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QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, the sole local distributor of BMW vehicles, hopes to match or slightly top last year's car sales target for next year amid a challenging market, a marketing executive yesterday said.

"It will be more difficult next year because now the euro-dollar (exchange rate) is up so the prices of European cars will be more expensive and with the new models coming in we have to maintain that the models have a premium price," said Clement Chong, sales and marketing manager of QAF Auto Sdn Bhd.

He added that to date this year, BMW did well by selling 273 units, exceeding the target projected last year.

"We will be trying to secure 230 units for next year and we are positive in that. However, the challenges will be the same that we are faced every year," said Chong.

He said less than 15 per cent of the Brunei population can afford luxury and high-end vehicles and at the moment they are reluctant to spend.

Chong said 2010 will be more difficult as QAF Auto will have to take into account the rising euro-dollar exchange rate, which will affect the price of the car, paired with Brunei's limited market.

"There are a handful of customers who will buy a brand new car. Most of the market will not buy a brand new luxury car so readily, unless their cars are already old, or there's something wrong with it," said Chong.

He said QAF will continue to be aggressive with marketing.

He added that for next year the firm will continue with marketing strategies used this year, such as the recent BMW Roadshow, that took place at The Mall where QAF introduced the BMW 1.20 cabriolet, BMW 1.25 coupe and the BMW X3 2.0 diesel.

Chong added that there is no real competition with other luxury vehicles because each luxury brand is built "differently to set itself apart from the others so BMW has a distinctive product, and other brands also have distinctive products".

One of the highlights for BMW this year included the partnership for this year's Brunei International Defence Exhibition. BMW Group Asia and QAF Auto Sdn Bhd handed over to the defence show's organising committee a 74-unit fleet of BMW 5 Series and BMW 3 Series limousines used as transportation for VIPs during the conference that was held in August.

QAF Auto acquired the BMW franchise in November 1996. The firm then seized the opportunity to raise the level of interest in BMW in Brunei. Since November 1996, QAF Auto has been importing the latest models in the BMW range.

To improve the reputation of the marque in the country, QAF Auto committed its resources to raising the standards of service to a higher level.

BMW Group Asia has its regional office in Singapore. It is responsible for all importers in the Asia-Pacific region, including Brunei, as well as the BMW Group subsidiary in Indonesia. The brand averages a sale of between 12 and 15 units per month, according to the Brunei Automobile Traders Association report.

The Brunei Times