Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) has sold 150,900 vehicles in the first nine months of this year, capturing an estimated total industry volume (TIV) market share of 36.1 percent on healthy delivery of its new model, Perodua Bezza.

The company said this was lower compared with 157,500 vehicles sold in the first nine months of 2015.

In a statement today, Perodua said it had already registered 20,000 Bezzas since its launch on July 21 this year -- the highest ever delivery within 90 days for a new model in its history.

President and CEO Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said on a year-to-year comparison, the company was cautiously optimistic that it would further reduce the sales deficit gap which currently stood at 4.2 percent.

For the third quarter of this year, Perodua sold 45,300 cars, a 7.5 percent decline from 49,000 recorded in the third quarter of last year.

"We believe that the fourth quarter of the year will continue to be challenging due to the current economic conditions, as well as competitors' sales activities," Aminar said.

Perodua produced 153,700 vehicles for the first nine months of the year, nine percent lower compared with 168,300 vehicles in the same period last year -- a reflection of the current slow market situation, it said.

On after sales service, it saw 1.51 million intakes enter its 201 service centres nationwide for the first nine months of this year compared with 1.45 million intakes in the same period last year.

Aminar said in preparations for this challenge, Perodua came up with several key initiatives to drive sales in the fourth quarter.

The initiatives include the "Test Drive and Win" contest, whereby the winner stands a chance to win a Perodua Bezza Advance and an opportunity to win a holiday trip to China, he said.

He said there was also savings for selected Perodua models for the month of October. -- Bernama