Motor

AMW shines a ‘Ray’ on scooter market

Associated Motorways (Private) Limited is set to bring Yamaha’s global sensation in the scooter market to Sri Lanka. The Yamaha Ray won the coveted CNB ‘Scooter of the Year’ 2012/13 Award in a successful year of accolades. Built using Yamaha’s over 55 years of race-winning motorcycle engineering expertise, the Ray Scooter combines reliability with functionality and style.

The Yamaha Ray Scooter is a sporty and easy commuting machine packed with Yamaha technology and a lightweight 4-stroke, 113cc engine. The Ray is engineered to personify the essence of a scooter which is compactness and functionality while displaying glimpses of Yamaha DNA in its design and handling.

Commenting on the impending arrival of the Ray scooter, Shehan De Zoysa, General Manager – Yamaha, Associated Motorways (Private) Limited, said: “In just a year, the Yamaha Ray scooter has seen unprecedented success in its market segment, especially in India. Key factors in this have been its affordability, engineering quality and ease of use – which has made it immensely popular amongst all segments of the market who prefer lighter and more nimble vehicles.”

It features an air-cooled 4-stroke, single cylinder, SOHC 2-valve engine with an automatic V-belt transmission and a kerb weight of just 104kg. The Yamaha Ray scooter comfortably accommodates a rider and pillion while providing excellent manoeuvrability – making it useful for commuting through traffic. Its telescopic-unit swing suspension offers a comfortable ride, and its front and rear 130mm drum brakes ensure maximum safety. In addition, its efficient engine and light weight give it a fuel economy of approximately 53km/l depending on traffic conditions.

“The last few years have seen an increase in demand in the domestic scooter market, in different regions. The Yamaha Ray is a valuable proposition that caters to this need with the proven world-class engineering prowess of Yamaha: Winner of the World Moto-GP 2012. We are proud to be the sole agent for Yamaha in Sri Lanka and to add this ‘winner’ to our motorcycle range”, said Samantha Rajapaska, Managing Director, Associated Motorways (Private) Limited.

AMW has been servicing the needs of the Sri Lankan transport industry for 65 years. Currently the leading automotive Group in Sri Lanka, its offering extends from automotive selling, buying, after-care and manufacture to vehicle leasing solutions. Presented with a wide range of colours and the guarantee of AMW’s superior after-sales services, the global award-winning Yamaha Ray scooter, will touch down shortly.

GM, Ford, Chrysler post best US sales since 2007

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler reported their best US sales performances since 2007 Tuesday as analysts predicted the auto industry as a whole would also rack up its biggest month in five years.

GM said it posted its best March performance since 2007 “thanks to a strengthening economy and new products” as sales rose six percent to 245,950 vehicles.

It forecast that total industry sales would come in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 15.2 million vehicles once all automakers have reported, which would be the fifth consecutive month with a sales pace over 15 million.

“Sales of smaller cars have been robust for some time,” GM sales chief Kurt McNeil said in a statement.

“Trucks have improved in lockstep with the housing market and the strength of the crossover market signals that America's families are more confident about their financial health.” Chrysler said its sales rose five percent to 171,606 vehicles in March despite limited inventory of some of its best-selling models, including Jeep and heavy-duty Ram trucks.

It was the company's 36th consecutive month of gains in year-over-year sales, and the strongest sales for any month since December 2007.

Ford posted its best performance for any month since May 2007 as sales rose six percent to 236,160 vehicles in March.

Meanwhile, Toyota sales rose one percent to 205,342 units in March.

“The auto industry continued its string of impressive monthly results, and at Toyota we had our best month since Cash for Clunkers in August of 2009,” said Bob Carter, head of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, USA.

AFP