The latest model of the Mercedes-Benz Actros comes with a new safety feature, Active Brake Assist 5, which is claimed to provide more safety for the driver, other motorists and pedestrians.

The new model truck is also incorporated with mirror cameras, which will help give the driver a better view of traffic.

The Actros consumes between 3 and 5 per cent less fuel than other trucks due to new driving mode of the Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission and the lower air resistance of its mirror cameras, according to Daimler.

Market leaders Mercedes-Benz and BMW have long established themselves as leading luxury car brands in the Kingdom and Audi has always struggled to reach the same level of success.

But in 2016, Audi AG announced the appointment of a new official importer and distributor – Meister Technik Co Ltd, which is also referred to as Audi Thailand.

Meister Technik is led by business tycoon Krisada Lamsam, whose love for Audi cars inspired him to venture into the automotive world.

However, Krisada needed a professional to handle things.

In came Grisnagorn Sawettanan.

Grisnagorn, 50, is the chief executive of Audi Thailand, which means he handles “everything”.

A graduate from St Gabriel’s School, Bangkok University and the National Institute of Development Administration, Grisnagorn started off in 1992 at Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Co Ltd (TAAP), which was the official distributor of Mercedes-Benz at the time.

He then moved to Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) in 2002, taking up the position of senior manager for sales, and was responsible for unit sales, dealers, fleet sales, diplomat sales and used-car sales.

Grisnagorn said he chose to walk out of a highly successful company like Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) to join his friends and family at Audi, as it presented a “challenge”.

“I’ve known Krisada and other co-owners for a long time, and setting up a new operation like Audi Thailand seemed like a great challenge for me,” he told The Nation.

“Setting up is a tiring process as it involves wholesale and retail, plus virtually every department including sales, logistics, finance, etc,” he said.

He joined Audi in the fourth quarter of 2016, and Audi Thailand was officially launched in March 2017. By the end of the year, it had achieved its sales target, with 610 vehicles sold to Thai customers.

“Apart from selling cars, our work at Audi Thailand actually involves a lot more such as recreating the Audi brand and leading people back to us,” he said. “There was a lag in Audi sales in Thailand over the past few years, but worldwide Audi has been a highly successful brand.”

Despite the ongoing “dieselgate” emission scandal involving VW Group vehicles, Audi was voted as the most reliable brand in the United States this year, reflecting a strong customer preference for the brand.

Worldwide, Mercedes-Benz sold over 2.1 million vehicles last year, followed by BMW with over 2 million, while Audi followed close behind with 1.87 million vehicles.

In Thailand, Mercedes-Benz sells over 10,000 vehicles per year, while Audi’s target for this year is just 1,200 units.

“In Thailand, Audi has been working hard in advertising with a high level of social media involvement, billboards and continuous PR activities,” Grisnagorn said. “Brand awareness is our No 1 goal.”

Audi’s second goal is to re-establish customer confidence by setting up a dealer network covering all major areas in the country.

“When we went to the [Bangkok International] Motor Show for the first time, customers came from Udon Thani and Phang Nga [provinces] and wanted to purchase our cars. But they said there weren’t any Audi servicing facilities in their provinces. A large number of Audi owners in Chiang Mai have also called for servicing facilities,” he explained.

“Only when we have established a strong network for sales and after sales, can we start looking at serious sales growth,” he said.

While the first Audi showroom and service centre is located on New Petchaburi Road in Bangkok, a second facility has been opened in Pattaya. Most recently, the Bt1-billion Audi Centre Bangkok was opened in Bangkok on Ekamai-Ramindra Road.

Grisnagorn said Audi is planning five to six new dealerships in the near future.

“The Phuket dealership will open at the end of the year, while Udon Thani will be opened next year,” he said, adding that Udon Thani has a potentially large market for luxury cars and Laotian customers can also easily cross over for services.

Most Laotian Audi owners have special models like the RS6, which needs high-quality servicing.

Being an innovative brand with high technology, Audi plans to electrify a large number of its products and bring some to Thailand.

“In terms of EV [electric vehicle], we have been talking with the Thai government and our standpoint is that we follow the government policy 100 per cent. We need to, otherwise we would not be able to survive in the market,” he said.

“EV technology is needed as the new Euro 7 emission standard is so tough it would be difficult to pass without using any electric assistance. You’ll need at least a PHEV [plug-in hybrid] to pass,” Grisnagorn noted.

Audi is also expanding its product line-up in Thailand at a quick pace in order to be present in every sub-segment.

“We know that we can’t compete against rivals that are assembling locally with imported products like the Audi A4 due to the price difference caused by the import duty,” he said. “But the A5 or A4 Avant are very popular, while the A7 comes with very high specs and goes for Bt3 million plus, while its rivals cost over Bt5 million. This is the market segment in which we are highly competitive.”

