Modenas launches new variant of Kriss II

KEDAH-based Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd (Modenas) launched its new variant of “Kriss II” yesterday, targeting to increase the production of the model by another 700 units monthly. 

With the new 110cc variant, the total production of Kriss II will hit 2,500 units monthly. 

DRB-Hicom Bhd group chairman Tan Sri Mohd Saleh Sulong, who launched the new variant yesterday at the plant in Gurun, said with the latest variant of Kriss II, the total production of all Kriss models, including Kriss I, Kriss II and Kriss SG, would hit 7,000 units monthly. 

He said the new variant, which had improved front and rear lighting and a colourful leg shield, would also be made available for export immediately, adding that it cost RM5,198 on the road, an increase of only RM30 from the present price of the Kriss II. 

It was fully-designed by Modenas engineers, he said. 

LATEST VARIANT: Mohd Salleh (on motorcycle) giving the thumbs up for the new Modenad Kriss II version at the launching ceremony in Gurun Saturday.

Modenas also produces “Jaguh” and “Karisma” models. Karisma, a scooter, was launched in January. 

Mohd Saleh said the production of Kriss models last year reached 88,153 units, capturing 48% of the market share of the four-stroke engine category. He added that it was the fourth consecutive year that Kriss models had captured the largest market share in the category. 

On overall sales, he said Modenas targeted to sell 94,000 units of all its engine models, or 40% of the domestic market share, by the year's end – an increase of 4,000 units over last year's 90,000. 

Of the targeted 94,000 units, 70,000 were expected to be Kriss models, 18,000 Karisma and 6,000 new models to be launched before the yearend, he said. 

On the latest scooter model introduced in January, he said the production for the first quarter of the year had touched 3,403 units, adding that orders for May, June and July had totalled 6,200 units. 

“We target to produce about 18,000 units by the yearend, capturing about 30% of the scooter market in the country,” he said. 

On the country's motorcycle total industrial volume (TIV), he said it had hit 73,000 units for the first quarter of the year compared to 62,000 units for the same period in 2002, adding the increase was mainly from sales of scooters. 

He said TIV for the year was expected to hit about 240,000 units compared to 229,000 in 2002. 

Earlier, he presented RM80,000 to Chin Hin (Jitra) Sdn Bhd director Low Kok Shyan from Jitra for emerging the overall best Modenas dealer in the country for the 2002/2003 period.