Swire Motors kicks into gear

Swire is re-entering Hong Kong’s automotive market in a big way, with plans in place to begin marketing premium Italian auto brands Fiat and Alfa Romeo.Trading under International Automobiles the company Swire said there was strong demand for premium quality Italian cars in the local market.Already it has locked in rights to the Volkswagen, Fiat and Alfa Romeo marques and could may take on other brands in the near future.Ferrari and Maserati had been floated as other potential brands but Francis Hui, incoming marketing and communications manager at Auto Italia / Italian Motors, responsible for marketing the Ferrari and Maserati brands in Hong Kong, said this was not the case.By late October Swire Motors will launch a 2,000 square meter Alfa Romeo and Fiat dealership on Marsh Road in Wan Chai, which is said to include a Fiat Cafe, restaurant and a bar serving Stella Artois.Swire has operated an automotive arm for 35 years, principally in Taiwan.In Hong Kong the group will initially launch the Fiat 500 and Fiat 500C, followed by the Alfa Romeo Mito TCT transmission and Fiat 500 by Gucci in the fourth quarter of this year.