Proton Indonesia sales shift into higher gear

JAKARTA: For the first time, customers who have booked Proton cars in Indonesia have to wait for at least two months to take delivery of their cars as demand has outstripped supply especially for the Exora Star model.

Since its June launch in Jakarta, PT Proton Edar Indonesia sold all 350 units in its stock and orders for 200 units received in August can only be delivered to customers this month.

Proton Edar Indonesia General Manager for Marketing Mazlan Mohd Zain said buy-back facilities, competitive pricing and easy availability of financing facilities has spurred the sale of the Exora model in Indonesia.

He said Proton's buy-back programme has encouraged financial institutions to offer bigger loans to customers, five-year repayment at affordable interest rates of between five and seven per cent while the booking downpayment was only between 15 and 20 per cent of the car's purchase price.

In an interview with Bernama today, he said previously, customers had to place a downpayment of between 30 and 40 per cent and in most cases, repayment was allowed for a maximum of three years only.

"Since April, we sold 2,500 units of various Proton models but the Exora accounted for 60 per cent of sales," Mazlan said, adding that PT Proton Indonesia had targetted to sell 1,500 units of the Exora range, comprising Exora Star, Exora Supreme and Exora President in the financial year ending March 31, 2012.

Proton Edar Indonesia has 18 sales outlets and more than 30 service centers in the main cities of Indonesia. -- BERNAMA