Moses Akaigwe
One of Nigeria’s leading auto distributing companies, CFAO Motors, has again stirred the light commercial vehicles segment with the re-introduction of King Long passenger bus and cargo van to the delight of customers who are used to the older generation of the products.
At a commercial re-introduction event held in Lagos recently, there was a flurry of word-of-mouth customer testimonials which got many a user loyal to competing brands, and those still sitting on the fence, instantly converted to King Long.
The recounted experiences of the users which bothered on price advantage, low running cost, and efficient after-sales support {including availability of replacement parts} by CFAO Motors, were regarded by guests as an indication that the vehicles are returning to the market with a track record of user-satisfaction.
Riding on this goodwill, CFAO Motors team at the venue delighted the guests, including customers, potential customers, industry stakeholders and auto journalists with the interesting features of the products.
The General Manager of CFAO Equipment, a division of the multinational company saddled with the responsibility of distributing the King Long brand in Nigeria, Mr. Laurent Friederich, stated that his company known for distributing only quality products, settled for King Long because of its salient features.
According to Mr. Friederich, “CFAO has a solid reputation in Nigeria, and we are distributing the King Long brand because it is a leading Chinese brand in the bus segment”.
He added that the company’s strategy is to ensure nationwide distribution of the bus through “our network because we have a solid sales and aftersales network across the country”.
On the outstanding features of the brand, the General Manager explained that aside the pocket friendly price, the bus is durable and fuel-efficient, coming with a low maintenance cost, just as it uses the simple technology.
Mr. Friederich said the bus could be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as city and inter-city transportation, school runs, as well as for staff or shuttle operations by corporate organisations, churches and mosques.
Fast moving consumer goods providers, goods distributors, hospitals {ambulance} etc will also find the bus very useful, he added, hinting that the company is mulling over the local assembly of the buses in the nearest future.
The Kingwin-15 Seater bus which is ideal for modern day passenger transportation, comes with a 2.237 litre engine on a long wheel base, 5-speed transmission and safety features, such as anti-locking braking system, stop lamp, seat belts on all seats, and appropriate braking system.
The functional equipment of the bus include front fog lamp, rearview mirror, rear stepped bumper, speed limit device, among others. It also comes with a petrol engine, CD+MP3 player, as well as front and rear air conditioning system, among others.
The Kingwin cargo van also has a long wheel base with a high mount stop lamp, tyre size of 195/70/R15, 2.237 litre engine, and other standard features applicable to the 15-seater bus. It also comes with a generous 7.6 cubic meter space.
With the re-launch, the King Long buse and cargo vans now enjoy a warranty of two years or 60,000 kilometers at all CFAO Motors branches nationwide.
Recounting her exciting experience, a satisfied customer and proprietress of Troika Schools, Lekki, Lagos, Mrs. Erinma Kanno, as well as a King Long dealer, Mr. Adeleke Samuel of Alatise Motors, affirmed the outstanding features of the vehicles at the event.
Founded in 1887, and present in Nigeria since 1920, CFAO has been known for its commitment to customer service and efficiency boosted by strong local presence as well as a trusted network. Its partner, King Long, is a leading Chinese bus manufacturer with strong ties with international auto parts suppliers.