The Kia set-up at an earlier staging of the Jamaica Motor Show.-File
Joe Ferreria (right) and Liliana Cruz, directors of new markets for Mantis Motors, with two models of the newly-imported Tata Nano LX during the 2013 Jamaica Motor Show, which was held at the Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay last Sunday. The Nano LX, which was developed in India and is on sale for less than J$1 million, had its first showing in Montego Bay at Sunday's motor show.-Photo by Christopher Thomas
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Christopher Thomas, Gleaner WriterWESTERN BUREAU:Following last Sunday's 2013 Jamaica Motor Show at Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay, St James, car buyers in western Jamaica have two new purchasing options in Metis Motors' 2012 Tata Nano and Kia Motors' 2013 Kia Sorento sports-utility vehicle (SUV).
Both vehicles were officially launched during the fifth annual staging of the all-day motor show, which was being held for the third time in Montego Bay.
The Jamaica Motor Show was hosted by the Firm Marketing Agency, with sponsorship provided by the Bank of Nova Scotia, Sagicor, Guardsman Alarms, the RJR Communications Group and Carmax Jamaica. Metis Motors, Kia Motors, Subaru and Chevrolet were some of the companies and brands on display.
Ian Lyn, vice-president of sales and marketing for Kia Motors, touted the company's Kia Sorento, which was on sale for between J$5 million and J$6 million, as the premium vehicle for SUV buyers.
"With the launch of the new Sorento, which is the premium SUV 4x4 vehicle, we expect this to be the highlight of today's show," said Lyn. "It is in direct competition with the Toyota Prado and the Mitsubishi Pajero. We're officially launching it today to say to the competition that your stranglehold on the premium SUV market is over."
Lyn also outlined the kind of quality that purchasers can expect from buying the Sorento.
"For $5 million to $6 million you get a luxury SUV, fully loaded, with MP3, iPod, leather, panoramic glass roof, alloy wheels, and you can get a six-cylinder four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive, all for the price of $5 million to $6 million," said Lyn.
The 2012 Tata Nano, made in India, was described by Metis Motors' director of New Markets, Joe Ferreira, as the most affordable new car.
"We're responsible for bringing the Tata Nano into the country, which is the most affordable car in the country by a large margin," Ferreira said. There were two models on display at the show. "It's the only car that costs less than a million dollars, which is unheard of in this economy."
Ferreira described the Nano, which had previously been presented at motor shows in Kingston and Mandeville, as possessing the accessories that car-buyers would expect from a modern vehicle.
"This is our first show in Montego Bay. We did a couple of shows in Kingston and Mandeville before, but this is the first one in Montego Bay. The response has been great and everybody knows what the car's about," said Ferreira.
"This car has been sold, to date, for less than $16,000 per month, for a brand new car with a two-year-warranty, plastic on the seats, fog lights, air-conditioning, electric windows and everything you can expect from a modern car," Ferreira added. "This car is standard-drive, very light, very practical, and it doesn't stall."