Volvo Trucks Malaysia (Volvo Trucks) previews its fully electric heavy duty prime movers in Malaysia which are the first to be launched in Southeast Asia with Two Units already bought by Swift Haulage Berhad

Today, the 11th of July 2023, marked a historic day in terms of Malaysian automotive history. Volvo Trucks Malaysia (Volvo Trucks) officially launched their fully electric FM Series heavy duty prime movers in Malaysia. These are the first electric heavy duty prime mover series of trucks to be launched in Southeast Asia and also the first to be adopted by an operator in the region where integrated logistics provider, Swift Haulage Berhad had purchased two units of the model. The announcement at the media preview this afternoon was made at the Volvo Trucks headquarters in Shah Alam shows off the Volvo Trucks' role in accelerating the industry’s transition to electromobility, in line with the nation’s net zero carbon ambitions. 

PROTON SAGA 38TH ANNIVERSARY MINI CARNIVAL- 9TH July 2023 at the Proton Centre of Excellence in Subang Jaya

PROTON will be celebrating the 38th birthday of the Malaysian automotive icon, the Proton Saga. The mini carnival to commemorate the compact car will be held at Proton's Centre of Excellence on Sunday, 9th of July 2023. This special event serves as a celebration of the remarkable history of the Proton Saga, a vehicle that has won the hearts of millions of proud owners over the years. The carnival pays homage to this beloved model and plays a vital role in reinforcing the PROTON brand through its timeless charm and market popularity.

The carnival will divided into three exciting segments:

The All-New Toyota Innova .... Now Innova Zenix, has been launched with 2 variants from RM165,000 - Full details and thoughts about it too

UMW Toyota Motors has just launched the all-new Toyota Innova Zenix. This could be the peak in Innova development as the vehicle marks a change for the better in so many ways that even I am happy to be writing about an Innova. But before that, the new Innova Zenix will be sold in two variants - the Innova Zenix 2.0 V with 8 seats and the 2.0 HEV (Hybrid with 7 seats - where the middle row features captain style individual seats with sliding trays). These will cost RM165,000 and RM202,000 respectively in Peninsula Malaysia without any insurance but on the road pricing.

PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM) officially launches seven fully-electric Audi e-tron models to the Malaysian market - Variants of the Q8 e-tron variants, the e-tron GT & the RS e-tron GT

Yesterday, PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM) launched seven fully-electric Audi e-tron models to the Malaysian market.  This is the largest fleet of all-new fully electric vehicles premiering in Malaysia, and is priced from RM383,990 The Audi e-tron range comprises of a family of SUVs, sportbacks and four door coupé. Audi states that the e-tron range is purpose-built in terms of design and performance in mind

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia launches the facelifted 2023 A-Class range - A200 to the uber fast A45 S 4Matic + [PHOTOS & VIDEOS]

The facelifted 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class has been launched for the Malaysian market. It features restyled front and rear lights, all models get the power bulges (or power domes) on the bonnet and has thwe latest generation of MBUX (NTG7). According to Mercedes Benz Malaysia, the A-Class model range is  geared to customer wishes, fine tuned to suit  requests from the pre-facelift A-Class buyers.

If you wish to view the launch presentation by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, here is a video of it below.d

Perodua Axia E returns as the most affordable new car in Malaysia, but it's actually still based on the previous generation car

 Perodua earlier today launched the previous generation Axia E again. Basically the cheapest new car you can buy in Malaysia, the Axia E is targeted at the lower income group and comes with a price of RM22,000 before insurance. This is definitely the 'menu Rahmah' of the car industry folks. If you're familiar with the term 'Rahmah' here folks. Definitely the RM5 meal equivalent.

MALAYSIAN MADE GRACSHAW LAUNCHES THEIR JAPAN EDITION MOTORCYCLE HELMET

Yesterday, Gracshaw, a made-in-Malaysia motorcycle helmet brand under Double Site Marketing Sdn Bhd,  officially launched its Japan Edition motorcycle helmets. The Japanese inspired edition, comprises of six unique designs – Kurita, Tsuru, Japop, Tengu, Oda and Karasu was showcased for the first time at the recent Terengganu Bike Week 2023 and was well received by biking enthusiasts there.

