Great Wall signs up for Oz

AUSTRALIA'S first Chinese vehicle brand took one step closer to reality this week with the official signing of the distribution contract between Great Wall Motors and Ateco Automotive, which will introduce Australia's first Chinese-branded vehicle in October in the yet-to-be-named GWM four-door utility.

As GoAuto reported exclusively last month, GWM will beat Ateco's other Chinese brand, Chery, here by almost six months when it is officially launched at the Sydney motor show in October.

Ateco managing director Ric Hull told GoAuto a contingent of GWM executives is now in Australia to sign the agreement and that the first GWM dealers will be signed up within about a month following more than 200 applications.

"The agreement is now signed. That wasn't in doubt - they brought signed copies of the agreement with them, we've now executed it as well so we have a valid agreement.

"We haven't signed up anybody but we've got probably now 200 expressions of interest, helped of course by the publicity we've had in your publication.

"There are a couple of guys from Great Wall making their first visit here now, which is good. It's going as it should, we're very happy with the progress," said Mr Hull.

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Exclusive: China's Great Wall to beat Chery here