Former Kia Motor UK boss Paul Williams has 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 a 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 7-seater MPV called the Fashion and the X-Pedition, a redesigned, safer version of Landwind’s SUV which catastrophically failed German crash tests in its previous form.

Diesel engine options will be offered from 2008.