The MICHELIN BRAND EXPERIENCE 2023 - Showcasing the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and the Michelin Primacy SUV+

 Recently, Michelin, the world’s leading tyre company, hosted the MICHELIN BRAND EXPERIENCE 2023 at Sepang International Circuit. This was a return after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The three-day event featured exclusive opportunities to experience the new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 5 and the MICHELIN SUV+ tyres and had the support from the official vehicle partner, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

VIDEO: A very, very, very short test drive of the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0l Bi-turbo Diesel Pickup truck

This is a  video of the very very short test drive we had with the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0l Bi-Turbo pickup truck. Totally impromptu and unscripted. 

The launch event held at the Technology Park in Bukit Jalil continues throughout this weekend where interested parties can register and try out the Ranger Raptor. We managed a very, very short test drive of the Ranger Raptor 2.0L and we were quite impressed with its SUV or even car like refinement inside, even though we were doing a little bit of off-roading. Noise suppression was seriously good and it does feel more SUV rather than a pickup truck. The video is below:-

The Next-Gen 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel is Now Available in Malaysia - We get a short test drive in this Pickup Truck! VIDEO inside

Earlier today I managed to spend some time at the launch event of the Next-Generation 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor. Organised by the good chaps at Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, the Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel allows us to have another engine selection for Raptor. The 2.0-litre diesel engine variant joins its 3.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 petrol engine counterpart in the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor line-up allowing those who like the frugality of a diesel engine (like the previous generation and its cheaper road tax) with all the goodies of the latest one.

New Video: Scania Previews their Battery Electric Truck as they start marketing and sales of the type

 

Hello folks. As per the last article in the blog, Scania have started selling their Battery Electric Trucks here in the region. This is the video (below) of the preview held last week at Scania's Malaysian headquarters. I managed to attend it and take a look at what their future plans are and also see what their Electric truck is all about.

SCANIA Begins Regional Sales of Battery Electric Trucks for Customers to Comply with ESG Targets

Scania has started sales of battery electric truck in this region. The Battery electric trucks have been introduced for customers’ regional operations to meet their Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. Last Thursday, I attended the first preview for Malaysian customers at Scania Malaysia Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam where we got to see a battery electric Scania truck which will be used in Singapore for garbage collection (which actually suit electric trucks are they offer practical use for stop-start collection for last mile delivery or collection as well as being quieter than any internal combustion engined truck)..[UPDATE - Video of the preview is HERE]

SISMA Auto officially opens their BYD 3S Centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam

SISMA Auto, the Multi-brand premium automotive group earlier today opened the largest BYD 3S Centre in the automotive hub of Glenmarie, in Shah Alam, Selangor The new 3S centre which RM5 million is a Class-A BYD facility and has a spacious nine-car display showroom and a 16 service bays which was designed to accommodate the growing number of BYD customers. This comes after the news that BYD has already sold over 1,000 units of their Atto3 SUV in Malaysia.

Porsche Malaysia celebrates the 1,000th Porsche Cayenne assembled in Malaysia

Porsche Malaysia, which are represented by Sime Darby Auto Performance, recently celebrated a very memorable milestone. The 1,000th locally assembled Porsche Cayenne rolled off the production line at its assembly facility at Inokom in Kulim, Kedah. The Cayenne assembly line up north in Kedah is the first local assembly facility for Porsche outside of Europe and since March 2022, the Porsche Cayenne has been made locally and connecting sports car dreams for many Malaysian Porsche fans expecially with that locally assembled tax break price.

smart Malaysia appoints five more dealers

In line with the roll-out plan for smart products in Malaysia, PRO-NET, the official importer and distributor for smart vehicles in Malaysia and Thailand, has appointed more dealerships which will be located at prime locations and major cities across Peninsular Malaysia.  These appointments will enable the brand to kickstart the sales of the company’s all-new innovative EV, the award-winning smart #1, which is set to be launched here before the end of 2023.

BMW Malaysia launches the All-New BMW 7 Series in two exclusive locally-assembled (CKD) variants.

