Haval GWM by Thorp is a premier vehicle dealership in Cape Town, offering new and pre-owned Haval SUVs and bakkies with exceptional service and an industry-leading 10-year/1,000,000 km warranty. This project highlights how dealerships — whether in South Africa or the Isle of Man — can recover from digital setbacks and establish a scalable, secure, and high-performing web presence that supports long-term success.
Haval GWM by Thorp, a leading Haval dealership based in Cape Town, partnered with Ruby Digital to rebuild and relaunch their website following a critical security incident. The goal was to develop a modern, high-performing website that would not only repair reputational damage from the previous site hack but also set the standard for the broader Thorp Motor Group’s online presence.
Though South African in origin, this case offers valuable insights for automotive businesses and dealerships in the Isle of Man looking to future-proof their digital infrastructure, enhance online credibility, and streamline customer experiences.
The project presented several significant development challenges:
Website Security Breach: The original Haval GWM by Thorp website had been compromised by a hack, resulting in thousands of spam URLs and a manual penalty from Google. The website became inaccessible and required a full redevelopment.
Zero Legacy Data: With limited analytics and performance benchmarks available, we had no historical data to inform design decisions or forecast outcomes.
Scalability: The new website needed to serve not only the Haval brand but also become the foundation for additional Thorp Motor Group websites, including Suzuki, Chery, Isuzu, and Subaru.
Highly Competitive Market: The automotive dealership space is saturated, making technical performance, user experience, and brand credibility crucial for standing out.
Full Site Redevelopment: We rebuilt the Haval GWM by Thorp website from the ground up, ensuring all traces of the hack were removed and the manual Google penalty could be lifted.
Design Consistency Across Brands: The new design set a new standard for Thorp’s entire digital ecosystem, becoming the base theme for four other dealership websites under the group.
Optimised User Experience: The new layout was crafted to simplify browsing across vehicle ranges, allow for intuitive navigation, and support clear calls-to-action for enquiries and bookings.
Responsive & Scalable Framework: The site was built to perform seamlessly across all devices and to accommodate future updates or brand integrations with minimal disruption.
Technical Best Practices: From code structure to loading speed optimisation, every technical aspect of the site was refined to support both user experience and future SEO growth.
Stronger Digital Presence: The launch of the new website restored trust with users and search engines, laying a clean foundation for future traffic and conversions.
Cross-Brand Consistency: The success of the Haval redesign inspired a group-wide rollout, unifying the look and feel of all Thorp dealership websites.
Future-Ready Infrastructure: With a flexible CMS and clean backend, the site is ready for ongoing marketing campaigns, model launches, and seasonal promotions.
Improved User Experience: A fast, secure, and intuitive platform now helps guide potential customers through their vehicle journey, from interest to enquiry.
RubyWeb is a trusted web design agency based in the Isle of Man, proudly serving businesses in Douglas, Ramsey, Peel, Castletown, and surrounding areas. We specialize in custom digital solutions that combine creativity, strategy, and the latest technology to build websites that connect with your audience, inspire action, and support long-term growth.
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