BizBahrain May-June 2017

Automotive
Honda Civic wins “Best
Compact Sedan” of the year
Honda Civic won ‘Best Compact Sedan’
of the year adjudged by Middle East
Car of the Year (MECOTY) 2017 held at
ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. In addition to the
MECOTY, the Civic has won ‘Best Small
Car’ in the MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice
Awards, Saudi Auto ‘Car of the Year’ award
as well as ‘North American Car of the
Year’ award. The 10th generation Honda
Civic was introduced in April 2016 with a
1.5L Turbo and a 2.0L Engine. Due to the
success of the new model and to provide
our customers with a wider variety, a 1.6L
Engine grade was introduced in December
2016 as an entry-level grade option. The
Civic offers a 5-grade line up with three
engine sizes and a whole host of new and
standard features depicting it as more
modern, functional as well as an efficient
sedan. Following the launch, regional sales
of the Honda Civic rose by 93% this year.
MECOTY being in its fourth year in
this region is fast becoming one of the
most prestigious awards adjudged by 15
renowned automotive journalists across
the Middle East.
Commenting on the win, Mr. Hiroaki
Shibata, Director of Honda Motor Company
(Africa and Middle East Office) said, “We
are pleased to know that the Civic won
the Car of the Year in the Compact Sedan
segment. The new Civic was introduced
last year to meet the demands of a sporty
yet advanced car and we truly believe we
have created joy for the customer in the
segment. We hope to continue to meet
customer expectations and create joy in
the future as well.”
JAC announces bold new
Branding strategy
Chinese auto giant, JAC reaffirmed its
plan to build a strong global brand
by launching and implementing a new
brand upgrade strategy which will be
focused on three key areas: technological
innovation on products upgrade, exports,
and enhanced collaboration within the
auto industry. An Jin, JAC Chairman,
said, “A breakthrough is not necessarily
a business expansion. It can be a brand
upgrade. JAC’s breakthroughs are only
made when JAC brands compete with
Sino-foreign joint-venture brands.”
JAC’s product portfolio is in line with
the philosophy of ‘Enhancing Energy
Efficiency, Green Technology, and Safety
with Intelligent Design.’ By investing
in R&D, JAC has mastered three key
technologies in batteries, electric motors
and electric controls. JAC has sold over
35,000 units of new energy vehicles, with
an accumulative driving mileage of more
than 600 million kilometers.
JAC’s line of high-end products
include the A60, N series light-duty
trucks, and BEST coaches. In 2017,
JAC plans to develop more high-end
products, including the passenger
vehicle masterpiece S7 SUV, along with
the MPV M6 and K7 utility truck for
commercial use.
By sticking to a sales strategy
that focuses on strategic markets, key
demographics and consumer needs, JAC
now has the 5th largest export volume
in the auto industry. To seek more
collaborations within the industry, JAC
signed an agreement with NEXTEV in
April 2016, in addition to a memorandum
of cooperation with Volkswagen China.
Euro Motors Jaguar
Land Rover launches
an exclusive E-Payment
Portal
Euro Motors, launch an exclusive
e-payment portal that allows
customers to make instant payments at
any time and any place.
The simple and easy-to-use payment
portal provides customers with a highly
secure solution that processes realtime
transactions whilst providing an
online experience that is synonymous
with Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover.
With the portal directly connected to
the customer’s bank account, they will
be able to gain complete control over
their payment of the bills. Boasting a
wide range of advanced features, the
payment portal has been programmed
to accept all major credit and debit cards
including VISA, MasterCard, American
Express and JCB. Being an exclusive
payment service, the e-payment portal
is available for customers who invest
in any brand that comes under the
umbrella of Euro Motors including BMW,
Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and MINI
as well as Jaguar and Land Rover.
Customers who wish to benefit
from this service can easily access
the e-payment portal by visiting www.
euromotors-epay.com or by visiting
the Euro Motors official website. Once
a transaction has been processed,
customers will immediately be sent an
e-invoice confirming the transaction via
SMS or e-mail.
84 May-June 2017