Published: 19 April 2018

AMTEC Motors is aiming for middle and senior management in selling the new Nissan X-Trail vehicles, with 10 units already in the country.

In a sideline interview with NewsDay at the launch of the new vehicles on Tuesday, Amtec Motors managing director Lucas Taruvinga said they were relying on corporates and tenders for the vehicles.

Amtec sold 70 units of the previous version of X-Trail last year, raking in about $2,8 million.

"This (new Nissan X-Trail) is for middle management going for senior management depending on the size of the organisation. Like I said, the previous version of the Nissan X-Trail, we sold about 70 units to doctors, to Premier Service Medical Investments, they were giving their senior doctors for 2017," he said.

"We have got quite a lot (of corporates). We deal with parastatals, for example, we also deal with the utility companies, your Zimbabwe National Water Authority, municipalities the likes of Zesa Holdings and other institutions . . . we have got so many. Some of the vehicles from last year were bought through tenders, where companies tender and we participate in a tender and we give them our prices and other competencies and we sell."

He said the company brought in 10 vehicles into the country. The number, Taruvinga said, would increase depending on increased interest in the vehicles.
The 70 units that were sold last year were bought by parastatals, corporates and high-income earners.

"We anticipate the total market for vehicles in Zimbabwe, what we call the 'industry volume', that is, all the brands combined at 3 000. We expect about 15% of that total industry volume. As far as Nissan is concerned, we are not the only dealer in the country. We have got Croco Motors, Clover Leaf, AMC
. . . there are four of us who expect 30% of that market share," Taruvinga said.

Amtec Motors has partnered ZB Bank, FBC Bank, Stanbic Bank and African Century to offer credit terms for customers to purchase the vehicles.

However, Amtec Motors has been having challenges in getting foreign currency to remit back to suppliers in South Africa, as vehicles are listed as a non-priority on the central bank's import priority list.

The market appeal for the new Nissan X-Trail is that it is not an outright sports utility (SUV) four by four off-roader, but a cross over between an SUV and sedan motor vehicle. The vehicle is also a seven seater.

The new Nissan X-Trail has leather seats, thereby offering comfort to executives.

The 10 vehicles are a mixture of automatic and manual engines.

Amtec Motors Harare dealer principal Joe Mapurisa said there were more automatic vehicles, adding that manual cars would be made available through orders.
- newsday

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