Former Kia Motor UK boss Paul Williams has this month resurfaced as the European head of Chinese car brand Landwind.

Williams has taken the managing director’s seat at Belgium-based Landwind Europe, which is charged with launching its China-built vehicles into Europe in 2007.

He aims to get 600 dealers on board across Europe, starting with Germany and Holland, each selling on average 100 new cars per year.

Landwind is already developing right-hand drive versions for the UK, which is likely to see its first franchisees recruited from late-2007.

The business case is based on two models, a seven-seater MPV called Fashion; and X-Pedition, a redesigned version of Landwind’s SUV, which catastrophically failed German crash tests in its previous form. Diesel engine options will be offered from 2008.