Inchcape takes over Changan distributorship in PH

In what seems to have been a very unexpected occurrence, another automotive brand in the local matket has seen a change of management. The distributorship here in the Philippines of Chinese automaker Changan, is now under Inchcape Philippines.

Inchcape, a global automotive distributor recently announced that they have been appointed by Changan International Corporation (CIC) for the distribution of Changan vehicles in the country. Inchcape Philippines was recently formed through a joint venture between Inchcape and CATS Group of Companies.

CATS Group of Companies is the local distributor of premium brands Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, RAM, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Harley Davidson, and also a dealer of Mazda vehicles.

“With global partnerships firmly embedded in Changan’s history, this agreement with Inchcape is a landmark step in Changan’s mission to pioneer auto culture and benefit human life. In charting the future of mobility, Changan is focused on a new-energy strategy which counts the completion of three major new special energy platforms and the complete electrification of all products among its goals. Combined with Inchcape’s excellence in market expansion and distribution, it is our shared ambition that more Filipinos enjoy the lasting safety that Changan automobile can provide,” said CIC Vice General Manager Tom Yin. 

“We are pleased to join hands with Changan, a leading OEM to distribute their extensive and high-quality vehicle portfolio in the Philippines. This is an exciting milestone for us as we see strong growth potential in the Philippines and opportunities for shared success with Changan. This is a great example of our strategy in action, accelerating the performance of our mobility company partners, and Inchcape being the automotive distributor of choice,” commented Alex Hammett, managing director of Inchcape for South Asia and Pacific.

The new Changan Motor Philippines under Inchcape will continue to offer the brand’s current lineup, composed of the Alsvin subcompact sedan, CS35 Plus and CS55 Plus crossovers, and the UNI-T and UNI-K premium crossovers. With that, it looks like the CS75 Plus and CS95 crossovers will no longer be offered, at least for now.

There are currently 25 Changan dealerships around the country, established with the brand’s previous distributor, and will all continue to operate as the Chinese automaker continues to expand its local presence.

The Changan brand first entered the Philippine market as “Chana,” under Focus Ventures, Inc. It was eventually put under the distributorship of Berjaya Auto Asia, selling light commercial vehicles. In 2020, the former distributor of Hyundai vehicles, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc., formed Changan Motor Philippines, Inc. amidst the pandemic and brought-in the lineup that we see today, and even inaugurated its national headquarters less than a year ago. As of this writing, the website and official social media accounts of Changan Motor Philippines, Inc. are no longer online.