A new multi-million dollar automotive company has been formed between German luxury-brand BMW and Chinese automaker, Great Wall Motor Company Limited. Photo: Provided

Mr Antony Miao (with tie), Operation Manager, C-NAP American Market Department and Martin A. Alphonso President of Alphonso Car Sales Ltd. Photo: Team of Reporters

VI distributor Alphonso Enterprise Limited (AEL) in Fish Bay, Tortola, is the sole distributor of GMW vehicles in the Territory. Photo: Provided

In a press release issued last month, it was announced that the new joint venture company—Spotlight Automotive Ltd—was established with a registered capital of  $300 million and  “is a new example for open-minded cooperation in Chinese auto industry, showing the optimization and integration of global resources. It helps GWM and BMW jointly broaden the international market by integrating their advantages.”

VI Customers to benefit

GWM presently owns four brands—namely HAVAL, Great Wall, WEY and ORA—all of which reached more than one million vehicles sales, in 2016 and 2017.

The Virgin Islands (VI) will also be benefitting directly from the mega Joint Venture, since VI distributor Alphonso Enterprise Limited (AEL) in Fish Bay, Tortola, is the sole distributor of GMW vehicles in the Territory—already offering the five-star rated HAVAL H6 among others—good news for their customers.

The HAVAL H6, among the range of vehicles offered by Alphonso Car Sales Ltd, was recently awarded the ‘five-star’ rating at the first Chinese Automotive Technology & Research Centre’s (C-NCAP) international evaluation held recently in China.

Alphonso Enterprise Limited is located in Skelton Lot in Fish Bay, VI where Martin A. Alphonso aka ‘Tony’ has been operating his car dealership, garage and vehicle rental service for several years now.

Global Strategy

The new Joint Venture—Spotlight Automotive Ltd—has planned to develop an advanced vehicle plant with an annual standard capacity of 160,000 vehicles.

The release continued to say that “this cooperation is a powerful supplement to BMW's global strategy for new energy vehicles and to the GWM's international strategy, and is a definitely strong alliance of the power.”

It was related that there will be continuous cooperation between the partners, “in brand building, management system, production and manufacture, and technology research and development” aimed at exploiting a broader market, and accelerating the globalisation and new energy development.

“As a well-known enterprise, GWM has profound vision and strategy for international market by deeply rooting itself in the local auto market in China,” the press statement said.

 “With rich vehicle research and development, production and operation resources, GWM is full-fledged in research and development and manufacturing fields of traditional power and new energy core parts and components,” the released emphasised.

BMW—the world-famous automotive and motorcycle manufacturers—has “a history of making cars for 100 years and owns four brands of BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, and is also engaged in auto finance and high-end travel service.”