Visitors to the new Volkswagen flagship showroom on the ground floor of KITEC, located in Kowloon Bay, could be forgiven for thinking they had stepped into a car dealership somewhere in Europe.
Like many car dealerships across the continental cities, the newly redesigned Hong Kong facility is airy, casual, spacious and family-friendly.
As an automotive brand, Volkswagen might not have attracted the best possible spotlight over the past few months. Under the shadow cast by the Covid-19 pandemic, Volkswagen Hong Kong has kept a low profile.
But the brand is also turning a new page, with the VW Group's subsidiary appointing a new distributor for the Hong Kong and Macau markets.
Since July 1, Kam Lung Motors has been the sole authorized distributor of the brand in the two SARs. Readers of this column may already be familiar with the new company.
First established in Hong Kong in the 1980s, the independent automotive group has grown to become one of the largest car dealer groups in southern China, notably in the Greater Bay Area. The company represents 13 automotive brands in the markets, with its sales reaching 25,000 units in 2019.
The company operates more than 30 dealerships across Guangdong, Yunnan and Fujian provinces in the mainland. In Hong Kong, its more streamlined business has long been associated with Bentley, Kia and Volkswagen. Since July, it has assumed the role of sole distributor for Audi and Volkswagen.
Joining a wave of modern automotive showroom facilities and also incorporating evolving customer expectations, the new VW establishment seems to remove the fear factor normally associated with entering a more traditional car showroom.
At the new VW showroom, at least for now, each car on display is given ample space. They are not tightly parked next to each other, allowing customers to inspect each vehicle without getting into the way of others checking out the model next to them.
The facility also features a comfortable seating space for family members who are more interested in the professionally produced automotive video content shown on the huge high-definition screen than the chance to spec up their family's next VW vehicle.
The new showroom, naturally, boasts a good equipment level for future customer-centric events and unveiling ceremonies for new cars.
But Kam Lung Motors has been careful not to get too far ahead of the market sentiment. So for now, it is keeping the range of VW models relatively limited.
At the Vibrant Sky display area, which is more for the VW model of the moment, a handsome VW T-Cross is on display. The compact city SUV based largely on the Polo has got a lot in design, convenience and equipment to appeal to small family customers. At a starting price of HK$238,980, the vehicle is a small footprint that marks the turning of a new page in the history of the People's Car in Hong Kong.
staff.reporter@singtaonewscorp.com
