Kingdom can gain much from local car production

Saudi Arabia is a huge car market with nearly 650,000 units entering the Kingdom annually and the number is growing by 10 percent. Sales are expected to reach SR 94 billion this year.

“It’s a cascade industry,” said Samer M. Ajjan, GM of Rashed Al Thunayan Cars, dealer of Malaysian-made Proton cars. But these cars are imported from foreign manufacturers, he pointed out.

“It’s high time the Kingdom started its own car industry. Its economy is strong and has the needed capital. If it makes the right moves now to embark on car production now, it could be manufacturing its own vehicles within the next few years,” Al-Ajjan said.

Al-Ajjan said King Saud University (KSU) students developed a prototype sport utility vehicle — Gazal — which is an economical SUV.

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