Business

Thursday October 29, 2009

Naza Kia targets to sell 6,000 units of new Picanto in 2010


PETALING JAYA: Naza Kia Sdn Bhd hopes to sell 6,000 units of the new Kia Picanto next year after having invested RM20mil to upgrade its facility plant in Gurun, Kedah to assemble the model.

Chief executive officer SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin said since the launch of Picanto to the Malaysian market in 2004, the company had sold 12,000 units prior to the launch of the uplifted model.

Kia Motor Corp Asia Regional Office managing director Lee Se Il (left) and SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin posing with the new uplifted Kia Picanto at the launch yesterday.

“Our manufacturing plant in Gurun has just undergone a complete audit by Kia Motors as part of Kia’s global assessment and improvement plans, earning their seal of approval.

“Our training centre, Naza Kia Academy has been actively involved in turning out new Kia associates to help bring our service to a higher level and the factory is being upgraded to roll out the new Kia model,“ he said yesterday after the launch of the restyled Picanto.

Naza Kia was targeting an initial monthly sales of 500 units of the model, priced from RM44,500 on the road for standard specification model (LS) to RM46,800 on the road for higher specification (EX) model.

Nasarudin said the facelifted model was an attractive alternative in the A-segment class of car.

“The moderately priced Picanto is aimed at interested customers looking for a second car,” he said. He added that Naza Kia aimed to drive Kia’s presence in Malaysia.

“We look forward to launching more models this year and next year; 2010 will see a new emergence of Kia vehicles, as we will be introducing a 4x4 model, a C-segment sports car and several other new models. We hope this will cater to a wide range of consumers,” he said.

The 1.1-litre, 4-cylinder engine Picanto is now available for sale at all authorised Naza Kia Showrooms nationwide.

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