Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd’s (Perodua) new compact model to be launched in the middle of this year is likely to account for 30% of its estimated 161,000 units in sales in 2007 and 50% next year, Perodua managing director Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said.
“Production capacity allocated for the new model would be 7,000 units monthly,†he said.
“We have to be cautious this time when launching the new model, so as not to cause a long waiting time. We have to build up our stock to 2,000 to 3,000 cars instead of 1,000 units when we launched Myvi in 2005,†he said.
The highly popular Myvi accounted for 50% of the 156,000 cars the company sold last year. This year, Myvi is expected to account for 40% of total sales.
Perodua is coming out with three variants of the compact car to replace both the Kancil and Kelisa models. The Kancil was launched some 13 years ago while the Kelisa has been around for five years.
Syed Hafiz said the one-litre variant would come in both the automatic and manual transmissions while the 660cc and 850cc variants would only have manual transmission.
“We will have one brand catering to the 660cc, 850cc and one-litre segment instead of having several models below the one-litre segment,†he told The Edge FinancialDaily in an interview.
“Price wise, the new model using DVVT (dynamic variable valve timing) and EFI (electronic fuel injection) engine technology and other safety features should not cost 10% more than the existing models using the carburettor fuel system.
“This is to ensure continued affordability of our cars for the public. The new model would be affordable to maintain, have good fuel economy and reasonably priced,†Syed Hafiz said.
“Geographically, Kenari and Kelisa are more popular in the Klang Valley with buyers having more purchasing power such as fresh graduates while the Kancil is more popular outside the Klang Valley and being used as the first family car for fishermen or farmers,†he said.
Syed Hafiz said Perodua would stick to its intention of rolling out one new model annually from 2005 until 2010. However, last year, due to the overwhelming demand for Myvi, Perodua was forced to shelve its rollout programme.
He said Perodua would also ramp up production capacity to 250,000 units annually by year-end from 200,000 units currently to meet the increasing demand.
“We will be investing RM300 million to boost capacity to 240,000 by June and reaching a quarter of million by the end of 2007. This is double of what the company invested last year to boost its production capacity from 150,000 units,†he said.
He added the investment would include a paint shop costing RM100 million, RM80 million for a body shop and the balance for assembly lines.
The paint shop will use the more environmentally-friendly dipping painting technology for an enhanced glossy look.
“We have started work on the new production capacity since last year. Despite the added capacity, Perodua would not increase its production staff of 8,000,†Syed Hafiz said.
Perodua, which started producing compact cars since 1994, has invested RM2 billion in its plant in Rawang.
Since then it has sold almost 1.2 million cars, comprising 700,000 Kancils, 120,000 units of Myvi, 70,000 units of Kelisa and the rest were made up of the Kembara and Kenari. The company is also an assembler of the Toyota Avanza.
