Proton to start sales push

Proton has undergone a major change and is aiming to triple its Australian sales within the next two years.

The manufacturer of the cars in Malaysia is now on the education and revival of the pricing policy, a new model, as well as entry-level price variations of existing lines into the Australian market.

The company, the introduction of what it claims in Australia is the cheapest sedan, which is now happening in October this year instead of early next year. Through a sub-$ 13,000 price tag

Proton Cars Australia managing director John startar, says the car following process is at the beginning, and he will not delay the development of new products. "We offer a four-door, where many three-door - say, the buyer, if they are more for less, perhaps to a limousine, when the price is correct."

"At first, we get the manual version 1.6, early next year, we have other variations in automatic and manual, with 1.3-liter engine - engine Campro to 1.6.

Startar said the new entry-level model for the Satria Neo, Gen2 and personality will be here shortly before the end of the year, to a large part of the strategy to increase sales.

"Our goal to triple our turnover within two years, after a sharp increase in the areas of marketing, the introduction of a range of prices - we see volume growth in the bottom," he says.

Brand and the network have two major problems score - a startar aims, under the new plan. "Our dealer network has significant changes, we parted company with 17 of the 41 dealers with respect to each other, we went to them with our infrastructure is needed, if necessary, an investment of their hands, which don 't want to be committed to his work .

"We have recruited seven new distributors in the last two months we have accelerated, because the car is faster arrival - we will be 50 dealers by the end of 2011 the national level.

"We parted with almost half of our network, we are ... things must change, and the last 18 months has been dramatic changes, I am not saying that this is the last throw, but things needed to change". Startar said the review was in error in his direct customer approach and needs to make its point of view of consumers.

"We face a problem of conscience, we must sell 4000-5000 year, we have sought and found, for whatever reason - not outside the normal - to the end of the day, he came back to consciousness - people ... if they do not know us, they fear, because there are other brands more visible, he said.

Proton has recruited a number of new dealers, and they said they were also other brands with low prices, but do not want the risks associated with labels that do not have a record in Australia. "With a number of Chinese brands on the market, as well as Japanese and Korean brands increasingly small number of vehicles, Proton sees its strength in its 15-year presence in the market.

Startar said that the Australian arm of the four-year action plan has the support of the factory. "The system knows that it will be difficult, initially the market has changed, but the basis for our business is solid, and we believe we can do this," he says.

"It is clear that there are new low-cost brands on the market in the coming months, but the strength lies in the proton has been on the market for almost 15 years and is a plant on the farm full back - our parent company in Malaysia.

Products, pricing and marketing has been the tremendous increase in support from our parent company, to ensure that we have the tools to improve our market share in this country, "he says." The next 12 months will tell if we are on the right side - or if we are sinners. "