Chinese carmaker Landwind aims to have its cars on sale in the UK before the end of the decade.

Ron Zwaans, vice general manager at Landwind’s European office in Belgium, says: “We need to have right-hand drive cars available before launching in the UK but we’re working on that from now.

“Everything is moving quite quickly in our business. We’re not thinking about waiting until the next decade.”

Zwaans would not discuss Landwind’s plans for building a dealer network or its expectations of the UK market, but says these details may be available by the middle of 2007.

Last year Landwind agreed a contract with Dutch businessman Peter Bijvelds, giving him exclusive rights to sell Landwind SUVs in all European Union member states until 2009.

The vehicles resemble the discontinued Vauxhall Frontera and are aimed at the budget end of the market. Landwind is expected to significantly undercut the current range of Korean budget SUVs.