GAC Partners with WTC Automotif to CKD GAC Motor Vehicles

Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) partners with WTC Automotif (WTCA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warisan TC Holdings Bhd to locally assemble (CKD) GAC Motor vehicles here in Malaysia.

This partnership sees a total of RM60 million worth of investments being put up, involving the manufacturing and assembling of GAC Motor’s latest model, the GAC GS3 SUV, as well as expanding GAC’s brand presence in the Malaysian market. 

GAC Motor GS3 SUV - the first model to be CKD in Tan Chong's Segambut facility

This revelation is made exactly 18 months after both GAC and WTCA penned a distribution agreement, with WTCA being appointed as the sole and exclusive distributor of the GAC brand in the nation. Part of the RM60 million investments will be put up to upgrade Tan Chong’s existing Segambut facility in order to accommodate the new CKD model assembly, as well as adhere to the strict GAC standards requirement.

Tan Keng Meng, Warican TC Holdings CEO

“We are confident that with our Tan Chong Group’s years of experience and our latest investment in our facility, we will meet GAC’s expectations. Our team has a strong collaboration with the GAC team to ensure that we are able to meet the GAC quality standards,” said Tan Keng Meng, CEO of Warisan TC Holdings Bhd.

GAC International chairman Yu Jun (second from left)

Commenting on this latest partnership with WTCA, GAC Group vice president and GAC International chairman Yu Jun said, “GAC has always placed utmost priority on delivering superior quality cars. WTCA can meet our high manufacturing quality standards. We will be expecting that with 3 to 5 years of development, the production and sales will reach 50,000 units.”

“In order to fulfil this target, GAC will continue to coordinate internal and external resources and increase support for the Malaysian market, accelerate the launch of key models, improve the model matrix, and provide more intelligent and higher-quality vehicles for local consumers,” Yu added.

Beyond the local scale, this CKD partnership between GAC and WTCA is also the Chinese marque’s first CKD project in the ASEAN region, signifying a whole new milestone in the Malaysian automotive industry while also demonstrating GAC’s commitment to expanding their presence in the Malaysian market.

Soon-to-be-open GAC Motor's first flagship showroom in Petaling Jaya

Aside from upgrading the production facilities, this multi-million investment will also see WTCA setting up more than 70 showrooms across the country, with the first one based in Section 13, Petaling Jaya. The brand’s first-ever flagship showroom is poised for a completion in Q3 this year.

As mentioned by the GAC boss, this CKD project is part of both GAC and WTCA’s long-term plan to make Malaysia becoming a regional hub for right-hand-drive (RHD) GAC models, as the firm plans to introduce more GAC models in future’s time. Furthermore, all new global GAC Motor models will be simultaneously developed for the RHD market, ensuring both Malaysia and other RHD regional markets receive the latest models at the same rate as the rest of the world.

Simultaneously during this partnership announcement, WTCA has also handed over a fleet of 25 units of GAC Motor GS3 SUV to Mayflower Car Rental Sdn Bhd. This 25 units handover is part of Mayflower’s 50-unit procurement of the GS3 SUVs as part of its leasing programme.

The locally-assembled GAC Motor GS3 SUV is powered by a third-gen 1.5-litre turbocharged mill developed by the marque. Mated to a seven-speed DCT gearbox, the GS3 is capable of delivering up to 270 NM – the peppiest among its segment rivals. The CKD version of the GS3 will harness a Level 2 advanced driver assistance system (ADS), with more details about the model will be released in due course.