Something in the air
The Aero X is more than a timely 60th-birthday boast for Saab. It also warns the world's marques to monitor their Hong Kong dealers' marketing or risk their brands withering in the car capital of China.
Saab has had its ups and downs in Hong Kong since Dah Chong Hong first introduced the marque in 1975, says Felix Hui, spokesman for Dah Chong Hong unit Metro Motors. 'After so many changes of hands in the past few years and a lack of promotion and marketing over quite a long period, people have forgotten Saab, let alone what the Saab brand stands for,' he says. 'I want to use the Aero X to generate awareness and demonstrate Saab's value. The Aero X will help build Saab's image and loyalty, although it's difficult to change people's mindset and in a city like Hong Kong it's not easy to build a brand without investing a lot of time and money.'
Like Hong Kong's Volvo and Opel dealers, Metro Motors seems to have recognised the importance of Hong Kong's expatriate community to sales. We've always said English-speaking Hongkongers are more likely to have seen or driven Saabs, Volvos, Opels or Citroens before, and may prefer them to Audis and BMWs.
'The expatriates have been the easiest customers. It's mostly entrepreneurs - mature ones - that
are interested in the 9-5 Series,' says Hui, who prefers the 9-3 convertible. Saab is seen as being less fusty in Hong Kong, he says.
