SML Frontier Automotive sales up 30%

By Charumini de Silva

SML Frontier has recorded a 30% increase in its sales and has ambitious plans of selling in excess of 200 vehicles by the end of this financial year, a senior official said.

SML Frontier Automotive (Pvt) Ltd., Managing Director, Sheran Fernando told the Daily FT that they are confident of achieving the set target by the end of this financial year.

Fernando said that after sales service is considered the corner stone of strengthening the Land Rover and Range Rover brand in Sri Lanka and the new state-of-the-art workshop in Boralesgamuwa is the epicenter for Land Rover’s after sales service.

“Being the exclusive distributor and after sales service provider for Land Rover and Range Rover in Sri Lanka, we have made significant investments in showroom and workshop. We will consolidate these investments through them enhancing our customers’ ownership experience,” he said. 

When asked if there was an impact to their sales as a result of the rupee devaluation he said: “There is an impact, but as we cater to the up-market the impact is not an outsized one.”

Taking a positive stand on the grey market Fernando pointed that the growth of the grey market signifies the wide spread market confidence placed in the brand. 

“It is indicative of growing levels of demand for the brand. This also gives us the opportunity of providing after sales service to a new segment of the market. We are very supportive of the grey market. We are grateful to them for having the confidence in our brand and promoting it on our behalf. We are committed to working with them and using their retail network further,” he stressed.

Elaborating on Land Rover brand position in Sri Lanka, Fernando claimed that it is the most premium brand in the country, stating, “I think we are themost prestigious brand in Sri Lanka.” At the moment there are about 1,000 Land Rover customers in Sri Lanka.