BMW Malaysia today launched the latest additions to the  BMW 7 Series line-up for the Malaysian market. These locally assembled luxury limousines are the New BMW 750e xDrive M Sport and New BMW 750e xDrive Pure Excellence, and both come with with electrified drivetrains (hybrid) that offer a range of innovative technology and low-carbon emission driving experiences without compromising on performance and luxury. As what it should be for a BMW.

Daihatsu Malaysia launches the Daihatsu Rahmah Service Package - Affordable service packages available at all Daihatsu Authorised dealers nationwide

Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd took the opportunity to introduce the Daihatsu Rahmah Service Package at the launch of the newly upgraded Saga Superior Daihatsu centre located in Ipoh, Perak earlier today. The Centre has been upgraded from a 1S Sales only facility to a complete Sales, Service and Spare Part (3S) Centre thus improving the brand's customer touch points in the surrounding area. As for the Daihatsu Rahmah package, this campaign starts today, the 27th of May onwards and Daihatsu Gran Max owners are encouraged to send their vehicles at all authorised Daihatsu service centres nationwide to take advantage of this campaign until it ends (at a later date not specified as yet).

Daihatsu Malaysia together with dealer Saga Superior Sdn Bhd officially opens its new 3S Centre in Ipoh, Perak

Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd together with their long time dealer in Ipoh, Perak, Saga Superior Sdn Bhd has officially opened their new 3S Centre located along Jalan Pasir Puteh 1, Ipoh, Perak. The new centre, operated by Saga Superior was originally a 1S or sales only centre but has been upgraded to a full Sales, Service and Spare Parts (3S) centre by Saga Superior, which has been operating the sales centre since 2006. They have taken the next step in offering a comprehensive Daihatsu sales and aftersales experience to their customers in and around the Ipoh city area.

Isuzu Fun Ride 2023 organised by dealer, Weng Fatt Otomobil in Ipoh, Petak had 750 participants last weekend.

Last weekend, 750 cyclists  participated in the Isuzu Fun Ride 2023 organised by Weng Fatt Otomobil over in Ipoh, Perak. Weng Fatt is  one of Isuzu Malaysia’s authorized dealers and this non-automotive, lifestyle related event was held in conjunction with the official opening of their new-look 3S Centre recently. The event was flagged-off by the assemblyman for Pasir Pinji YB Goh See Hua together with CEO of Isuzu Malaysia Shunsuke Okazoe, COO Kenkichi Sogo and Director of Weng Fatt Otomobil Cheng Kah Yik who later joined the participants on a shorter 3km ride. There is also a 40km ride for those who like feeling pain, have the time or are avid cyclists (or you could be all of the above).

smart Malaysia via PRO-NET appoints EON Berhad as an authorised dealer

Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (PRO-NET) has appointed Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad (EON), the automotive retail arm of DRB-HICOM, as an official dealer for smart Malaysia. The addition of EON follows the appointment of a Hap Seng Group company, Hap Seng Smart, earlier this month, with five other dealership appointments to be announced soon.

The Next-Gen Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel Arriving Soon in Malaysia Due to Demand for a Smaller CC Raptor - There will be Launch Promos for the first 300 Customers folks!

 

GOOD NEWS!   Due to a demand from Ford Raptor fans in Malaysia for a smaller engine capacity Raptor the Next-Generation Ranger Raptor in 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo Diesel engine for will be made available soon. Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, announced earlier today that the Next-Generation Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel will be available starting 8 June 2023. While the Next-Gen Raptor was launched in Malaysia recently, it only came with a larger 3.0liter petrol turbo powered engine. With Malaysia being a country where engine capacity is taxed on how large the size is, a 2.0liter variant was always demanded by most people.

Volvo Car Malaysia Now Offers Full Pure Electric Car Line-Up on Their ‘Online Sales’ Platform

 Volvo Car Malaysia continues to expand its initiative to sell cars directly to its customers by offering their full Pure Electric Line-up on its updated ‘Online Sales’ platform. The platform’s update also signifies the brand's intention to improve its position as the leading mover in the e-luxury segment and to further providing its customers with the Swedish luxury experience even from the comfort of their own homes or anywhere they are at.

