Motor

Janashakthi, Singer team up for on-line motor insurance

Janashakthi Insurance PLC and Singer Sri Lanka PLC recently joined hands to launch another innovative service enhancement in motor insurance.

Henceforth, anyone buying a motor cycle from a Singer outlet anywhere in the country can also purchase a Janashakthi Full Option Motor Insurance policy at the same time thereby taking customer service and customer convenience to the next level. Janashakthi customers can also obtain any Motor Insurance policy irrespective of the class of vehicle, from any Singer outlet islandwide.

Janashakthi's Managing Director Prakash Schaffter said all of Singer's 350 outlets islandwide are now fully connected online to the Janashakthi Head Office.

Issuing a Janashakthi Full Option Motor Insurance policy is now possible with the mere click of a button. It makes life easier for the customer in that he does not have to come to a Janashakthi branch but gets it done when buying the motorcycle or tractor from Singer. Singer Sri Lanka's Financial Services Senior Manager, Viresh Gomes said all branches of Singer Plus, Singer Mega, Singer Homes and Sisil World offered this unique facility to its customers all over the country.

"In addition to motor cycles and tractors which Singer sells, any customer can walk in and buy a motor insurance policy at a competitive price.

This tie-up is a trail blazer and a win-win situation not only for Janashakthi and Singer but also for our valued customers. Known for its constant focus on innovation, Janashakthi has blazed a trail with many firsts in Sri Lanka's competitive insurance industry".

Innovation and dynamism are predominant characteristics which drive Janashakthi's portfolio of products and services.

Janashakthi Insurance enjoyed a strong track record of launching a range of industry firsts during the last few years and thus revolutionising the local insurance market.

Janashakthi Safety Net is Sri Lanka's first Vehicle Tracking and Immobilization policy while Janashakthi Sanasuma is the first ever insurance cover worth Rs 100,000 for a daily sum of 55 cents and aimed at the low-income segment. Added to this is Janashakthi Life Investment Account, Sri Lanka's first ever investment based insurance scheme which goes beyond traditional Life insurance.

Mercedes-Benz named valuable premium automotive brand

Mercedes-Benz continues to be regarded as the world's most valuable premium automotive brand.

In the latest ranking by respected brand consultancy Interbrand Zintzmeyer & Lux, 'Best Global Brands 2011', the three-pointed star brand again took twelfth place - as it did last year - and is therefore the most valuable European brand. Its brand equity has risen to US$ 27.455 billion, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2010. Mercedes-Benz's brand equity has therefore risen continuously since 2009.

The study's authors attribute this success to customer satisfaction with the brand, which is higher than that of all other automotive brands.

The model initiative launched two years ago is enabling Mercedes-Benz to successfully respond to the market's demand for ground-breaking, sustainable transport solutions.

Coca-Cola, IBM and Microsoft occupied the first three places respectively. Mercedes-Benz was placed 12th overall, while BMW was 15th, Volkswagen was 47th, Audi was 59th and Ferrari was 99th.

Interbrand conducts the 'Best Global Brands' study every year. Leading CEOs regard it as the benchmark for measuring the value of international brands.

The study identifies the 100 most valuable brands in the world.

Interbrand further states - "Mercedes-Benz firmly staked out its territory atop the premium automobile category with its new tagline", 'The Best or Nothing,' successfully tying its long heritage of excellence in engineering, performance, styling, and safety to its 125th birthday. Mercedes outranks all other automotive brands in terms of customer loyalty and satisfaction.

With its new model rollout, Mercedes has responded to a market that is quickly evolving in favour of green technologies. Half of the product line is available with its BlueEfficiency package, and its Daimler "Car2Go" car-sharing mobility concept recently launched.

Mercedes-Benz also continues to partner with Tesla on lithium-ion battery packs, and it received a 2010 German Sustainability Award for its Atego BlueTec Hybrid truck".

Mercedes-Benz is represented by Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO), the only authorized agent in Sri Lanka.

DIMO has been representing Mercedes-Benz for more than seven decades. It has the most modern state-of-the-art service and repair facility for automobiles in the country.

How to become a better motorist from a motor racing perspective

Motor tips from the Pits:

The Pit is where a racing vehicle stops before, during and after a race. In modern day motor racing, 80% of the race is planned and concluded in the pits. This is because professional motor racing teams have started demarcating a clear difference between matters within a team's control and matters beyond a team's control. Preparing a racing car and planning its performance on a race track is considered as a matter within a team's control, which leaves the drivers ability to convert opportunities to results as the factor beyond the teams control.

The Pit View is considered the best view in motor racing, as the pit crew always has an inside out view of what takes place in a race car on and off the race track, from an engine, tyre, brake, fuel, car mechanic and driver perspective. It is a 360 degree view on every point of the race car, track and drive.

As many of you might already know EZY Racing has become a dominant force in the racing arena primarily due to our Pit Strategies. Our enhanced Pit View has encouraged us to prepare our race cars better than our road cars. Our partnerships with professional motor related entities and brands have definitely provided us a competitive edge which has clearly transformed into results by us being the rally champions in 2009 and 2010, consecutively.

When preparing our cars in the pits, our partners who are segregated into engine, mechanical, tuning, service, technology, clothing and many more categories, focus on doing their jobs to perfection be it on engine, gear and break setup. The Pit View provides us an insight on to which tyre needs to be used, which tuning set up needs to be run, which fuel levels need to be maintained in order to maximize the conditions. Pit View is a special segment that will focus on providing valuable insights on how to manage and maintain your road running car, from our pit view.

Every week, we intend on sharing on how we keep our race cars in top order and intend on guiding you not only to make your car a well-maintained and prepared car, but also how to be a knowledgeable motorist.