V-Gulliver opens fourth used-car showroom

Managing director Katsushi Nomura said Gulliver Samut Prakan, which is owned by Novil, had been established as part of V-Gulliver’s network expansion plan.

V-Gulliver is the franchisor of the Gulliver International Japan used-car brand.

"Novil is considered as the second franchisee from Japan, entering Thailand after EPM, which currently operates Gulliver Nawamin. The new showroom will support our plan to modernise the used-car market in Thailand," said Nomura.

Gulliver Samut Prakan is owned by Novil (Thailand) Corp, a subsidiary of Novil with registered capital of Bt6 million.

Novil’s investment in the outlet is around Bt30 million. It is V-Gulliver’s largest showroom in Thailand, with a 150-vehicle stock area.

V-Gulliver, which will hold the official opening for Gulliver Samut Prakan on Friday, has set a monthly sales target of more than 50 cars for the outlet.

Nomura said Gulliver Samut Prakan would hold a traditional Japanese Matsuri Festival to promote the new showroom.

The event runs until March 15, with customers purchasing a used car benefiting from discounts of up to Bt20,000, and some free services.

Meanwhile, Novil managing director Hiroki Hisaoka said his company had been interested in setting up its first overseas branch in Thailand since Gulliver established a joint venture, V-Gulliver, in the country.

"We started negotiating with Gulliver to set up a new company here, and today I’m proud to have our first overseas outlet – in Thailand. This is because I’m very confident that Thailand has very high potential to grow, and the most important thing for us is the brand of Gulliver, which I’m confident will be well accepted in Thai society very soon," he said.

Nomura said Gulliver would continue to open more showrooms throughout the Kingdom, including in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Khon Kaen, another in Bangkok, as well as in Suphan Buri.

"If we have enough showrooms, we will be able to strengthen our stock-share programme among the showrooms, meaning that potential used-car buyers in Chiang Mai are able to buy through our Gulliver network, likewise from Khon Kaen or Bangkok. Meanwhile, people in other provinces are also offered very good quality and a variety of cars from Chiang Mai," said the MD.

Although the used-car market in Thailand is not particularly favourable right now, Nomura said V-Gulliver was confident it should gradually improve in the second half of the year, as the company had been approached by many interested firms, including independent used-car tent owners, leasing firms, and individual businessmen, to join the network as franchisees.

V-Gulliver is very confident Thailand has high potential for the brand as a result of a Jetro report stating that the ratio of car owners to householders was only 13.8 per cent in 2010. The ratio is 86.5 per cent in Japan.

Under its market-modernisation plan, Gulliver has introduced its business platform to Thailand, including a 30-day or 5,000-kilometre buy-back period, with a six-month or 10,000k warranty.