Iranian Proton distributor targets 100,000 cars a year
Proton’s Iranian distributor Zagross Khodro is currently selling 17,000 units of Proton cars in Iran annually, but intends to hit 30,000 annual sales by next year, with a target of 100,000 Proton cars annually five years later by 2013.
“There are about 10 million car owners in Iran in the low-end market today and when they decide to move to the next level, they are more likely to choose Proton cars. Car sales would be driven by Irans significant young population who had good spending power and a strong desire to move into the middle-segment market. The revenue coming into the country is also good, especially within the oil and gas and handicraft sectors which would boost consumer spending,” says Zagross Khodro director Mehrdad Gholami.
Zagross Khodro has been Proton’s exclusive distributor in Iran since September 2000, starting with Proton Wira. [ Source ]
June 10, 2008 @ 10:22 am
Good move Proton,
But ensure to take care quality not just for international market, but for locals too : )
June 10, 2008 @ 10:40 am
Finally proton is on the right track… but don’t ignore the local’s need.
Btw what ever happenned to their earlier relationship with Turkey? natural death or being killed?
June 10, 2008 @ 11:43 am
Target is target, 100,000 units? so easy, when up to 2013, the market already open for all, can proton still survice until 2013? Design a nice shape car & look luxury & elegance, low price range or more fuel efficient car, then can attract more customer if future, as i know when u install the NGV gas for GEN 2, the special equipment is require, why? campro is difference?
June 10, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Was in Tehran last week…smart move by Proton…Typical car for the Iranians is a Peugeot 206(or Bestari) and for more affluent, they have the Cefiro 3.0. You can see many old “paykans” on the road-these are 60s model British cars…I think it is a Hillman or Avenger really not sure but have seen it in Malaysian roads back in the 70s. I am not surprised by the ambitious targets-huge market due to 70m population and growing affluence with the oil money. Way to go Proton…how about Africa???
June 10, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Also mentioned in the source of the article (aka the Star), the company says it will send 10 000 taxi drivers to Malaysia for training. This puzzles me. Training for what? Training on how be a taxi driver? Or training how to drive a proton?
Taxi drivers in bolehland aren’t that good anyway to use as a benchmark. or.. is driving + maintaining proton is such difficult task. The task they can only learn here in bolehland..!!
June 10, 2008 @ 3:02 pm
Congratulations to Proton, well done. Hope you people can continue with more models in the future and capture the hearts of West Asians particularly. By the way, the Federal Guomen now must reduce the exorbitant excise duty and sales tax on automobiles since they have increased the petrol price which make us one of the most expensive in the region (oil exporting countries). Hope the Guomen will not play the Rakyat out this time.
June 10, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
Training for cabbies here? Hahahaha
Reminds me of a superbly written article by Citizen Nades, see the link below:
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=21268
Better cabbies, better ties
MALAYSIA is to set up a forward training base in London for taxi drivers and other related professions………. cont.
++ way to go, Proton!
June 10, 2008 @ 6:13 pm
Wow, i didn’t know they did that well in other country. Ya, as i did remember that proton did start something with Turkey…what happens to it?
This would be a good start to proton as to prove this to the locals on how well their cars sell in other country. This would definately convince us more on their product.
June 11, 2008 @ 10:55 am
Malaysia boleh. Send those Waja’s CKD kit to Iran. Make more money.
June 11, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
Heard from my Iranian associates that Proton has sold 5,000 Persona taxis so might be they need to train the taxi drivers. Yes, might need training since teh taxis are locally called as paykans, a 60s version British car which I cannot recall off-hand the make. As for Turkey, not surprised unable to make breakthru due to lots of non-tariff barriers there….
June 11, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
2013..? Don’t you guys heart of the news Doomsday On year 2012?