Bangkok--12 Mar--Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Land Rover has appointed Guava International Limited as its new importer for Thailand. Guava International is a Land Rover Regional distributor operating in many countries throughout Asia Pacific, Central Asia and Southern Europe. Awarding the Land Rover franchise in Thailand to Guava is consistent with Land Rover's global business strategy which has a prime focus on delivering service excellence and customer satisfaction. Land Rover Thailand started operations in 2001 and has since then recorded tremendous success as market leader in premium SUV sector. Over its seven-year period of operation, the company has continuously excited the local market with a range of premium Land Rover products — from Freelander and Discovery 3 to Range Rover Sport and Range Rover. Richard Haigh, President of Land Rover Thailand, shared that “Land Rover has always been well received by Thai customers and consumers worldwide because of its unique appeal and best-in-class performance. While our business in Thailand continues to develop, our new distribution strategy is responding to the changing needs of the market and is further driven by a need to improve customer service. This has lead us to engage the services of Guava International limited to be the new importer of Land Rover vehicles and parts for the Thai market; effective from March 31st, 2008. With Guava International's expertise and 20 years experience of the Land Rover business, we are confident that Guava, with the support of Land Rover, will be able to further enhance customer service levels in Thailand. We will be focusing our customer service actions at dealer level, in particular, in the areas of improving technical competence and training, customer facing service processes and parts availability. Through this renewed customer service focus we are confident that Guava International will enhance the Land Rover customer ownership experience in Thailand. Land Rover will continue to offer its full range of world-class vehicles throughout the Thai market in the years to come, with many exciting new products to come. " According to Mr. David Howard, Automotive Group Director of Guava International, “Our main focus is to improve the standards of customer care, maintain and develop dealership standards, raise the levels of Land Rover customer service both here in Bangkok and provincially. We also aim to build on existing relationships with Land Rover customers. We will continue the class leading package of customer support benefits introduced by Land Rover Thailand, namely the provision of 5 years/100,000 km. warranty and maintenance on Range Rover products and introducing 3 years/100,000 km. free maintenance on Freelander and Discovery in addition to the 3 years/100,000 km. warranty. Guava International will operate in Thailand as ‘Land Rover Thailand’." Since 1987, Guava has been appointed a distributor for Land Rover vehicles and parts for an ever increasing number of countries. Today Guava represents Land Rover in 16 countries in Asia Pacific and 9 in Central Asia and Southern Europe. Now as part of the R.M. Asia Group with over 2,000 employees worldwide, the company has developed a detailed knowledge of each local market and provides tailored support to the markets from its central resources based in both UK and Thailand. Parts availability and quality service capability are ensured via Guava’s flagship parts and technical centre in Laem Chabang. The parts operation is supported by qualified Land Rover parts specialists and with direct access to both Land Rover's Parts warehouse in the UK and Guava International's own UK central warehouse. Freelander 2 During Q3-2008, through Guava International, Land Rover will launch its next new product into the Thai market — the all-new Freelander 2, a sophisticated, luxury compact SUV. With its dynamic design, sporty stance, spacious interior and the most up-to-date technology it is immediately recognisable as a Land Rover. Freelander 2 offers a class-leading breadth of capability: agile, responsive and comfortable on-road and outstanding off-road. The brand new 2.2-litre TD4 diesel delivers a strong combination of performance, refinement and fuel economy. Land Rover's unique Terrain Response? system, for easier off-road driving, heads a long list of advanced technologies including a keyless Start/Stop button. The new Freelander 2 is setting the new standard for premium compact SUVs globally. Issued on behalf of : Land Rover Thailand For more information : Ruanrudee Taweepol ([email protected]) Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Limited Tel. 0-2205-6620