SAIC And WMC: Maxus Out, LDV In

The importer of Chinese carmaker SAIC's van range has confirmed that the vehicles will be marketed under the LDV name when they hit Australia later this year.

The Sydney-based importer, WMC, said this week that the brand will not use the Maxus name marketed in overseas markets, due to a potential trademark clash with an Australian truck and trailer component maker, which also uses the name.

WMC Group CEO Jason Pecotic said that while negotiations with the company had failed, the LDV name has relevance for the upcoming van range.

"We are confident that the LDV brand will be well received by Australians, which is the name originally used for the  range when it was manufactured and marketed in Europe, prior to SAIC acquiring the brand," Mr Pecotic said.

"The vans are manufactured by SAIC in China and sold around the world under the Maxus name. Whilst we didn't believe there would have been any confusion, we are excited to be using the LDV name with the new range in Australia.

SAIC purchased the British LVD brand in 2009, with investment and further development going into the range in order to meet current European standards.

Pecotic said WMC will launch a seven-model range of the LDV V80 vans in the fourth quarter of 2012, made up of three commercial and four passenger models.

The cargo vans will include short- and long-wheelbase options, with the latter available in standard and high-roofed versions.

WMC says the commercial pair will offer carrying capacities between nine and 14 cubic metres and a payload up to 1.8 tonnes.

On the passenger side, the four people-moving variants will start with an 11-passenger short-wheelbase model, through to a 15-passenger long-wheelbase variant.

As with the commercial models, the long-wheelbase people-mover will be available with standard and high roof options.