Nasim aims to export 6,000 Peugeot cars

by **hlk** Tue 26 Jul 2011, 08:08

KOTA BARU: Nasim Sdn Bhd, the local distributor of Peugeot
vehicles, plans to export up to 6,000 locally-assembled Peu-geot cars
under its five-year plan, from next year.

Its chief operation
officer Datuk Samson Anand George said 60 per cent of the units would be
exported to Thailand, Indonesia and other Asean countries, and the rest
to other right-hand drive markets.

Nasim has so far exported
500 units to the Asean markets since the launch of the 207 model in
Thailand at the end of last year, Samson told reporters after launching
Peugeot's latest sales outlet here yesterday.

He said Nasim was
expected to hit its target of selling 7,000 cars locally this year
despite the problem over the amended Hire Purchase Act (HPA) as the car
industry was holding negotiations with the government to overcome the
setback.

Automotive players have claimed that the amendments to the HPA,
among others, are causing delays in vehicle registrations and eventually
a drop in new bookings.

He said demands for Europe-an cars were rising and sales in the country increased by 67 per cent compared with last year.

"European models constituted only 2.7 per cent of the local market last year but they went up to 4 per cent this year."

On Peugeot's current expansion drive, he said it was important in the
company's plan to reach out to a wider audience throughout the country.
"Today's launch marks its 20th sales outlet in the country."

He
said the launch of Peu-geot Kota Baru was part of the first phase of
its nationwide expansion exercise which included the recent launch of
the Peugeot Blue Box Malacca and Peugeot Balakong in Selangor and the
appointment of a sole dealer for Sabah.

Samson said under the
second phase towards the fourth-quarter of the year, three more outles
would be opened in Kuantan, Kepong and Seremban. The
Kota Baru outlet is operated and owned by Murni Millenia Sdn Bhd.

Peugeot is the best-selling European brand in Malaysia so far this
year. For the first six months, it has sold a total of 3,082 units, up
137 per cent from the corresponding period last year