Dec 13, 2008, 8:12 PM

SAIPA unveils all-Iranian car

TEHRAN, Dec. 13 (MNA) – Iran’s SAIPA has unveiled its new car, the Miniator, which is fully designed and manufactured by the company’s engineers using only domestically built parts.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Industries and Mines Minister Aliakbar Mehrabian attended the unveiling ceremony, which was held in Tehran on Saturday.

Mehrdad Bazrpash, SAIPA managing director vowed to bring the car to showrooms in the first half of the next Iranian calendar year (to begin on March 22, 2009), the Mehr News Agency reported.

Miniator with has a reasonable price is aimed at giving poorer consumers a chance to own a car, he said.

Bazrpash said that Miniator will be manufactured in Kashan SAIPA plant which is expected to have a capacity to produce 200,000 cars a year.

President Ahmadinejad expressed gratitude to all involved in the car-making project and urged automakers to focus their attention on energy consumption, safety, and the elegance of the automobiles.

Mehrabian awarded Bazrpash a plaque of appreciation and expressed hope that Miniator would gain popularity in both domestic and foreign markets.

NS/MRK

END

MNA

News Code 31264