I saw the staffs at the service centre are wearing the T-shirt to promote this 4WD.

http://www.theideal4wd.com.my/

This post has been edited by David83: Apr 27 2008, 09:07 AM

Perodua targets to sell 2,400 new SUVs this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) targets to sell about 2,400 units of its completely built-up sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the Nautica, this year.

Chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin said the Malaysian SUV market was relatively “small but stable,” with sales of about 3,000 units monthly.

“Our target is to sell 100 to 200 units per month. This translates to a market share of approximately 5%,” he said at the launch of the Nautica yesterday.

The name “Nautica” was derived for the word “nautical”, related to sailing or yachting and suited the concept of the compact SUV, he said.

Perodua managing director Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said the SUV was imported from Japan and he expected it to capture a niche market outside Perodua's mainstream domain.

He said the Nautica was an alternative for drivers mulling to progress from conventional sedans and hatchbacks to a different body type, such as a compact 4WD.

“We expect people who buy this vehicle to have another two more in the garage, a sedan or a compact,” he said, adding the compact SUV would attract a new customer profile.

The Nautica would increase the company's model line-up, said Hafiz, who expected the introduction of its first 1.5-litre model to raise the company's image a notch or two.

The Nautica comes in two colours, grey and black, and sells for RM89,900, on the road.

Perodua sold 162,000 cars last year, with the Myvi and Viva the best two selling models in Malaysia.

“The bigger challenge facing Perodua is not whether we remain number one but to maximise customer satisfaction in view of higher oil prices and market liberalisation.

“With the increase in oil prices, the market would be driven by smaller compact cars as people opt for cheaper cost-effective cars,” he said.

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...37&sec=business