attractive design. With the new generation of the Rio we have given one of our global best-sellers a significantly changed, more mature character.”
The Kia Niro marries the practical advantages and aesthetic appeal of a compact crossover with a sleek appearance, differentiating it from more conservatively designed hybrid models, and giving the car a unique presence as the world’s first hybrid crossover.
The Optima Sportswagon, Kia’s first-ever D-segment tourer engineered exclusively for the European market, offers a striking exterior design and high quality interior, with the added practicality and appeal of a tourer bodystyle.
Kia’s third prize-winner in 2017, the all-new Rio, goes on sale this quarter in Europe, and offers buyers a bold new design and a modern, efficiently-packaged cabin with the latest infotainment and safety technologies. The longer bonnet and more vertical C-pillar give the new car a more purposeful and aggressive stance, with a driver-orientated dashboard which provides an innovative and ergonomic design.
If Design Award 2017: over 5,500 products from 59 countries submitted
Since it was launched in 1953, the iF Design Award has become one of the world’s most important prizes for excellence in design. The award has its origins in the ‘Formgerechte Industrieerzeugnisse’ (Good Industrial Design) product shows initiated by the Hannover Messe, and is now one of the world’s largest design competitions.
The iF Design Award is presented in seven categories (Product, Packaging, Communication and Service Design, Architecture, Interior Design and Professional Concepts). The new Kia models have been honoured in the Product Design category. In 2017, companies from 59 countries submitted 5,575 products to be judged by an independent international jury of 58 design experts.
The official presentation ceremony for the 2017 iF Design Awards will take place on 10 March 2017 at BMW Welt in Munich. A selection of the winning products will also go on display at the iF design exhibition in Hamburg’s HafenCity. Additionally, all winners can be seen on the iF
Kia products are produced and sold in Nigeria by Dana m Motors Ltd which operates an assembly facility in Isolo area of Lagos.