The fifth Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Exhibition (MCVE) organised by Asian Trucker Media is set to take place from 21 st to 23 rd October 2021. The bi-annual exhibition is the biggest event for the commercial vehicle industry in South East Asia. Hopefully this actually happens and will not be affected by the pandemic lockdowns as vaccine shots have started rolling out in Malaysia.
This feature article today is about an Executive from Proton's Finance Department, Mr. Wan Muhammad Shafiq Bin Wan Abdul Rahim. This is a look into how a chap who had just started his working career and basically life as a working adult with a job at Proton. The chap is young, ambitious, and seems to be seeking to improve his educational qualifications too.
Wan Muhammad has a degree in Accounting and Finance and has also completed his ACCA course where he is a member since 2020. So basically this chap really knows how to count stuff. But he works in a car manufacturing company. Of course, he does, not everyone in a car manufacturing company tightens bolts or designs the cars. There are people who need to count the money coming in and going out too.
UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT), distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Malaysia, have announced a Special Service Campaign (SSC) to replace the fuel pump for the Toyota Avanza manufactured from October 2017 and June 2019. According to Toyota, this round of SSC is an expansion of an earlier campaign.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, had on 3rd March 2021 revealed the New 2021 Ford Ranger Raptor X Special Edition, which is special to Malaysia and comes in True Red colour. This is also the first time that the colour Red will be offered on a Raptor for customers here. It will come with more equipment and additional safety features as standard, notably it has a in-built 360-degree camera, Dual Digital Video Recorder, and distinctive accessories comprising a bold Raptor X decal and Special Edition carpet mats. The new variant is priced at RM216,888 (on-the-road, without insurance) with a 5-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty or 160,000km, whichever comes first.
In conjunction with Scania celebrating 50 years (F50Y) in Malaysia, the truck and bus manufacturer has launched a special promotion which is valid for trucks ordered and delivered between January to December 2021. During this period, the proposition of owning a Scania truck can be as low as MYR6,888 to just over MYR11,118 per month on-the-road. The offer is valid for a Scania New Truck Generation truck meant for five different applications and you can eve get it with Scania Malaysia's in-house Financial services, subject to credit approval with the usual terms and conditions where applicable.
The Perodua Ativa has been unveiled.... officially. Well, the official reveal via the internet (due to the pandemic lockdowns) was done but there have been many photo leaks, many of which were of the actual car, so this could be the first time Perodua's internal security measures to protect its launch product was severely compromised. On a large scale that is. Of course, the compact crossover/SUV is indeed a good looking car for the price, and the price is a large part of what will make this the most popular small SUV in the market. Their local competitor(s) would need to watch out as the final prices range from RM61,500 to RM72,000 on the road before insurance in Peninsular Malaysia.
Last week, BMW Motorrad Malaysia introduced the New BMW S 1000 RR (pictured above, right beside the BMW GS). Unveiled alongside the New BMW R 18 Classic (which will be featured in another article), the latest variant of the iconic BMW Superbike – the New BMW S 1000 RR now comes equipped with the Riding Mode Pro and Dynamic Damping Control functions as standard, providing a much more thrilling experience on the racetrack. Basically this latest variant comes with optional equipment made standard, most notably the BMW M Package and the above mentioned adjustable suspension extras.
Some say the new compact Perodua SUV will be called the Ativa. Whatever it is the new compact SUV, which is powered by a turbocharged 1.0liter engine will be premiered tomorrow on the internet! The link to head over to is www.peroduadigitalpremiere.com at 8.00pm, the 3rd of March 2021.
Of course, there are leaked photos of the new car already circulating on the internet. I think the Movement Control Order has caused even more people to get restless and leaks happen. Have a look at the photos here if you haven't.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has announced their March 2021 deals on both sales and aftersales. The most notable ones are the savings which can be had on the Malaysian Volkswagen Passat range and new parts offerings in its Repair Packages for all of its customer cars.
MINI, the premium compact car brand under BMW Group, had introduced the New MINI Cooper S Countryman and the New MINI Cooper SE Countryman yesterday. This two new for 2021 variants are locally assembled and feature a slight refresh to the trim outside and a little on the inside too. The performance remains the same but as usual, the Countryman range of MINI is more for the small family and more lifestyle oriented.
BMW Group Malaysia today unveiled the All-New BMW 430i Coupé M Sport together with a slew of other models from BMW, BMW Motorrad and MINI. This is the newest 4 Series model and it actually features new design elements what we will see featured on upcoming BMW models. The key feature that most of us will notice is the new front end styling featuring that very pronounced kidney grille. This is the largest grille to front end ever to sit on a BMW in the past thirty or so years and maybe even more.
BMW Group Malaysia today previewed several of their 2021 models from the BMW, BMW Motorrad and MINI brands here in Kuala Lumpur. One of these models was the locally assembled variant of the All-New BMW X7 xDrive40i Pure Excellence. This is the only top of the range luxury SUV that has been locally assembled locally (well, if you don't consider the Volvo XC90 luxurious enough, which actually some do not) and with this, the brand has reaffirming their investments in the local automotive landscape through one of the brand’s many progressive pillars. On a more financial note, it makes the new X7 slightly more affordable for those that want one. This is always a good thing as the savings could allow the new owner to buy an Omega wristwatch or two with the spare change.
