Zimbabwe's Belgravia Motors company has clinched an agency deal with a Chinese firm, Gaobeidian Xinkai Automobile Making Company Ltd, to distribute new vehicles in Zimbabwe, a development that is expected to improve the supply of vehicles in this country.

This deal, which is a direct response to the Zimbabwean government's Look East policy, may be welcomed by many, as payments of the vehicles will be made using the local unit, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

The vehicles, which have the Isuzu looks and engine, have single cabs and double cabs, including double cabs with long cargobody pick-up and SUVs. All the vehicles come in both gasoline and diesel-powered engines, The Sunday Mail said.

The delivery period is six to eight weeks from date of order, which is also very good for this market when compared with other brands like Mazda, Nissan and Toyota, it said.

The vehicles are called Xinkai, but may be renamed to Century for the convenience of locals who may find it difficult to pronounce it in the Chinese language. Currently, there are six samples for the local market to view and test run at the Belgravia Motors showroom.

According to the managing director of Belgravia Motors, Faizal Sherif, there are 12 other units on the way that are set to arrivein about two weeks.

Zimbabwe