NAIROBI: DT Dobie Kenya was recently appointed the local distributor of Volkswagen vehicles. It was an important achievement for one of the oldest car dealers in Kenya, and according to the firm’s general sales manager, Ms Usha Nagpal, her team is up to the task of taking VWs to the next level.
You must have shrugged off stiff competition to be appointed the Volkswagen distributor; what do you think tipped the cards in your favour?
DT Dobie has had a long history since its inception in 1949. It is one of the oldest motor companies in Kenya and has a good reputation, which must have given us good standing.
What kind of VWs can Kenyans find, and what will be their price range?
We have 23 versions of VWs already in the showroom, and are going to introduce the new VW Passat and the Golf Seven by November. The prices will be competitive, but will be in the average range of Sh5.2 million.
VW uses German engineering that focuses a lot on safety, and the vehicles have been customised to suit Kenya’s unique climate. So we have tropicalised vehicles to suit the road conditions and the country’s tropical climate, which means they have paint-preservers, filters, high ground clearance and heavy-duty suspension.
How ready are Kenyans to buy new cars?
The country’s economic growth in the last 15 to 20 years has been enormous. The economy is growing and every third person can afford a vehicle. And you must remember that approximately 70,000 vehicles sold in a year are used cars. New vehicles, which include saloon cars, buses, lorries and trucks, are only 12,000.
But there are lot of individuals and companies that have a policy of buying new cars. For instance, the demand for SUVs is really growing. We had a 50 per cent increase in sales for Jeeps alone last year. Kenya is among the top countries where the demand for vehicles is very high.
Do you consider the second-hand vehicle market a threat to your business?
We overcame the issue of used cars a long time ago. There is nothing one can do about it. The Government has allowed it and we in the motor industry have learned to accept it.
Used cars are good for the first-time buyer. When you want a car and you can’t afford a new one, you start with a used car. Once you have used it and known its faults, your next car will most likely be a new one. And that is where we wait.
Do you think VWs can overtake the vehicle models ahead of it?
VW has actually progressed worldwide. They had a target for 2016, but reached it in 2014 by increasing their sales by 21 per cent. They sold 10.137 million units and doubled their turnover. With this growth, VW has created more than 150,000 jobs in their factories across the world. All I can say is watch this space.
We have seen vehicle manufacturers around the world being forced to recall their cars in certain markets, why is it not happening in Africa? Are they seeing defects we are not?
Regarding the recalls, every region has got its own specifications. Cars built for the US will be different from those built for Africa. Our cars are built and tropicalised for Africa, so very rarely will you hear of a worldwide recall.
What are your partners — vehicle manufacturers — doing to address carbon emissions?
We need to save the environment. At the moment, the quality of diesel coming into the country is bad. The pollution is not good for our health. We heard that there are plans to bring in diesel with low sulfur content, which would be good for Kenya, as it is one of the countries in Africa with the lowest quality of diesel.
When we introduce a diesel vehicle in the country, the first thing we are asked by the manufacturers overseas is what the quality of our diesel is. If they feel the diesel quality has not been improved, they won’t give us certain cars. This is good because it means they are into environmental conservation.
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