By Houda Mzioudet.
Tripoli 11 December 2013:
One of the . . .[restrict]highlights of the Libya International Motor Show has been the launch of the BMW X5 model by the Oasis Motors Libya, the local BMW agent and distributor. Ali Muttawa, General Manager of BMW Libya unveiled the new premium X5 at the show.
BMW has been operating on and off in Libya since 2005, said Muttawa. However, until the Revolution, the market was very difficult, not least because the former regime controlled what type of person drove what type of car and it dictated that the prestigious BMW brand was for a select few insiders.
“Indeed, for Libyans, BMW was the brand of the ex-regime”, explained Teri Hani, BMW Libya’s Marketing Manager, “They were the only ones driving BMW cars. Now, we are turning it around, to make the BMW the car of the people,” she said.
The model range on offer in Libya starts with the BMW 116, costing from LD 30,000 to the X5 at LD 140,000. Finance is available for all models through a Murabaha bank credit, said Hani.
“Now Libya is an open market, “ said Muttawa, “We want BMW vehicles to be affordable to all Libyans.”
However, he admitted that there remain challenges, not the least of which is security. BMW owners worry about car-jacking and theft of their prestigious vehicles. “This means that they are tending to shy away from premium brands” Muttawa told the Libya Herald.
BMW LIbya boasts a strong marketing team, he said, who are not only selling the cars themselves but also the quality of the support and after-sales service that come with each BMW purchase.
Hani, who left her marketing job during the revolution, returned in October 2011 and is credited with designing the current powerful marketing strategy, tailor-made for Libya, with an appeal across the range and the client spectrum.
She said her main marketing challenge had been to remain creative for the local market while conforming with BMW’s international brand strategy. She said that in her task she has been fortunate to have an able and innovative support team.
One key year-end initiative, she said, were the attractive discounts being offered on selected models, which she believed would reinforce the local perception that a BMW was an affordable, high-quality and high value car.
This, said Hani, is why she is optimistic that BMW Libya is set to grow, and grow strongly.” It is the car so many Libyans dream of owning and, ” she added, “as security improveds and the highway network is fixed, that dream, will become a reality for many.The whole market is developing” she said,“We aim to make BMW, Libya’s number one brand”. [/restrict]
