Skoda's Singapore franchise still not taken up

The Straits Times reported that no one has taken over the Skoda's Singapore franchise after its previous agent, Harvest Automobiles, went bust last year - the third Skoda agency to have failed here.

It is understood that the only motor company to have expressed strong interest is Vertex Automobiles, the Chery dealer owned by egg trader Lian Fong. But Skoda, which is owned by Volkswagen (VW) Group, is hoping a stronger party can take over.

It has been courting Trans Eurokars, a multi-francise group owned by businessman Karsono Kwee. Among its brands are Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mini and Mazda.

Mr. Kwee said Skoda as well as Seat - another VW-owned brand - have approached him to represent them here. "We are considering. The pricing must be right," he said.

Skodas are seen as a budget alternative to VWs, but they often cost the same here. Harvest Automobiles, which was served a winding up petition last December, pointed out that the open market value (OMV, or approximate cost price) of a Skoda is sometimes higher than that of an equivalent VW model.

The best year for Skoda was 2010, when it sold 105 cars, but last year it sold just eight. There are about 500 Skoda cars and 80 Skoda taxis here.