Volvo Car Malaysia has just launched the XC40 Recharge T5 R-Design. The XC40 Recharge here means that it is Volvo's compact crossover / SUV which comes with a full plug-in hybrid electric powertrain. With the launch of this new variant of Volvo's handsome, or pretty, depending on your preference of whether you call your cars girls or boys, this makes Volvo Car the first and only automotive brand in Malaysia to offer a full range of Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) to be assembled in Malaysia.
Sometime last week Proton and Huawei together launched a contest with the intention to reward their customers for their support and in celebration with this year's Chinese New Year. The theme of this contest is called, “Together. Light Up the Moments”. You folks will have a chance to win a Proton Iriz 1.6L Premium as well as Huawei products.
The contest period will be from 11 February 2021 to 30 April 2021 and in order for you to participate, place a booking for selected Proton models (vehicle must be registered by 31 May 2021), or purchase a Huawei branded device. So, you could buy a new Proton and get a chance to win a Proton, or a Huawei device, or buy Huawei device and win a Proton. Of course, this is like a lucky draw, so you stand as much chance as the person who booked a Proton or bought a Huawei during the contest period.
The Daihatsu Rocky based compact SUV by Perodua, the Perodua D55L is now open for booking! This is actually good news as Malaysians will get another featured packed compact SUV to choose in the market. According to Perodua, the D55L (not officially named as yet but let's hope they call it the Kembara) will be sold in X, H and AV variants at prices estimated between RM62,500 and RM73,400, on-the-road before insurance in Peninsular Malaysia.
As the name suggests, the 2021Proton Persona Black Edition is presented in black with gold accents subtly accentuating the bumpers and alloy wheels. Inside, it comes with black leatherette seats, door trims and floor console with black treatment for the headlining,
The 2021 Proton Exora Black Edition add style and luxury to vehicles that are usually sold on their practicality and comfort. As the name suggests, they are presented in black with gold accents subtly accentuating the bumpers and alloy wheels.
PROTON conducted another over the internet launch today where the Malaysian car manufacturer launched four Special Edition models at one go. The limited production models have been given the moniker Black Edition for the Persona and Exora models and the R3 Limited Edition for the Iriz and Saga. These new limited run variants were designed to broaden the appeal of each model while offering more choice to customers. Note the slightly more mature and discreet 'Black Edition' moniker for the more family oriented Persona and Exora and the return of the R3 branding for the more youthful Iriz and Saga (starter boy racer or ricer) models.
PROTON will be introducing its Special Edition models – the Iriz, Saga, Persona, and Exora. which is set to launch virtually on 18 February 2021 at 11am. These limited run variants will be enhanced with unique design elements for both the interior and exterior of these cars, the Special Edition models is here to meet customers’ needs and suits the most discerning lifestyle. In other not so marketing savvy words, the cars will have additional trim and shiny bits that will make them slightly different from the normal production models.
Malaysians will also be able to place bookings for the Special Edition models on the same date and time. These Special Edition models provide the same level of comfort, safety and handling that are offered in their standard models, except they have now been enhanced in the aesthetics department. Yes. They will look slightly tweaked with some bits here and there.
Perodua yesterday launched its first sustainable blueprint – the Perodua Smart Build. This is a long term business vision or strategy by the compact car maker that includes nearly the entire Malaysian automotive supplier and dealer ecosystem. The system is designed to thrust both itself and the industry towards greater globalisation in the future.
According to Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Zainal Abidin, Perodua Smart Build is designed to help Perodua and the automotive ecosystem reap the benefits of the National Automotive Policy by making the industry more competitive and progressive. Chief among the components of Perodua Smart Build are full product development by Perodua and its suppliers, the establishment of a first-class working culture and first-class thinking that will be able to contribute to the nation.
What we have here is the 2021 Model Year Hyundai Kona 1.6 Turbo compact SUV. We had a go in it just before most of Malaysia was placed under the second Movement Control Order due to the current virus pandemic. It was quite lucky in terms of timing if not this review would not have happened. We had managed to take a short trip down to Ipoh with it and if you are actually lazy to read any further, I can easily tell you that this newly launched (here in Malaysia) C-segment SUV is actually quite good for what it is.
What the Hyundai Kona 1.6 Turbo is a soft roader meant for urban environments with more ground clearance and all the required chunky-boi looks that make compact SUVs the choice over sedans these days. It also has the poke to move and would also give you lots of enjoyment in terms of having more than adequate performance due to its turbocharged 1.6liter engine.
Good news! New Ford Ranger customers will be able enjoy more with the new 5-year manufacturer’s warranty (with the usual terms and conditions*). This is up from the previous 3-year warranty offered before this. But even existing Ford Ranger customers can opt into this new warranty by purchasing a two new Extended Warranty. Plans (with the usual terms and conditions also**) called PremiumCARE and PowertrainCARE.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, recently announced the new 5-year manufacturer’s warranty 1 for its Ford Ranger lineup. Why only the Ford Ranger you say? Well, currently, this is the only car that Ford sells in large numbers in Malaysia with the occasional Ford Mustang or SUV thrown in to the picture once in a while (as these are fully imported stuff which comes in small batches). So the Ford Ranger, which is also a favourite of many pickup truck fans here, gets an extended warranty. This should make many people a little bit happier.
