KUALA LUMPUR: In a bid to establish Proton Holdings Bhd as the number one car
maker in terms of sales this year, DRB-Hicom Bhd has raised the local sales
target for the national car maker to 200,000 units for the current financial
year ending March 31, 2013.
DRB-Hicom Managing Director, Datuk Seri Mohd
Khamil Jamil said the conglomerate, which acquired Proton from Khazanah Nasional
Bhd in January this year, believed that Proton has the ability to overtake the
current leader, Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua).
Mohd Khamil
said prior to the takeover, Proton had an initial target of 167,000 units for
the current fiscal year.
"From January to now, we have done about 100,000
cars. I am pretty sure about the target. Proton has a lot of unlocked
potential.
"The main challenge to meet the target will
be the revised lending guidelines by Bank Negara Malaysia. But we believe in the
current models that we have," he told reporters after the company's Annual
General Meeting, here today.
Mohd Khamil said DRB-Hicom aspires to
establish Proton not only as an affordable car, but an international
car.
"Nobody should buy Proton because it's cheap. The DNA of Proton must
be changed. That is why we are raising the standards of the car. Proton aspires
to increase quality while keeping cost down," he added.
He also said
DRB-Hicom has in place several plans for the national car maker, which among all
are to strengthen its domestic operations, rationalising its downstream and
upstream businesses, building greater brand awareness, as well as unlocking its
true value.
On Proton's loss-making sports car unit, Lotus, Mohd Khamil
said DRB-Hicom has completed the operational review of the British sports car
maker, and the conglomerate has laid out an immediate plans for
Lotus.
"It will be far different from the plans that Lotus had before.
The new plan will ensure Lotus will sustain for the next three years.
"We
have to now present the plans to the bankers. We are hoping to finalise
negotations with the bankers by the end of this year," he added.
--
BERNAMA
Read more: DRB-Hicom
raises sales target for Proton cars