18-01-2008: Unique demo helps boost BLM bookings
by Surin Murugiah
PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd’s bold, unprecedented move to show the public how its latest car, the base line model (BLM) or Proton Saga replacement model, is assembled has helped boost bookings to 5,500 units before its official launch today. Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the teasers at various spots in the Klang Valley helped pique buyers’ interest and attract bookings for the BLM model since its soft launch early this year. In a telephone interview with The Edge Financial Daily, Syed Zainal said Proton wanted to make the launch more interesting and wanted to demonstrate to the public on how the car is built, right from the drawing board to the final touches to the end product. The move by Proton also sparked debates on the Internet, with the majority of participants approving it as a refreshing move away from the conventional display in shopping malls. On the Persona model unveiled last year, Syed Zainal said more than 22,000 units had been registered so far. “We are happy with the demand for the Persona, and bookings are still strong. The BLM model will complement the Persona range and not become a competition. “The new models will hopefully drive more people into our showrooms as both are very good products, and this in turn would help improve earnings,” he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will launch the BLM model or Saga today. Automotive analysts have said that the new 1.3-litre model could help turn the fortunes of the national carmaker due to its extremely competitive price range starting from RM31,000. Meanwhile, Proton Edar Dealers’ Association (PEDA) deputy president Armin Baniaz Pahamin told The Edge Financial Daily that its members had received more than 4,000 bookings for the BLM and in excess of 25,000 bookings for the Persona. He said PEDA members’ sales had also improved more than 300% year-on-year so far with some of its bigger members averaging 38 units of Proton cars a month.
