Saudi Arabia’s Altawkilat launches UAE dealership for luxury Chinese auto brand Hongqi

Saudi Arabia’s Altawkilat launches UAE dealership for luxury Chinese auto brand Hongqi

Dubai: A Saudi company is launching a dealership for the luxury Chinese auto brand Hongqi – with model prices from Dh90,000 – in the UAE. First up will be a showroom and service centre in Abu Dhabi for Hongqi, with the brand’s limousine being the model of choice for China’s President and top-ranking government officials through the years. The Saudi company, Altawkilat, has been representing Hongqi in the Kingdom since 2021 and believes the time is right to extend the reach into the UAE, first in Abu Dhabi and then with a presence in Dubai and Sharjah. Chinese-owned brands had been making headway in the UAE through 2021-22 through aggressive pricing and after-sales support packages. Multiple auto industry sources say that more Chinese brands will make an entry in the UAE and Gulf markets, especially when demand for EVs start getting mainstream. Hongqi, incidentally, is the first Chinese brand trying to make an impression in the UAE’s premium auto market, with its top-of-the-range EV models carrying showroom rates of Dh390,000. “There are three EVs available right now, and we will expand the line up with a smaller SUV and sedan,” said Mohammed Abduljawad, Chairman and CEO of Altawkilat. “Chinese made