Le Sabre

So the only difference is in the transmission and the engine.

Thanks for the information.

Thanks for the info guys. When comapring the CS1 and the CK2 with the same YOM, which model is better.

Whats the diference in the Japanese Swift and the Indian Swift models (2005 and above YOM). How can you identify the difference. Is the difference in the availability of transmissions or parts.

Just want to find out from anyone in the forum about the Lancer CS1 (2001-2002)car. How is its performance, avaliability and cost of spares and resale value. Which trim level ( GL,GLX...) comes with auto transmission.

India is building an F1 track and is already on the 2011 schedule. Not sure what the exact location is of the track. Would be nice to see a simlar track in SL which would help the motor sports in the cuntry and also bring in many foreign races.

Not sure if your interested in station wagons. Forgot to mention abut the Nissan wingroad Y10. You can also try the Nissan Ad wagon Y11 model but not sure what the market price for this car is now. Also i would like to know what the current price will be for the Nissan Wingroad Y11 model.

You can also try the Nissan Presea. This might fall in your price range.

Looks like the authorities are trying to get the drivers used to proper lane use before the expressways are open to the public. Hope it works out well.

Stick to lanes The Colombo city traffic police has urged motorists to use only the relevant lanes while driving in the Colombo city area, in an attempt to limit accidents and reduce city traffic. Police media spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said that a new programme to create awareness among the public will continue for a considerable time period and thereafter the law will be strictly enforced against drivers. “The police will first create awareness but we will not impose fines. Strict police action will taken against careless drivers after the awareness programme is concluded,” he said.

There wont be any pedestrians, mobikes, threewheelers, tractors or route buses allowed on the expressway.

Thanks for the photo updates. If you have more please do post them. Any pics of the colombo -katu or outer circular road work.

There was talk that the number plate system would goto 3 letters. Not sure what the format is that they might use or when it will come into use.

Hows the Hyundai Getz. Is it a good car and does it perform well. I dont see many advertised. What would be the price of this car.

Sri Lanka to get new Mahindra vehicles, electric car India's Mahindra group said it is studying the possibility of introducing its electric vehicle, Mahindra Reva, to the Sri Lankan market and launching new models soon after their launch in India. Vice chairman Anand Mahindra told a news conference the company was targeting vehicle sales of 10,000 by the 2013 financial year. The group plans to introduce new models in Sri Lanka soon after they are launched in the Indian market. "We have ambitious plans for this market," said P N Shah, chief executive, International Operations, Automotive and Farm Sector of Mahindra. "We will be launching new products in the market in the next few months, new pick-ups, new SUVs (sports utility vehicles). "The products we launch in India, within one or two months we will be launching them in Sri Lanka." Mahindra has already established a base for itself in Sri Lanka where it has been selling its range of tractors and utility vehicles for over a decade. Mahindra’s Automotive Sector has sold over 4,000 vehicles in Sri Lanka since its market entry, a company statement said. "We are also studying the possibility of introducing an electric car – the Mahindra Reva - in Sri Lanka, in future." Mahindra group's vehicles are distributed by its local partner, Ideal Motors, which has created a countrywide sales and service network and has also expanded operations in the north and east of the country. Shah said the group's agent in the island for tractors D*MO has a countrywide network for sales and service which has recently been extended to the north and north-east areas with new outlets being opened in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi. Nalin Welgama, chairman of Ideal Motors, said that they had sold over 1,500 vehicles, particularly in the light commercial sector, since being appointed as distributors eight months ago. "It's a growing market because post-conflict areas like the north and east are growing very fast." Sri Lanka's 30-year ethnic war, fought largely in the north and east, ended in may 2009, resulting in an economic revival with growth forecast at seven percent this year. Welgama also said they were considering assembling vehicles in Sri Lanka. "Soon we'll be entering the assembly market." He said the Ideal Group is associated with South Korea's Ssangyong Motor Co. whose vehicles are locally assembled by Micro Cars. "Mahindra has just become preferred bidder for Ssangyong Motor. Hopefully it will go through. So we are not new to assembly in Sri Lanka."

Micro Cars has started to assemble a new SUV called the Rhino. Check out the microcars Website, I think its another model from Geely.

