Opel has announced that the Williams Hunt group has been appointed as the brand’s official distributor in South Africa from January 2018.
The news comes after uncertainty around Opel’s future in South Africa, with General Motors last month announcing that it would cease operations in the country, pulling the Chevrolet brand from the market.
General Motors, of course, is in the process of selling Opel to the PSA Group (which runs the Peugeot, Citroën and DS brands), with Opel’s global CEO having quit earlier this week.
Opel South Africa also revealed that it planned to expand its product offering, with the Crossland X set to be launched locally before the end of 2017. The larger Grandland X is scheduled to follow in 2018.
Williams Hunt has had a presence in South Africa since 1903 and is now part of the Unitrans Automotive Group, a division of Steinhoff International. The group promises that it will service Opel buyers with 35 dealerships across the country.
“Opel has had great success in South Africa,” said Bill Mott, Opel director of international sales operations. “Many of our models have enjoyed great popularity among the buying public and have received rewards and acclaim from the motoring press.”
“Opel customers can expect the same quality of aftersales support and no changes to existing warranties,” Mott added.
“We will ensure that our customers receive outstanding sales and aftersales support as we continue to further grow in the South African market.”
“We view South Africa as an important market. We are confident that the brand will continue to grow from strength to strength globally, and here in South Africa, because of the solid foundation that has been built in the 80-plus years Opel has been here.”
