Great Wall Motor to release Hover M3 SUV in Oct

Shanghai, March 22 (Gasgoo.com) Great Wall Motor, one of China's independent automakers, will launch its new SUV model Hover M3 in October, after its release of the Hover M2 in March, SinoCast reported, citing a marketing executive for the car company.

Hover-branded SUV products achieved the biggest sales in the Chinese SUV market from December 2009 to February 2010, outpacing the Honda CR-V. To secure larger market share, the Hong Kong-listed automaker has decided to boost its SUV business further this year.

Great Wall Motor, a self-developed pickup and SUV manufacturer, plans to introduce five SUV models to the market in 2010, and the company will launch a medium- and high-end urban SUV, the Hover H6, in 2011 and five new high-end SUV models under the SC-series by 2013.

On March 18, Great Wall Motor launched the Hover M2, the first family compact SUV model under the Hover brand, a move that marked the prelude to its massive launch of the SUV range from low- and medium-end models to its planned high-end models.

At the upcoming 2010 Beijing auto show (Auto China 2010) in late April, Great Wall Motor will display several Hover SUV products, such as the European styled and premium versions of the H5, as well as the H6 and the H7.

Great Wall Motor sold about 225,000 sedans, SUVs, and pickups in 2009, up 77% year on year, with its sales in the domestic market up 155%. The company aims to sell up to 400,000 vehicles in 2010.