Micro Panda now in automatic

Micro Cars unveiled its latest range of compact cars with automatic transmission recently. Making a significant breakthrough, the company now offers customers the popular Micro Panda and Micro Panda Cross of its flagship Panda Car range in automatic transmission. 

The Micro Panda and the Micro Panda Cross were first introduced to the Sri Lankan market in 2010, and have since grown in popularity. More than 20,000 of these cars, in which high emphasis is placed on passenger safety, have been sold thus far. 

The latest Panda Automatic and Panda Cross Automatic retain their predecessor’s emphasis on high levels of safety and convenience features, while including a rotating shift knob and peddle shifters. This is the first time that such advanced convenience features are available in the Compact Car segment in Sri Lanka. The new Panda Automatic is offered at a special introductory price of Rs. 2,499,000.00 while the Panda Cross Automatic with its mini SUV exterior comes at the introductory price of Rs. 2,745,000.00.

At the launch, which was held at the Micro Car City Office with the presence of representatives of Geely Holding Group, financial institutions and other key stakeholders, Micro Cars Founder/Chairman and CEO Dr. Lawrence Perera, announcing the new models, emphasised the value placed on safety, quality and reliability. 

Dr. Perera stated that the new automatic cars comes in response to a high demand from the market, particularly from female drivers, and has been tested extensively by Geely in China, as well by Micro Cars in Sri Lanka under various road conditions across the country. Dr. Perera also outlined plans to launch another product in the market with Geely within the year, adding that the next step would be to look at the export and regional market.

Geely Holding Group Regional Vice General Manager Xiong highlighted the nearly decade long and strong partnership between Micro Cars and Geely. Geely Director Sales Sandy speaking on Geely Holding Group, a Forbes Fortune 500 Chinese multinational automotive manufacturing company and the main component supplier to Micro, stated that Geely is now the number one Chinese brand in the Sri Lankan market. Speaking on the Automatic Transmission Panda cars, Sandy stated that the Geely engineers have learnt and drawn inspiration from trusted car companies such as BMW and Austin Martin to provide dynamic features.

Micro Cars General Manager Dhammika Goonewardena told Daily FT that while there has been a decline in the total automobile industry volume by approximately 40-45%, with the recent changes in duty and the loan to value (LTV) ratio leasing restrictions, Micro Cars has been able to sustain its volume and market shares, recording a decline of merely 30-35%, which is less than the industry rate. Goonewardena attributes Micro Cars’ pricing strategy as the main reason for the company’s ability to maintain its market shares in a declining industry.

Goonewardena added that while Micro-Geely, faces heavy competition from Indian brands, it has been able to surpass the competition to reach the number one position in the compact car segment over the past month. In the month of February, 165 Panda and Panda Cross cars from Micro were registered of the total 715 cars registered in the compact car market. 

Goonewardena is confident of Micro’s ability to retain its recently acquired number one position in the compact car segment, with the introduction of the new range of automatic Panda cars.  Furthermore, the company plans to put 5,000 units in the market, within the financial year of 2017-2018, of which 80%-85% will be from Geely. 

Micro, a pioneer in the local automobile industry, will soon face competition with the recent plans to establish high profile automobile assembly plants in the country. Goonewardena stated that Micro Cars looks forward to healthy competition and is happy that local manufacturing is expanding, which will be good for the economy, while noting that Micro Cars already has the edge having been in function in the manufacturing industry over the past 10 years and as a company for the past 20 years or so. 

Goonewardena added that that with the new entries the company would like to see consistency in policy, such as in duty and investment structures to support investors.

 

Pix by Daminda 

Harsha Perera