Dec 18, 2010
Down to two for McLaren
The fight for the supercar brand is now between Wearnes Automotive and Sime Darby
The winner for the bid will be able to sell the MP4-12C, a carbon-fibre supercar, here. -- PHOTO: MCLAREN
The long-drawn race to clinch one of the sexiest brands in the world has come down to a two-party fight.
McLaren, the British supercar maker that is also behind one of the most well-followed Formula One teams around, could announce its Singapore representative in a few weeks' time.
'We are at a shortlist stage, and we hope to appoint a dealer in January,' a McLaren Automotive spokesman told Life!. 'But we will take as long as it takes to make the right decision.'
Life! understands that the competition - which has dragged on for over a year and had involved half a dozen bidders - is now between two multi-franchise groups: Wearnes Automotive and Sime Darby.
Wearnes represents high-end brands such as Bentley, Bugatti and Jaguar. It is also a Volvo and Renault dealer.
Sime is synonymous with BMW. But it is also a Ford and Peugeot dealer.
The two are the only ones standing, from a field of contenders that included Lamborghini agent EuroSports Auto, Maserati agent Hong Seh, Audi agent Premium Automobiles and Porsche agent Stuttgart Auto.
Industry watchers reckon both Sime and Wearnes are equally matched in the final lap.
Sime, a diversified Malaysian conglomerate, is said to have clinched the McLaren franchise for Hong Kong, which is seen by some as a stepping stone into the enormous Chinese market (in which Sime has a presence with its BMW dealerships).
Wearnes has a strong track record with high-end marques. It represents the hyper-sports marque Bugatti in South-east Asia. Earlier this year, it took over the Land Rover franchise from Sime Darby. And most recently, it landed the rights to represent Infiniti, Nissan's high-end brand.
McLaren, which is part-owned by Mercedes- Benz, has been actively seeking fresh funds to finance its future product line-up. Sources say the winner of the Singapore franchise could well hinge on an equity participation in the manufacturer.
Currently, McLaren has only one model lined up: the MP4-12C, a carbon-fibre supercar that is expected to retail for well over $1 million here.
The company was widely expected to announce a Singapore representative at the Singapore Grand Prix in September. But the decision was postponed to October, and then November.
Mr Andre Roy, group managing director of Wearnes' automotive division, said he had not had any recent updates from McLaren, but had told Life! earlier that Wearnes would be 'very glad to have this brand'.
Mr Simon Rock, Sime Darby Motors managing director for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, could not be reached for comment.
'We are at a shortlist stage, and we hope to appoint a dealer in January. But we will take as long as it takes to make the right decision'
A McLaren Automotive spokesman
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