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| Sunday, 21 April 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Micro - the people's car by Jayanthi Liyanage He is the first local Automobile Engineer to design a car. And the
first to bring the convenience of owning a car within the reach of the Sri
Lankan masses. He says he did it He is Dr. Lawerence Perera, a pioneer in the local automobile industry. His team at Transmec Group of Companies of which he is the Chairman and CEO, is a proud example, he points out, of the soaring heights which "team spirit" could scale. His franchise for Renault, World No.2 prime movers (tractor heads), took him to the top rung in local heavy trucking. He attribute it to "our commitment and aggressive sell" in the market. If, within the short space of 117 years after the world had invented its first car, he could device his own Sri Lankan version within 28-years in the industry, Dr. Perera certainly knows what he is talking about. So does "Micro". As amply-proven just the other day, when its "strong-minded lion-ness" (as the Micro Badge's stylised lion's head symbolises) magnetised the country's top-notch legislators, with a cruise round the Parliament grounds in its very first ride. The nippy, compact, traffic-dodger, Micro matches in spirit with the affordable, small cars making a come-back in the world scene today. A pocket-sleeker, it is a tidy-fit - to the packed, urban parking spaces and, most importantly, to the skimpy purse of the ordinary Sri Lankan at an astoundingly low cost of just three lakhs of rupees. Even at an income of Rs.5,000 a month, one could think of becoming a Micro-owner. A totally new turn in the local automobile industry, it is no surprise that Dr. Perera labels it "the People's Car."
How did this mass-friendly innovator manage to keep "the only car fully-designed, developed and prototyped locally" from the peeping Motor toms? "The success of a car manufacture project depends on how well we guard its confidentiality until we launch the car to the public," Dr. Perera smiles. "Even our testing was done with a mock-up at a place where many people wouldn't see it." A damper for would-be-copiers. "Micro is an ultra-light city car," says Dr. Perera. "But, it is also a very economical, easy-to-maintain, transport solution for anybody - even a villager or a farmer. And it can go up to Kandy or Kataragama - there is no issue about the distance." He supports this statement by adding that it is a strong hill-climber. "Micro's four-stroke, 400 cc, water-cooling engine, designed to run on unleaded fuel, will not trouble the people behind you. It will move freely. When it runs on LPG, its a 100% green car. It can also run on gasoline." Its futuristic, strong body-lines could prove its versatility even in the European market. "We have made the front look very aggressive," Dr. Perera says. "Micro shows character as a car which is totally different to any other car on the road." A four-door, five-seater with moderate cargo space scattered among seats (but no separate boot), it is an image booster - for a couple, a family, a sales executive or a professional woman. "Its safe with a roll-over cage, a deep steel structure and a corrosion-free RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) body." Other than the Italian-made engine and the gear box, the chassis and the rest of "Micro" is manufactured locally. "There is a huge demand overseas. Already Bangladesh has shown interest in 3,000 units," he added. "But rather than exporting, we want to cater to the massive local demand. Our first production month is nearly sold-out by advance bookings. There has been a string of excited local enquiry about what this car can do." By sending out a questionnaire to would-be-purchasers, he perceives "the orders arrive mostly from housewives, junior corporate managers and low-income people who want to pay an advance and reserve a car. The coporate-sector wants the car for their sales executives." Micro Cars (Pte) Ltd. counts on a low-margin, high-volume production for viability in the first years of "Micro" car production. Dr. Perera projects an annual turn-out of 3,600 "Micros" from his Matugama factory once the procedural nitty-gritties are finalised. If all goes well, by the last quarter of this year, we should have the first batch of cars rolling out of the factory!" Dr. Perera looks on himself as a professional Automobile Engineer rather than a successful businessman. "Cars have been my pet subject rather than my profession. Which is why I am providing this invention for somebody to develop it in the future," he says. "With Micro concept, anybody can drive a car and everybody will have a decent mode of transport!" |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
"because what our country lacks is a
decent mode of transport for everybody." The wind beneath his wings
was the words of his mentor, Prof. Hilary Cruize, "Go as far as you
can and then see how far you can go!"
