Yesterday, General Motors (GM) announced that it is pulling the Chevrolet brand out of Thailand by the end of 2020, and that it has already reached an agreement with Great Wall for the sale of its manufacturing facility in Rayong.
That’s big news—not just because one of the world’s most established carmakers is giving up on a key market, but also because the move potentially affects us. In case you didn’t know, local Chevrolet offerings like the Trailblazer SUV and the Colorado pickup are sourced from Thailand. More important, what does this mean for the brand’s after-sales support in the Philippines?
According to GM, our market has nothing to worry about. In a statement released following the brand’s announcement, it reaffirmed its support for The Covenant Car Company (TCCI)—Chevrolet’s official local distributor—saying it will continue to grow the American car brand in the Philippines.
“The Philippines remains a very important market for GM and Chevrolet, and we will continue working with our valued partners at TCCCI to grow Chevrolet in the Philippines,” GM Southeast Asia president Hector Villarreal said.
“Customers can also rest assured we are committed to maintaining after-sales continuity and the flow of spare parts to our customers in Thailand, Philippines, and across the region. A dedicated After-sales and Customer Care team will remain in Thailand to ensure our customers across the region, including the Philippines, are continued to be looked after.”
Unfortunately, the statement makes no mention of the fate of the Colorado and the Trailblazer, which, again, are both sourced from our ASEAN neighbor Thailand. Now before you jump to any conclusions, Chevrolet does have an established presence in China, so that’s a potential new source for vehicles in case the brand’s Thai exit does affect local supply.
We have already reached out to Chevrolet Philippines for further comment. So, any readers here planning to buy either the Trailblazer or the Colorado?
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Source: Top Gear Philippines
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