Holden Special Vehicles has just announced that it will begin exporting into the Singapore market through local dealer Harvest Automobiles.
Harvest Automobiles will retail HSV vehicles in the Singaporean market, and the launch has been 18 months in the planning. In announcing the export opportunity HSV’s Managing Director, Phil Harding says, “This is really exciting for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it shows that we are beginning to overcome the export challenges that came about as a result of the GFC — people are becoming more confident around starting new business ventures. Secondly, it shows that a home grown performance vehicle can find niche markets in a variety of international settings.”
Phil Harding added that he believes the new E3 range has reached a new level of specification that makes it attractive in international markets,”The request from Harvest is for the highest specification possible. With the recent launch of E3 we are pleased that our exceptional list of features are now able to meet the demands of this new customer base. In addition, all the vehicles heading for Singapore will all be fully optioned with our SV enhancements,” he said.
Harvest Automobiles’ new HSV showroom is located at 3 Leng Kee Rd., the established heart of Singapore’s premium automotive trade. In targeting HSV, Managing Director of Harvest Automobiles, Daniel Au says, “I have long been familiar with Holden Special Vehicles, and when we were looking at expanding our line-up of brands I felt it was a great opportunity. I am very confident that the car culture of Singapore will be very excited about this niche offering, and I have already sold my first allocation of vehicles.”
In respect of the number of vehicles he expects to sell in his first twelve months, Au is playing his cards close to his chest, “For the first 12 months it will be all about getting the brand established and delivering great service. We believe there is significant scope to grow as long as we deliver a premium sales and service experience. Our clients know HSV is a niche vehicle, and expect the special attention that comes with this type of purchase. We are gearing ourselves up to deliver,” he said.
The launch will be punctuated with a Gala Event at Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre.
Darren Bowler, General Manager of Sales for HSV, who established the new relationship says, “We will kick-off with the launch evening, and the following day we will be conducting driver training and V8 Supercar passenger rides on our purpose built track at the Changi Exhibition Centre. With Garth Tander and Greg Murphy supporting, our Singaporean guests will get a real understanding of what the HSV brand is all about.”
Set against the spectacular Singapore skyline, spectators will get a close-up view of the garden city as the circuit passes historic landmarks such as the City Hall and modern buildings along the Marina Bay, such as the Esplanade. With speeds expected to reach 300km per hour along portions of the circuit, spectators are assured a thrilling race and drivers a genuine challenge.
