It seems like even with recent changes in the taxation policies brought in by the government hasn’t been enough to put a significant dent in the auto industry. With newer vehicles coming to our shores, the industry just seems as exciting as it always has been. Just recently, MG Motors have been taken under by Paramount Motors and we certainly believe that this will open up a lot of new doors for the brand. Here, we decided to chat with Mr. Sachin Aryal, General Manager at Paramount Motors Pvt. Ltd. to know more about where the company is heading and what more we can expect from MG Motors. Not just that, but we even talk about their latest addition, the MG ZS and what they are cooking for the NADA Auto Show.

FIRST OFF, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY ABOUT THE RECENT TAKEOVER BY PARAMOUNT MOTORS PVT. LTD. OF MG MOTORS?

Paramount Motors have only recently taken over the distribution of MG Motors in Nepal and we are planning to go really aggressively in the Nepalese market by providing better services and products to our customers. MG has always been perceived as a well-known brand in the world, being one of the oldest to manufacture racing and sports cars. So, we hope that we can do justice to the MG brand and establish a new identity for the brand in Nepal.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM MG MOTORS IN THE FUTURE AND WHERE IS THE COMPANY HEADING?

Our buyers can expect a lot of new things from MG Motors, such as safer and more reliable products, design-oriented vehicles and more of new generation line-ups that will appeal to the younger crowd. Not only that but all of these products will be high-tech and have a lot of technological developments in them. Also, in coming days, MG is planning to come up with electric vehicles and we shall be bringing hem into the Nepalese market as well. As a company, we have just started out with the recent takeover. So, we are at a very initial phase with MG Motors. However, we will be officially opening our world class showroom within August and we are even establishing workshops. We will also be expanding our distribution network, with one of the first dealership being at Manigram for both Butwal and Bhairawa market. Not just that, but we are looking for prospective dealers for both eastern and western Nepal, so we will be spreading our networks throughout the whole nation.

REGARDING THE MG ZS, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE VEHICLE? HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO POSITION IT IN THE MARKET?

The ZS is already in the market but we haven’t officially launched it. Actually, we are planning to announce everything at once when our showroom will be ready to operate. So, we will be launching both our showroom and the ZS at the same time with the official announcement about the takeover by Paramount Motors. The ZS is a compact SUV and we will be positioning it as the cross segment. We are planning to push the ZS in this segment because of the present road condition and the demand for vehicles with higher ground clearance and SUV styling. We will be competing with cross vehicles that are already prominent in the market but because the ZS is a more premium vehicle, we believe we will have some edge over our competitors. Not only that, but we want to position it at a very reasonable price even though the ZS is a European made vehicle with excellent build quality.

WHAT IS THE USP OF THE ZS AND HOW HAVE YOU PLANNED TO GO ON ABOUT AFTER SALES SERVICE FOR THE VEHICLE?

If we talk about the main USP of the ZS then it has to be the design of the vehicle. The exteriors are really well designed and any one who has seen the vehicle has been amazed by the looks of the ZS. Another USP is the interior; the interiors give out a cockpit vibe and has really furnished finishing giving it a premium feel. Also, it comes loaded with all the latest features; some which we haven’t yet seen in other vehicles of its segment. Another interesting aspect of the ZS is that it comes with 3 different driving modes; urban, rural and sports mode, so you can experience different drivability in various road conditions. Apart from that the ZS even comes with cruise control and side curtain airbags which we believe is an essential safety feature.

Regarding after sales, we are managing to bring a high volume of spare parts and sell it for a very reasonable and affordable price. We are also giving 2 years or 60,000Km warranty with the ZS which will assure the customers that it is a reliable product and that they won’t have to worry about the vehicle breaking down. We are also establishing a service station in Kathmandu and every dealership will require to have a 3-tier setup for service stations.

WHAT ARE THE SALES FIGURES THAT YOU ARE EXPECTING TO ATTAIN WITH THE NEW ZS?

If every thing goes well, we are expecting 300 units per year for the ZS. The vehicle comes with 3 different variants, 1.5L petrol engine standard spec, 1.5L petrol engine full spec and 1.0L Turbo engine with full specification. So, we are expecting the previous mentioned sales figures with all the variants combined.

UNTIL NOW, HOW HAVE MG’S CUSTOMERS BEEN PERCEIVING THE BRAND AND ITS PRODUCTS?

Until now, the customers have really been appreciating the MG brand. Not only in Nepal, but as one of the oldest European brands, MG has been gaining respect throughout the whole world. So, we believe that with such perspective, people have been respecting the brand as it is.

WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE TAXATION POLICY, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY?

I believe that it is necessary to own a vehicle these days. Everyone is working and they need to be at different places, every now and then, so it is a must for them to have a personal vehicle. Even though, there are options of public transportation, the facilities that are provided are not up to par and still lack behind a lot so they don’t have any other choice than opt for a personal vehicle. But the government have looked at it from a very different perspective and raised the taxes. And with the various terrains in Nepal, sometimes, smaller engines are not enough. So, definitely, there are going to be a few issues but if it allows for a better economic growth then its fine.

ALSO, WITH NADA AUTOSHOW COMING UP, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS REGARDING NADA? CAN WE EXPECT ANY NEW LAUNCHES FROM MG MOTORS THIS NADA?

NADA is definitely going to be an amazing platform for MG Motors and it will give an opportunity to educate the people about the brand and its products, maybe might even get a lot of prospective buyers from it. We will be opening our showroom soon so the auto show will definitely give us the added mileage for establishing a stronger brand presence. This time our main goal is to make the presence of MG Motors felt in the auto industry and hopefully push our sales as well. We have a lot of expectations from NADA and we are planning accordingly to be aggressive with our marketing and sales. This time around our main focus will be on two vehicles, the ZS and GS because of the trend in the cross SUV segment and will definitely be promoting the two vehicles.