Although Grisnagorn did not comment on local production plans for Audi, it is understood that when the environment is right, the German luxury brand will not hesitate in starting local assembly in Thailand just like its fellow German rivals.

Standard features in the XC40 Momentum include a 12.3” screen display, hands-free tailgate opening, wireless charging station, city safety, blind spot information, rear collision warnings with braking at standstill, cross traffic alerts with brake support detecting vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, large animals, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, road sign information, lane peeping aid, rear parking camera and parking assist.

Meanwhile, the T5 also comes with adaptive cruise control – with speed sign assist and pilot assist, Park Assist Pilot and Harman Kardon sound system. .

The decision stems from Volkswagen’s emphasis on electric cars and larger family-oriented vehicles.

“As we move to being a full-line, family-focused automaker in the US and ramp up our electrification strategy…there are no immediate plans to replace it,” Hinrich Woebcken, chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America said in a statement.

“But, I would also say, never say never,” he added.

“The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle’s many devoted fans,” Woebcken said.

Volkswagen plans to offer the two final edition models in both coupe and convertible styles. The cars will include nods to earlier versions and be priced at $23,045 and up, said the company.

The insect-inspired vehicle has a long history going back to the Nazi era. It was first developed by Ferdinand Porsche with support from Adolf Hitler, who in 1937 formed the state-run Volkswagenwerk, or “The People’s Car Company.”

The sedans were launched in the US market in the 1950s but could not pick up sales, partly due to the company’s Nazi origins.

In 1959, advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernback rechristened the car calling it Beetle, and marketed its small size as an advantage to consumers, according to a History Channel show.

The 1968 Disney movie, The Love Bug, featured the story of a racing Volkswagen with a mind of its own, giving the car a lot of popularity.

The Korean automaker said it would announce more details, including data, development status and sales plans of its next-generation hydrogen trucks, at the upcoming IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018, which kicks off Wednesday in Hannover, Germany. The name of the vehicle and the actual vehicle will be unveiled in time for the launch next year.

The upcoming hydrogen truck has a strong image and motifs of hydrogen represented by geometrical grill patterns, the automaker said.

Hyundai is currently developing hydrogen cars, with the aim of targeting the eco-friendly car market globally amid growing interest in green cars driven by environmental regulations.

The automaker plans to advance into the European market first with the hydrogen trucks and expand to other markets based on demand and the status of hydrogen charging infrastructure.

“When the hydrogen truck is mass-produced next year, Hyundai’s hydrogen leadership will extend to commercial cars beyond sedans and sport utility vehicles,” said a spokesperson of Hyundai Motor.

Hyundai launched the world’s first hydrogen car, Tucson, in 2013 and its next model, Nexo, a hydrogen-powered crossover SUV, in March.

Prioritising digital platform development along with ongoing sales promotions, the company plans to aggressively market K-Auto Finance (Refinance) in order to meet its target of Bt90 billion of loan extension by year-end.

Sasawat Virapriya, KLeasing executive chairman, remarked upon the healthy growth of the Thai domestic car market, buoyed by brighter economic growth, and the launch of new car models through attractive sales promotional campaigns and marketing activities by car manufacturers.

Such factors have led to higher new car sales, as reflected in the growth of auto hire purchase during the first half of 2018 by 12.4 per cent, over-year.

KLeasing’s total loans during the first half of this year reached Bt49.17 billion, comprising new hire purchase, leasing and car registration loans of Bt19.98 billion, rising 7 per cent YoY, and dealer floorplan loans of Bt29.19 billion, rising 32 per cent YoY.

With outstanding loans growing 8 per cent YoY to Bt100 billion, and NPLs of 1.42 per cent, KLeasing’s profit surged 18.5 per cent YoY, to Bt683 million.

For the final quarter of 2018, KLeasing will join forces with its car dealer partners in offering products that continue to meet the needs of our customers, as well as introducing a new K- Auto Finance (New Car) campaign during the Thailand International Motor Expo, scheduled for the end of 2018.

We have also mapped out plans to increase the efficiency of our risk management so as to expand the quality loan base while fully focusing on marketing our K-Auto Finance (Refinance) via KBank branches nationwide and digital platform.

Given this, KLeasing will likely be ready to accommodate the rapidly growing number of our customers in an efficient manner, as well as assisting them in conducting all transactions related to auto financing with ease.

These coupled with KLeasing’s capacity in precisely analysing customer behaviour through Data Analytics will enable us to offer auto-finance via online channels to the right customers.

The BMW 520d Sport has diesel powertrain and a sportier character, 18-inch double-spoke light alloy wheels and high-gloss shadow line.

The interior has a fine-wood trim in poplar grain grey with pearl chrome highlight trim, leather steering wheel and sport seats. It has BMW Gesture Control and a touch-control display.

Powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo diesel engine that produces up to 140 kW/190 hp, the BMW 520d Sport has a peak torque of 400 Nm, which lets it accelerate to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 235 km/h.

Paired with an eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, the engine averages 20 km/l in fuel consumption and emits 132 grams of CO2 per km.

Cameras are equipped to areas where side mirrors are usually located and capture views of the vehicles’ sides and back, which are shown on monitors set in front of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats within the cabin.

The digital system automatically magnifies corresponding views when the vehicle turns left, right or gets into reverse gear. Brightness will also be automatically adjusted to increase visibility at night and in the bad weather, improving security.

The digital mirrors are smaller than existing sideview mirrors that provide better forward visibility.

The company will invest 12 million euro (Bt450 million) in a complete knock-down (CKD) assembly plant in Rayong province, according to company executives who also admitted to the insufficiency of its past strategy for Thailand.

“Thailand is the biggest and fastest-growing market in Southeast Asia, the market is too big for us to miss,” said Michael Kamper, senior vice president and head of sales & marketing of MFTBC.

The new plant will have an annual capacity of 4,000 trucks. Construction is scheduled to commence in October with inauguration of the new facility expected in the second quarter of next year.

In the first stage, the plant will assemble FUSO’s heavy-duty FJ 2528C trucks, already launched in Thailand earlier this year.

He said the company saw an investment opportunity as Thailand has been promoting the EEC project as the Thai government plans to develop Thailand as a logistics hub for Southeast Asia.

When asked about the competition from rail transport as the government plans to build several double-track rail projects, Kamper was optimistic and said that road transport is not much different to rail transport.

They two modes of transport will compete, but at the same time, they could complement each other.

Sascha Ricanek, chief executive of Daimler Commercial Vehicles Thailand (DCVT), a distributor for FUSO products, said DCVT will take over Mercedes-Benz bus and truck business as part of Daimler’s global customer dedication strategy.

“It was natural step for us to consolidate our commercial vehicles business including the FUSO and Mercedes-Benz brands under DCVT,” he said.

The CKD plant in Rayong will be fully- owned by Daimler AG and it leaves the door open for local partners in the future.

Ricannek revealed that the group has a market share of 3 per cent in the commercial truck segment in Thailand with European heavy-duty trucks accounting for 1,700 units, and Japanese brands 26,000 units. |The market grows about 12 per cent annually.

The DCVT plans to further extend its dealer network to 14 and 24 sub-branches in Thailand this year, he added.

Daimler established DCVT in 2016 as the official distributor of FUSO , followed by being appointed distributor of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles. Daimler owns 89.29 per cent of shares in MFTBC.

The e-tron is a five-seater SUV with digital equipment and home-charging tools, and is the first of three fully electric models that Audi plans to launch by 2020.

Alexander von Waldenberg-Dresel, regional director for Southeast Asia, said Audi plans to launch an electrified model in Thailand next year. The German automaker – which was hit by the dieselgate scandal in September 2015 and saw its CEO Rupert Stadler getting arrested in June this year for fears of suppressing evidence – plans to electrify as much as 30 per cent of its product line-up by 2025.

Michael Frisch, senior director for Audi AG overseas sales, told reporters at the opening of the Audi Centre in Bangkok that there was a bright future for electrified vehicles in Thailand due to the favourable government policy.

He said Audi has a financially strong local partner (Meister Technik Co Ltd), but the automaker still has much work to do in order to catch up with its all-time rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

“We have to work on brand development, image and awareness in order to build demand,” he said. “Yes, Mercedes-Benz is the leader here, but we are working to introduce more new models in order to lessen the gap.”

While BMW and Mercedes-Benz have local assembly operations that help lower retail prices, Audi still imports all its products.

The executives said Audi’s ultimate goal is to become the No 1 luxury brand in every market it is present in, but it still has many hurdles to cross in Thailand.

“If we were to fight for the No 1 position here, then we would need to start assembling locally,” von Waldenberg-Dresel added.

Audi Centre Bangkok, which serves as the new head office for Audi Thailand and also offers sales and after-sales services, is expected to help boost sales significantly. Last year alone, 610 Audi vehicles were sold in Thailand.

From January to July this year, Audi sales have already surpassed the 600-unit mark, and more growth is expected with new showrooms. Apart from the Audi Centre in Bangkok, Audi opened a dealership in Pattaya last month, and plans to open dealerships in Phuket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. It is also setting one up in Thon Buri.

“Since March last year, our sales only came from the New Phetchaburi showroom [in Bangkok], but now we will have two more outlets and more will follow next year,” Krisada Lamsam, the CEO of Meister Technik Co Ltd, said. The 12,800-square metre Audi Centre Bangkok, which cost over Bt1 billion to build, is the third-largest Audi complex in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are confident that our advances this year will raise confidence in the Audi brand and convince customers to choose our brand in their next purchase,” he added.