Myanmar 2012: Chery QQ3 the new favourite

The Chery QQ3 could be the 2nd Chinese model to rank #1 in an export market

* Many thanks to Myk for digging out this information! *

Up until now I had found it very hard to find even a little bit of information on the new car market in Myanmar, simply because local laws ignored intense demand and allowed the import of only a few thousand vehicles per year. Result: even hours of observation of YouTube videos of the streets of the capital Yangon got me nowhere. And on the downside for Myanmar buyers, this meant 1980’s Toyotas sold for nearly $30,000 locally…

Taxis in Yangon, Myanmar used to look like this…

But things are changing in Myanmar! The government is now selling import licenses to vehicle owners that turn over their junkers for smelting and the market is slowly becoming normalised. And just when I made a big fuss about the first Chinese model ranking #1 (officially) in an export market, it seems we may already have a second one…

…Now they look like this!

A notable breakout new car on Myanmar’s streets is the Chery QQ3. Patrick Winn from CNBC says you can’t stroll more than a few downtown blocks in Yangon without spotting a shiny, new Chery. Their fire-engine red paint jobs catch the eye in a sea of rust buckets. In fact, Chery’s own website claims that Myanmar’s government has “positioned QQ3 as a ‘national car.’”

The Chery QQ3 is brightening up Yangon’s streets

Last December, all 1,000 Chery QQ3 imported by the Ministry of Industry sold out within a week, in spite of seeing its original price, set by the ministry at US$5,800, more than double to US$12,800 once various duties, taxes and licensing fees were added. The reason why the QQ3 is so successful is because it has four doors and can easily be used for taxis because the small engines use little fuel. As a result, owners can easily rent the cars for K15,000 (US$17) a day to taxi drivers…

The same article from the Myanmar Times also mentions the Chery QQ3 is produced locally in Myanmar as the Myanmar Mini Wagon. However local consumers prefer the Chery as they feel the quality will be better. This is the first time I hear about the Myanmar Mini Wagon and I couldn’t find any pictures of it online so if you have more information about it please make sure to get in touch by commenting on here!

Source: Myanmar Times, Myanmar Life Blog. many thanks to Myk for the tip!