Plans are also afoot to offer customised variants of the Lancer by mid-2000under soon-to-be launched MyLancer scheme. Talks are also on with a privateInternet service provider to offer the Lancer online, senior companyofficials said.

Announcing the launch of the new variants, Hindustan Motors chairman CKBirla said the new variants are an outcome of an in-depth market study thecompany undertook early last year. The diesel-driven GLX and SLX versionsare priced at Rs 8.60 lakh and Rs 9.30 lakh respectively. The prices(ex-showroom Delhi) have been calculated taking into consideration 6 percent sales tax, company officials said.

Birla said the special edition SLX will be targeted at discerningcustomers. Apart from offering all premium features of the Lancer GLXseries, SLX will include upgraded leather upholstery, electronic key lessentry system, allow wheels and a distinctive tail lamp cluster. The modelsare available in two Euro-II compliant engine options of 1500 cc petrol and2000 cc diesel.

The sportier SFX version will be petrol-driven and targeted at ``the youngat heart,'' company officials said. Lancer SFX will come with ``wet look''paint finish including `Simply Red' and `Storm Yellow.' It would featurewind tunnel designed air dams, rear spoiler, anti-skid pads, a gear shiftknob among others.

Since its introduction in the Indian market in October 1998, the company hassold around 8,500 Lancers till date, officials said. The new variants willroll out with around 50 per cent localisation content. This will besubsequently be increased to around 65 per cent by the year-end.

According to HM's executive director A Sankara Narayanan, the company had aturnover of around Rs 1,600 crore in 1998-99 with a loss of Rs 35 crore. Thenon-car turnover of the company was around Rs 500 crore. Narayanan said HMis expected to be cash profit in the current fiscal.

On the old warhorse `Ambassador', Birla said extensive trials of compressednatural gas and multi-point-fuel-ignition (mpfi) versions of the car aregoing on. ``There are also plans for a CNG version of the Contessa,'' hesaid. The Ambassador is currently being exported to Japan, Bangladesh andNepal apart from the UK.

Birla said a Euro-II version with 2000 cc diesel driven Ambassador is alsoin the offing. Work is also on to develop a 1.5 litre diesel power unit aswell, he said. About the import of second-hand cars into the country, Birlasaid there should be some barriers in their import as the cars made inforeign countries would conform to different standards including Left-handdrive and also have different emission levels from those manufactured inIndia.

The MoU with Proton of Malaysia for manufacturing of Proton models in Indiawill go ahead only after Proton sets up a subsidiary in the country.Narayanan said Proton is expected to get government clearance for setting upoffice in the country by the year-end.