Perodua Sold 204,900 Cars in 2017 - Aiming For 209,000 in 2018 - Details and More

Perodua has announced that they've sold more cars than their 2017 sales target of 202,000. The Malaysian compact car manufacturer sold 204,900 units and are now aiming to sell 209,000 for 2018. This is a target of 2% higher than the 204,900 cars sold last year and is based on Perodua's internal predictions where they expect the total industry sales volume to increase to 590,000 units this year.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has invested over RM1 Billion to date in Malaysia - Announcement of 3rd Quarter 2017 Performance Results, Mercedes-Benz EEV cars and other Details

We were at the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) Pekan Plant for the company's 3rd Quarter 2017 performance report as well as be further informed on the developments of the company here in Malaysia and to tour the current assembly of Mercedes-Benz hybrid vehicles, namely the C350e and the E350e plug-in hybrids. During the briefing, MBM has announced that the company had already made an investment totalling MYR 1 billion here in Malaysia. 

GO AUTO EXPANDS ITS REACH INTO BATAM, INDONESIA

Go Auto, the sole distributor for Haval vehicles in Malaysia have expanded their wings into Batam, Indonesia. The company continues its move forward by entering the car market in  Batam, Indonesia. Batam, is a free trade zone and it is Go Auto's first play into the Indonesian market. It is also part of their plans to make Malaysia an manufacturing hub for Haval brand in the ASEAN region. Batam is the latest market in ASEAN to be penetrated by Go Auto after it successfully started marketing Haval in Cambodia and Brunei.

Industry News: Continental’s tire plant in Alor Setar gets a new Plant Manager

The international tyre company Continental has announced the appointment of Carlos Bernabe as Plant Manager for its Passenger & Light Truck Tyres and Two Wheel Tyres manufacturing facility in Alor Setar, Malaysia. He joined the Continental Malaysia team in Alor Setar on January 1, 2017, succeeding Juergen Jacobs Dowling, who has been leading the plant for the past three years and is currently pursuing his career within Continental in South Africa.

DRB-HICOM says that all Foreign Strategic Partner Bidders are still in the running - Move along folks, let's just wait till mid-2017.

There have been news recently that Geely, the China auto maker, who is purportedly in the running to become Proton's foreign strategic partner has dropped out of contention. Geely and the French PSA group have been seen as the fore-runners in this exercise and such a news is indeed worrying to some. 

PROTON's Foreign Strategic Partner decision to be made by the first half of 2017

DRB-HICOM Berhad have confirmed again that will only conclude and announce their decision within the first half of this year. There have been tons of speculation on the matter and I had mentioned earlier that all of this is mere talk and even any 'expert' opinion will just be an opinion until the actual decision is released to the public. 

Industry News: PROTON appoints a new CEO for Proton Edar

Proton has appointed the dapper looking chap in the photograph above as the new CEO of its sales and marketing arm, Proton Edar Sdn Bhd. Mr Abdul Rashid Musa replaces outgoing CEO Mr Rohime Shafie effective 1st of February 2017. Prior to this appointment, he was the Chief Technical Officer of PROTON where he held several portfolios, including being instrumental in the development of the four new models in 2016 (the Perdana, Persona, Saga and Ertiga).