The Motor Image company has assembly facilities in Malaysia and will be building Subaru SUVs in that country after October 2012, which can then come into Thailand and Indonesia at zero tariff through the Asian Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).
Motor Image has indicated they will be bringing in 2,000 SUVs for 2013 and with the AFTA these vehicles will be cheaper than those imported from Japan. To prepare for these, Motor Image will be increasing the number of dealerships in Thailand to 15.
However, the Motor Image group is also involved with the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus which has an assembly plant at Lat Krabang. Insiders say it is possible that with an upgrade to the assembly lines, this facility could then assemble Subaru passenger cars for sale in Thailand.
Currently, Motor Image Thailand is selling around 150 Subaru passenger cars annually.