Micro sends first shipment to Nepal Good demand for locally assembled vehicles: Micro Cars will be exporting its first shipment of vehicles to Nepal by the end of August. “Micro has signed an agreement with Nepal’s Malla Group in exporting these vehicles,” Transmec Chairman/CEO Dr Lawrence Perera told Daily News Business. “There will be 10 Micro cars in the first shipment,” Dr Perera said. The demand for Micro cars remains the same and Micro has decided to set up the first modern state-of-the-art service centre situated outside Colombo in Kandy today as its next expansion plan, In addition to the service centre, a Micro car showroom will also be set up in Katugastota, Kandy. Dr Perera said the service centre in Kandy will function as a central point for the region as there was a huge customer demand for repairs. The service centre will cater to the regional needs of the people. Micro Cars has signed an agreement with the BOI to expand their factory premises in Polgahawela with another five acres of land. They are into further expansion and Micro Cars has signed with GEELY Automobiles to incorporate Volvo technology to their products which they have already started. The expansion of the manufacturing plant in Polgahawela will add 80 employees to the current 412 staff members. This will give much needed capacity for the company to grow as a Sri Lankan manufacturer into exports. There is a demand for locally assembled vehicles despite the tax reduction on vehicles. “There was a fair reduction in Micro Car prices after the tax reduction on imported vehicles. The improved quality of the cars and the space they provide has attracted many customers. The demand for the Rexton range among our products is still high. It is the best selling diesel SUV in our product range,” Dr Perera said.

Iam sure with volvos technology being used by Geely it will be useful for Micro as well and we might see new models and hopefully a full producion line in SL.

Sri Lanka plans expressway to central hills capital The Sri Lankan government said it has got Asian Development Bank funding to start work on an expressway between Colombo and Kandy in the central hills that will cut travel time to less than an hour. Transport ministry secretary Wasantha Karannagoda said the ADB had promised 500 million dollars over the next three years for the first phase of the project. "Land acquisition studies and detailed designs have been done and we hope to start the civil works from next year," he told a news conference. "The expressway will reduce travel time between Colombo and Kandy to around 45-50 minutes with vehicle speeds of 100-110 kilometres an hour. It will be a four-lane highway with provision to expand to six lanes. "This will be a big relief to commuters, enabling them to save time and fuel, and reduce vehicle maintenance costs." Travel between Colombo and Kandy now takes about three hours and there is congestion on the existing road. The planned expressway will be an elevated highway, built on viaducts or concrete pillars in order to reduce land acquisition and avoid difficulties caused by the danger of floods, Karannagoda said. The first phase from Kadawata, north of Colombo, to Ambepussa will take about three and a half years. The second phase would extend the road to Katugastota, near Kandy. "If we can get funds for the second phase we can work on that at the same time so the total construction period would be about four years," Karannagoda said. The government had decided to do the project after a previous proposal to give it to a Malaysian company was abandoned, he said. This was because the foreign investor's feasibility studies indicated the anticipated traffic was not enough to ensure profits within their time frame, he said. Government spokesman media minister Kehaliya Rambukkwelle said the government might make the first stretch of expressway a toll road.

Can anybody give me any info on this. Thanks.

Car imports soar after duty slash The Department of Motor Vehicles yesterday said import of cars has seen a dramatic increase with the reduction of vehicle import duty. According to Department statistics, 5,762 cars were registered by the Department last year while the Department has registered more than 4,079 cars upto August 1 this year. The number of vehicle imports also rose last month when compared to the figures in the corresponding period last year. The Department registered 17,636 vehicles in July last year while this figure rose to 33,421 in July this year. Over 17,000 motorcycles were imported last month and the total number of vehicle imports up to August 1, 2010 exceeded 185,000, sources said.

Construction of the Matara-Colombo Expressway is nearing completion and will be vested for public use in April next year. The government has given the highest priority to this project Deputy Minister of Highways Dr. Mervyn Silva addressing media personnel, at the concluding point of the Expressway, in Kottawa revealed the details of this project.yesterday. Dr. Mervyn pointed out that the travel time from Matara to Colombo will be drastically reduced with the opening of this road and the travel time will amount to about 2 hours. Emphasizing about the advantage of having this expressway, he said that people from the down south can cook Kiribath at their homes and deliver them in the same warm condition to their relatives in Colombo by using this expressway. In order to expedite the construction of this expressway, under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s firm directive, construction components were segregated to four sectors and assigned to four contractors. Originally the construction work was assigned only to two contractors. This 131.1 km length Expressway costs the government Rs. 800 Million and it will have 48 under-passes, 12 overhead-passes and 18 major bridges. Out of these structures, construction of 39 under-passes, 3 overhead passes and 13 major bridges have already been completed and the remaining structures will be completed by 31st October this year. Access to the Expressway can only be made through eleven interchanges, which are located at places where the expressway crosses major roads/highways.

Does anyone know the price of a Reg or Unreg Suzuki Kei. Havent seen many advertised. Are these cars good.

Micro Cars also has a deal wih Geely and assembles the Geely MK sedan in SL. Maybe Micro cars might start assemble Volvos also here.

What would be the price of the Kei Reg/UnReg.