True to its target of launching a new model every six months, Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP), the official distributor of Geely in the Philippines, is finally adding a sedan to its lineup and entering the largest vehicle segment in the country.
“Our confidence in the decision to finally enter the challenging sedan market comes from the overwhelming support and trust we have been getting from the people for the past two years. Not to mention the growing demand for entry-level vehicles that started when the pandemic broke out,” said SGAP President & CEO Yosuke Nishi.
The soon-to-be-launched sedan is exclusively built in Geely Auto’s new “5G Connected Factory” which is a tour de force in car manufacturing excellence as it is capable of producing 1 car every 30 minutes. The factory is highly automated with a 100% automated welding line and a presence of Automated Guided Vehicles or AGVs that constantly move around the factory to deliver the specific panels and parts to the different sections of the factory. The AGVs are managed by the super-fast 5G+ network that allows seamless communication between the robots and cloud services that update live information such as inventory levels, production status, and the AGV locations.
Ahem. Any guesses which unit SGAP is bringing in?
The new sedan shares the same platform with Geely’s flagship model Coolray: B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA). The BMA is the strategic modular architecture developed by the Geely Auto Group that can be used in compact cars, MPVs, and SUVs. With this development, the new Geely sedan is expected to offer more space, better comfort, and stabler handling.
SGAP currently has three nameplates in its stable: The Coolray subcompact SUV, the Azkarra crossover, and Okavango mid-sized SUV.
“As the economy is expected to regain its strength next year, we believe that there is no better time to bring in a new model to usher in more excitement for the Geely brand. Geely has made a significant mark in the Philippine automotive market in terms of sales and awareness in a remarkably short span of time and has aggressively expanded its network despite the pandemic and lockdowns. We have definitely exceeded what we have projected for the Geely brand and we plan to continuously provide the best value products and satisfaction to our customers,” Nishi added.