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The mystery brand’s identity has finally been revealed by Mikano Motors as Changan Auto.
Respected members of the press participated in a press briefing at the Mikano Motors Head Office, VI, Lagos to learn more about the newest addition to Nigeria’s fastest-growing automotive powerhouse.
Mikano Motors had teased Nigerian audiences for a month prior to the reveal with endorsements from famous influencers like celebrity bartender Pascal Chibuike, aka Cubana Chief Priest, Jemima Osunde, Akah Nnanni, Sydney Talker, and auto enthusiasts Supercars of Nigeria and CarContinent, who were also present for the official reveal. The first owners of the Changan CS85 Coupe, who also picked up their vehicles on the same day, were among the customers who had already made pre-order purchases from the Changan lineup.
Mikano Motors is now the only distributor of brands from three of China’s “Big Four” auto giants: Saic Motors (Maxus), Dongfeng Motor Corporation (ZNA), and, as of now, Changan Automobile Group (previously distributed by another Nigerian dealer). Changan Auto, one of the founding members of the automotive industry and the oldest automaker in China, was founded in 1862. However, they began their foray into producing and selling passenger vehicles 32 years ago. With sales in the neighborhood of 8,500 units sold daily globally under its brands, including Changan, Oshan, and Kaicene, as well as its joint ventures with foreign brands like Lincoln, Ford, and Mazda, known as Changan Ford and Changan Mazda, respectively, since 2012, the brand has continued to grow immensely in popularity throughout the world for its value offerings across all segments of the automotive industry. Changan Auto has set its sights on a fully electric line-up by 2025 while maintaining a constant focus on evolution and innovation.
In response to the success of the Geely brand, the general manager of Mikano Motors, Ralph Haidar, stated that “Mikano Motors partnership with Changan Auto is a powerful alliance that will further change the landscape of automobile ownership in Nigeria.”
In addition, he said, “We expect about 15 models from this brand, which will complement our lineup from Geely Auto, Maxus, and ZNA.” Mikano Motors- Changan will grant all new customers a 6 year/200,000 km (or whatever comes first) warranty, while granting existing Changan owners a warranty of up to 5 years in a daring and unprecedented move. Mikano Motors guarantees that there will be a car to suit every person’s needs with its 15 models.
The Changan brand is doing well in some West African nations, most notably Ivory Coast, because “this is the first of its kind in all of Africa.” Additionally, many Gulf nations, including Qatar, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, provide even better warranties. We understand that businesses and individuals need cars that combine durability, affordability, as well as luxury and technology, which is what Changan and Mikano Motors are known to provide to its customers. As a leading global provider of quality automobile sales and services, with a clear understanding of producing quality vehicles and taking into account the decline in disposable income of auto buyers as a result of the global economic recession and other domestic factors.
Chijioke Mbonu, the company’s national sales manager, provided guests with an overview of the sales performance of the Changan brand since its arrival at Mikano Motors, saying that “the confidence that customers have in the Mikano name has played a huge part in ensuring that sales of more than 500 units have been made to Government parastatals, corporate organizations, and individuals within the past three months under the presale terms.” From the point of sale and throughout their auto journey, customers will have peace of mind and the assurance of receiving all the benefits of the Mikano Motors value proposition, according to Syam Abdulkadir, Operations Manager for Mikano Motors. The company is prepared to handle customers from all the brands under Mikano Motors. He also made it clear that the company has already taken steps to expand its facilities as needed.
Mr. Haidar publicly announced the presales/pre-order offer for Changan models before the event came to a close. Depending on the model purchased, the offer may include, but is not limited to, free registration, up to three years of free service, and all prices VAT deducted (as a form of discount). The event was finally concluded with a walkaround of 4 of the 15 anticipated models, including the Executive CS95 large SUV, the Eado DT sedan, CS35Plus, and CS85 Luxury Coupe SUV.
