Proton all set for fresh start in Chile

By BERNAMA | 25 May 2016


SANTIAGO: Proton is gearing up to relaunch its models here this Saturday after almost a two-decade hiatus.

Proton began shipment of 50 units of Preve to Chile in March following an announcement last November that Proton would re-enter the Chilean market. It last exported Wiras to Chile in 1998.

Malaysian ambassador to Chile Datuk Dr Mohamad Rameez Yahaya said Proton would bring 1,000 units of selected models into the market and expects to generate RM68 million in sales.

"This indicates that Malaysia-Chile relations continue to grow stronger," he said in his address at the Seminar on Business Opportunities with Malaysia, organised by the Malaysian External Trade and Development Corporation (Matrade) here on Monday.

Mohamad Rameez said Chile is the only Latin America country to have signed a free trade agreement with Malaysia which makes the country an even more important trade partner for Malaysian companies planning to venture into the continent.

Mohamad Rameez said Proton had appointed Andes Motor, a member of Kaufman Group, as its distributor here. Kaufman Group is the top car distributor in Latin America.

It would begin with the sales launch of the Preve and Exora this month, followed by the Saga in November.

On trade prospects between the two nations, Mohamad Rameez said bilateral trade between Malaysia and Chile is expected to grow further as both are members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

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