Volvo Car Malaysia has IMPROVED on its manufacturer or factory warranty programme to a five-years/unlimited mileage warraty for all privately owned Volvo cars* registered from 1 January 2021onwards. Prior to this announcement, Volvo car owners were entitled to a three-year/100,000km factory warranty with a combined two-years/20,000km Extended Warranty Programme (EWP) provided by an external insurance partner.
We mostly know that external parties to any arrangement will usually be a little bit reluctant to do things even though its been legally contracted to them. So it is a very, very good thing that Volvo Car Malaysia is now going the internal route to customer aftersales in terms of warranty issues. So with the introduction of the extended factory warranty, customers will be able to enjoy a similar level of protection at no additional cost, fully covered under the five-years/unlimited mileage warranty. So much more peace of mind.
And meanwhile, over at Perodua, the Malaysian compact car manufacturer has stated that they have targeted a sales figure of 240,000 vehicles in 2021. This figure is a 9% increase from the 220,163 units sold in 2020 on the back of sustained strong demand for its existing models and the extension of the sales tax exemption announced by the government recently.
By way of comparison, Perodua sold 240,341 vehicles in 2019. So they are getting back the numbers from 2019 after sales of 220,163 in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic era (which could be something of historical significance to future historians).
January 2021 sales by PROTON - 5,964 units. This marks a decrease of 29.9% over the same month last year. Basically the current round of Movement Control Orders here in Malaysia has stalled sales in the first month of this year. However, Proton says that new or upcoming model launch plans will go on unchanged as company chases after more favourable numbers this year.
Proton's market share is estimated at 18.5%, about 1.0% less compared to the same period last year (with a total industry volume of about 32,000 units for January 2021). According to Proton, the overall figures though are a reflection of supply not being able to meet demand rather than a reduction in bookings. So it could be said that supply of new cars is slowing down sales rather than the pandemic.
How true could this statement be?
In a nutshell, you can get savings up to RM10,000 on Volkswagen models, aftersales offers on parts replacement and genuine oil and that this promotion valid from now till 28 th February 2021
Official Volkswagen distributor in Malaysia, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is having another round of offers and promotions this Chinese New Year (CNY) with what they are calling as "ang pao rebates" which gives out a savings of RM1,000 over and above other rebates. As for the overall promotional campaign, it covers both new car sales as well as aftersales so no one is left out.
Hello folks! Happy New Year and I'm back after making myself feel better during the dull year end due to the pandemic. Here is a feature article from Proton regarding their cabin filter equipped cars and options. Good for cleaning up the air of your Proton especially since there could be viruses floating around.....
As we embrace the new norm, many of us will be spending a considerable amount of time in our cars to commute daily to work. But is the cabin of your car truly a cleaner environment? Even when travelling with the windows closed, the air quality inside can be affected by the air from the outside. It is therefore important for cars to be equipped with cabin air-filtering capabilities. However, like many other parts in your car such as spark plugs and oil filters, cabin filters are one of the parts we frequently replace in our cars but we rarely talked about.
Alright folks! The All-New 2021 Hyundai Elantra (CN7) C segment sedan has been previewed in Malaysia and we had a chance to attend the media preview. Thanks to Malaysian distributors Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors. So as usual, we made a video about it. These are our thoughts about the actually gorgeous looking compact sedan (which actually isn't so compact these days as cars have gone larger by a fair bit). Malaysia is getting only 1 variant, the 1.6liter normally aspirated SmartStream engined variant with a Hyundai IVT (CVT for you and me) 8 virtual speeds transmission. It is fully imported, open for bookings and whilst prices have not been announced yet it should not be around RM120K but more closer to the RM140k mark as it is fully loaded with a lot of features.
Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors will be launching the all-new 7th generation Hyundai Elantra (CN7) sometime mid-December 2020. This 2021 model is essentially all new and looks very nice. It will be fully imported in 1.6lirer form and since it is fully imported, prices will be at a premium but it will be specced up in terms of active safety and convenience features too. Oh, there will be a video of the Malaysian preview on our Youtube channel on the new car so stay tuned over there - https://www.youtube.com/motoringmalaysia
BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia has introduced a new service for their customers. This is the i-Renewal digital service for the BMW and MINI Comprehensive Motor Insurance Programme. According the them, the new programme was brought out to simplify renewal processes for BMW and MINI owners insured by the programme.
Volkswagen Cares, the mobile application for Volkswagen owners here in Malaysia has reached 30,000 subscribers. This has happened two years after its launch, and the app, launched by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM), who are the authorised distributors of the brand here, is part of the Volkswagen Cares aftersales initiative committed to providing the best for owners in the country. This is definitely an ongoing push by them to improve customer and ultimately brand image in the country.
