|
HTD Limited, local franchise dealers for KIA vehicles, on Wednesday introduced KIA Motors’ latest model, the four-wheel-drive KIA Sorento which is said to be the first vehicle to be made by two car makers—KIA and Hyundai.
Officially launching the model, Commerce and Industry Minister Sam Mpasu said KIA Sorento will go a long way towards boosting the morale and efficiency of business executives in the country.
Mpasu said the private sector is at the centre of improving efficiency and the transport sector, through companies like HTD Limited, has the crucial role to play through, among other things, the provision of appropriate transport equipment
“An efficient and effective transport sector will, therefore, go a long way towards reducing production costs and hence improve Malawi’s competitiveness globally,” he said.
Mpasu said on its part, government provides incentives such as duty-free importation of machinery and raw materials, repatriation of dividends, the holding of foreign currency denominated accounts and export processing zones programme to the business community to stimulate growth.
HTD national services manager Jim Jamadar said KIA Sorento, named after a southern Italian town of Sorento, is the first vehicle to be co-produced by two car manufacturers i.e. Hyundai and KIA.
Going at an introductory price of about K5.4 million (US$50,000), Jamadar KIA Sorento a 2.5 litre diesel engine with a five-speed manual transmission and fuel injection is electronically controlled.
The Sorento’s driver’s seat can be adjusted in eight different ways for comfortability. It also has headlamp washers in which, at the push of a button, nozzles pop out and spray a powerful jet of washer fluid to wash away deposits for clearer and brighter illumination of the road ahead.
The vehicle also boasts some of the latest safety features with standard dual front air bags and front seats fitted with seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters to reduce the risk of serious injuries in the event of air bag deployment.
HTD board chairman David Sidik, who said HTD was borne out of the then Halls Trucking Division owned by Lonrho in 1994, said viable car dealerships are vital to economic growth and bemoaned influx of second-hand cars on the market which, he said, is affecting sales of new motor vehicles.
During the launch, which coincided with HTD’s 10th anniversary in the motor industry in Malawi, Sidik presented long service and dedication awards to general manager Clement Phiri who pocketed K100,000 and six other employees who received K10,000 each.
|
