Carmudi Monthly BMW Special | Page 9

Sri Lanka Spent 194 Billion Rupees on Vehicle Imports in 2016—32 Percent Drop From 2015

An annual report that was compiled by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), which highlighted the latest developments in Sri Lanka’s vehicle import industry, has revealed that there was a sharp drop in expenditure spent on motor vehicle imports to the country during 2016.

According to the report, the spending on vehicle imports experienced a 32 percent drop up to 194 billion rupees, from an all-time high of 288 billion rupees, which was reported in 2015.

As stated by CCC, this sharp descent is largely due to the decline in the number of motor cars that were imported to the island during last year.

The report further highlighted that, due to this substantial decline, the number of vehicle registrations in Sri Lanka also experienced a steep drop, which was up to 26 percent compared to what was reported back in 2015.

Nevertheless, the report emphasised that Sri Lanka's vehicle market is still predominantly dominated by two-wheelers, with motorcycles accounting for up to 54 percent of all vehicle found in the country. The three-wheelers came in second place by accounting for up to 16 percent of all vehicles while motor cars represented 11 percent of total vehicles found in Sri Lanka.

The country’s total vehicle population is now at an all-time high at 6.8 million vehicles, which is an 8 percent increase since 2015.

Kia Motors Unveils Bigger, Bolder and Feature-Packed New Third Generation Picanto

Kia Motors, one of the fastest growing automobile brands in Sri Lanka recently unveiled the latest generation model of one of its most recognised family cars, the 2017 Kia Picanto. The latest Picanto is a completely redesigned machine, with a more modern spacious cabin and an innovative floating touchscreen that has advanced user-friendly features.

Introduced to the world back in 2011, the Picanto has sold more than 1.4 million units worldwide gaining praise from dozens of vehicle reviewers including the renowned Top Gear team. In fact, Top Gear went as far as calling the latest Picanto a “great all-rounder” that comes with a “refined interior”.

The inside of the 2017 Picanto certainly does not disappoint and comes with more leg room as well as headroom compared to some of its closest competitors. The new horizontal design gives greater visual span to the interior, emphasising the car's boosted cabin dimensions. Kia has created a modern cabin layout using refined new materials, increasing the perception of quality of the whole car.

On the safety front, the 2017 Kia Picanto shows even greater improvements, with a body shell that’s cast using Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS). The car also comes with a new steering rack that provides it with a 13 percent quicker steering ratio, which gives the Kia Picanto a much faster response time and agility at lower driving speeds.

Image Source: lankabusinessonline.com

Image Source: lankabusinessonline.com

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