‘Master Motor Ltd. (MML) is all set to start local production of three vehicles Changan M-8, Changan M-9, and Changan Karvaan this month and our first locally assembled vehicle will roll out next week.” This was announced by Chief Executive Officer of Master Motors Danial Malik on the second day of Pakistan Auto Parts Show (PAPS2019) here at Karachi Expo Center.
In this regard, he added, Master Motor Ltd. has built the plant in Karachi with a production capacity of 30,000 vehicle per annum within 13 months’ record time. This state of the art environmentally friendly facility is designed to achieve phase-wise automation, with the last phase resulting in full automation by 2025.
He added that MMCL manufacturing plant is certified with internationally recognized Automotive Quality Management System (QMS) standard IATF 16949:2016 based on ISO 9001:2015. “It boasts our commitment to produce latest technology vehicles at international quality standards,” said Danial.
He said that all three models which will be assembled in Pakistan are already being sold in Pakistan and the response has been quite encouraging as these were launched after intensive insight from the end consumer and endless hours of product selection and improvement.
“All our vehicles come with a standard warranty of 3 years or 60,000 km whichever comes first, so our customers own Changan with the peace of mind that we are here for them,” said Danial.
“These vehicles, equipped with the latest in driving technologies, will be backed by a strong after sales network of 3S dealerships, focused on delivering unmatched customer service, using Changan’s best dealer practices and innovations such as a cloud-based dealer management system,” said Danial.
He said the Changan M-8 is the best solution for those customers having smaller volumetric loading and for travelling in narrow city lanes. Changan M-9 aims to solve the problems of our corporate and SME businesses. “There is no need to upgrade the axles or suspensions because we have already done that for you and there is no need for a deck extension either because the M-9 comes with the most used size of cargo deck,” said Danial. He further said that Changan Karvaan van is a 7 seater 1000cc van with dual AC which is ideal for long distance road trips.
Talking about the company’s future plans, Danial said, “We are here to revolutionize the local auto industry. This is the reason all of our Changan passenger vehicles are equipped with standard safety features like Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Stability Control and Driver and Passenger Airbags and several other features to make travelling safer for our customers”.
“We want to play our role as a leading automotive manufacturer by producing vehicles with state-of-the-art automotive technologies in Pakistan at an affordable price range for the young and growing middle class,” said Danial.
It is pertinent to mention that Master Motor Ltd. (MML) is a Joint Venture between Master Motor Corporation Ltd (MMCL) and Changan International Corporation (with 70/30 equity partnership). “This is the first joint venture in Pakistan with a global brand to manufacture cars in Pakistan,” said Danial.
“This collaboration brings together Master Group’s goodwill, engineering expertise, and local market leadership, along with Changan’s technological edge and production standards, to provide Pakistani consumers a choice of beautifully designed high quality vehicles including Sedans, SUVs, MPVs and LCVs, promising a driving experience beyond expectations,” he added.
He informed that Changan is the no 1 Chinese automobile brand for over a decade now, while it has since been maintaining the average growth of 16.4% per annum. “With over 60 years of automobile manufacturing experience, Changan has Joint Ventures in China to manufacture world renowned brands like Ford, Mazda, Suzuki and PSA,” said Danial.
“Changan International has selected Pakistan as a strategic export base for right hand drive markets. It means that those RHD vehicles we will produce in Pakistan will be sold to Changan’s distributors in South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and other RHD countries. This will be the first time in the history of Pakistan that locally made vehicles will be exported out of the country,” said Danial.
“We have already started to select vendors and initiate the process of intensive localization, which will help promote and uplift the local vendor industry and as a result, lower the cost of manufacturing to better compete in regional markets,” he concluded.