Brand ambassador introduced, new crossover to be unveiled
Barely half a year since assuming control of the GAC Motor distributorship here, Astara Philippines seems to have found the elixir that has enabled the brand to grow by leaps and bounds. During a recent press event, there was plenty of good news to share for the GAC Motor Philippines, with Brand Head Jun Cajayon declaring that the company achieved “incredible sales over the last five months – hitting a strong 244 percent year-over-year growth.”
Addressing members of the media and content creators during his speech at the GAC Pasig dealership, he declared, “In our five months of operations, we have actually outsold the full year of 2022.”
The uptick, he continued, was driven by “rising demand for the new models,” particularly the GS8 flagship SUV that the company introduced when it relaunched the brand under the Astara group in Jaunary. Cajayon expressed gratitude to dealer partners and customers who have shown their support for the new management and its vision for the marque.
In a short span of time, GAC Motor Philippines has also grown its dealership network from six locations to a total of 15 fully operational facilities by the end of July: In Alabang, Bacoor, Batangas City, Butuan, Cainta, Davao, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Iloilo, Lipa City, Makati, Manila Bay, Pampanga, Pasig, Quezon Avenue, and Tarlac. The executive promised an additional two (in Bacolod and Cebu) before the end of the third quarter. “Our team has worked hard over the last few months to open both new and redesigned showrooms,” he said, and reiterated the vow to reach 20 before yearend.
The brand is far from done this year, as it will unveil the new-generation GS3 Emzoom crossover on June 30, ahead of retail sales to commence next month. Cajayon called the Emzoom a “challenger… set to drive our brand to new heights and zoom through Philippine roads with its fierce and sporty character.” Significantly, the Philippines is the very first market outside of China to receive the model – which underscores the importance the brand accords our territory.
The crossover SUV will be offered in three variants, with pricing starting at P998,000. Customers can start booking reservations at any GAC Motor dealership or online through https://gacmotorph.com/all-new-gs3-sign-up/. All units come with a five-year warranty.
To cap off the event, the company revealed the new brand ambassador for GAC in the Philippines, TV actor and host Dingdong Dantes. “We are honored to have Dingdong Dantes as our new brand ambassador for GAC Motor. His achievements in his field prove his dedication, high standards, and commitment to quality, which are the same values we stand for in GAC. We strongly believe he is the perfect fit to our brand persona,” Cajayon said.