Traditionally, when one thinks of an America-made car on Bermuda’s roads, the first names that pop to mind might be Ford, but there’s a new kid on the block, GM’s Chevrolet, thanks to Rayclan Limited.

Though introduced to the Island only five short months ago, it seems like just about every other car on the road today boasts a bright gold cross on its bonnet.

Recently, Henry Adderley, GM Sales and Marketing Manager of Rayclan Chevrolet, sat down with The Royal Gazette to discuss the new models of cars that appear to be taking the local market by storm.

“Chevrolet is now expanding into the Caribbean and South American market, which they had never done before because they did not manufacture cars that were small enough.

“But when (competitor) Daewoo went out of business, Chevrolet bought its factories and what remained of its business.

“Doing this allowed them to enter into this market. They looked at what Daewoo was doing, eliminated the bad and kept the good,” Mr. Adderley said.

And one of the ‘goods’ was being able to manufacture smaller cars that were right-hand drive.

The marketing manager added that while some of Daewoo’s exterior designs were kept, GM replaced the cars’ gearboxes and parts with its own.

But how did the popular American manufacturer’s vehicles land on our shores?

According to Mr. Adderley, company representatives came to Bermuda looking for a dealership that could sell the cars. After a few hits and misses, they approached Rayclan Limited.

The garage and body shop were doing well, so going into sales was the next step for the family-owned business, he added.

Rayclan’s president travelled to the Caribbean to get a feel for the cars and decided that they would be well suited for Bermuda’s market.

“It was an easy draw for him,” Mr. Adderley said of Daniel Greenslade.

The first Chevrolets arrived in Bermuda last October, with three-quarters of the shipment sold before they hit the docks

When asked why so many people bought the cars before they even reached Bermuda’s roads, Mr. Adderley responded: “For several reasons.

“Because of the name GM; Chevrolet has a history of being a good car and because Rayclan is selling them.”

“Rayclan has a good reputation for giving its customers great service.”

While the Class D Aveo ($16,500) is by far the most popular model sold by Rayclan, the G Class Optra ($25,500) and Class H Vivant ($26,500) are quickly becoming hot sellers.

But Mr. Adderley predicted that the Aveo would remain in great demand because it is economical and seems to fit most people’s motoring needs.

“Despite all of the hoopla of the larger cars now available on the Island, Bermudians are buying cars that are only as large as they need and the Aveo fits the bill.

“Our pricing is so good that we’ve watched the competition drop their prices.”

If you want to add extra style to your Chevrolet, for an additional price Rayclan also provides body kits for the Aveo and Optra.

“We can paint and install them on your car before it leaves the showroom,” Mr. Adderley added.

“Although we do not sell rims and tyres, we will install them for you and align your wheels. We can also add a remote keyless entry system for those who want it.”

And according to the marketing manager, when you purchase your new Chevrolet, it is guaranteed that you are in ownership of a brand-new car.

“Chevrolet builds all of their cars to order so your car has not been sitting around waiting to be sold. You just can’t beat that!” he concluded.

GM cars are already a hit with local drivers