KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Bhd's subsidiary Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (SDM) has seen a "boom" in demand for its vehicles backed by the government's Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi (Penjana) stimulus package.
SDM managing director (retail and distribution) Jeffrey Gan said the positive market response to its recent sales campaign indicated that consumers would still view personal vehicles as an important investment for their safety and in maintaining social distancing.
SDM did not disclose any sales figure.
"With the added tax exemptions as incentive, we are seeing signs of recovery as foot traffic and orders across all our brands are returning to pre-lockdown levels," Gan said in a statement today.
Gan said SDM remained committed to upholding the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government by ensuring that social distancing was practiced at all times at its premises.
"We do this by limiting the number of customers at our premises depending on the size of the retail area to avoid overcrowding," he said.
SDM currently has 27 branches retailing BMW, MINI, Motorrad, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Ford, and Hyundai vehicles, as well as Sime Darby Auto Selection, which retails quality pre-owned cars.
SDM recently launched a corporate programme for a company, its directors, employees and their spouses to enjoy fleet membership entitlement.
This included discounts of up to 10 per cent from a vehicle's recommended retail price, depending on the brand and model, when they buy a minimum of two vehicles from SDM.
"With the exemption of sales tax for the next six months, now is the best time for consumers to seize the opportunity to own their dream cars with great savings and a peace of mind knowing that their sales and after-sales needs are cared by our passionate professionals who are dedicated in providing world-class services," Gan added.
SDM also invested over RM560 million in building the first of its kind auto mall in the region - Sime Darby Motors City - in Ara Damansara.