MAN Malaysia organises its largest ever handover to date to logistics solutions providers from all over Malaysia

 

MAN Truck & Bus (M) Sdn Bhd handed over its Euro V-powered New MAN Trucks to 14 customers from across the country and different segments of the economy in what was the company’s largest ever truck handover ceremony to date. Speaking of dates, the event happened yesterday, the 23th of May 2023. Ten of the fourteen companies were first-time MAN customers. This shows growing confidence in the low-emission truck solution provided by MAN and the brand's upward trajectory in Malaysia ever since they revamped their vehicle line-up and solutions. 

Lexus Malaysia launches of its first eco- friendly showroom in Malaysia located in Bandar Klang

Yesterday, Lexus Malaysia officially opened its first eco-friendly showroom in Malaysia. Open for business since the 1st of January 2023 in Bandar Klang, the Lexus Klang showroom is operated by PCM Klang Motor Sdn Bhd and it has been developed based on sustainable eco-friendly values and guidelines. The new showroom is in line with Lexus' commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and is part of the new chapter that includes the continued pursuit of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

‘BFGoodrich g-Force PHENOM T/A’ – an on-road, ultra-high-performance tyre launched for the Malaysian market

Recently, BFGoodrich launched ‘BFGoodrich g-Force PHENOM T/A’ in Malaysia. This is an on-road, ultra-high-performance tyre for both wet and dry conditions. The tyre has been designed for spirited driving with uncompromised handling capabilities for launching off the line, tight cornering, and hard braking. It comes with an extensive line-up of 25 sizes, covering the majority of the Malaysia market.

New Atiara Johan Group (Atiara Johan) has opened Jaya Johan Sdn Bhd, its spanking new 3S centre located in Puncak Jalil

 Atiara Johan Group (Atiara Johan) has officially opened Jaya Johan Sdn Bhd, its brand new Proton Cars 3S centre located in Puncak Jalil earlier today, The new Proton centre which has green building features like its solar panel electrical system also boasts of a large showroom for the comfort of customers to browse the latest Proton vehicles, a 10-service bay and spare parts center for quick service turnaround, insurance renewal. There is a well equipped customer lounge which has the usual food & beverages and wifi which are both suitable for customers' work and other requirements.

Drive Home a Range of EVs Weekly or Monthly with GoCar Subs - Weekly and monthly subscription options to experience the EV lifestyle.

Why not try renting an electric car before deciding to buy one? GoCar Malaysia, a leading on-demand mobility-as-a-service platform, recently announced that it has added some of the latest electric vehicles (EVs) to the GoCar Subs Electric line-up, with subscription options of weekly and monthly plans. The expanded range of EVs and shorter-term subscription plans aim to make it easier and more affordable for Malaysian consumers to experience life with different EVs, in line with GoCar’s ongoing efforts to increase the accessibility and availability of electric vehicles (EVs) to the general public.

Konsortium E-Mutiara Berhad (KEMB) drivers won the first, second and third place in Scania’s ‘A Good Driver’ Competition

Konsortium E-Mutiara Berhad (KEMB) drivers have managed to win the top three positions in Scania’s ‘A Good Driver’ competition held recently. The KEMB drivers won the first, second and third place in Scania’s ‘A Good Driver’ Competition.  The champion is Razali Mat, the first runner-up is Mohd Ruhaimie Mohd Noor and second runner-up is Mohd Zaki Said. The three drivers received their well-deserved acolades and prizes at the KEMB’s headquarters in Kota Bharu. 

The total KEMB fleet of 69 units carries 2 brands of coaches: The E-Mutiara Premier brand and the Musafir Economy brand, catering to different set of target passengers. A further 18 units of Scania's coaches will be delivered making KEMB one of Scania Malaysia's most enterprising customers. 

2023 Renault Zoe E-Tech 100% Electric Hatchback Officially Launched in Malaysia in Two Variants - Also Available for Subscription

Tuesday, the 16th of  May 2023 was the day when TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the authorised distributor of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, officially launched the new Renault Zoe 100% Electric. The new Renault Zoe is available in two variants - The Zoe R110 base variant at RM165,000 on the road without insurance, while the higher-spec Zoe R135 retails at RM179,000 on the road without insurance. Also available are 12 to 36-month subscription plans.

Equipped with Renault’s latest 52 kWh battery, this latest Renault Zoe delivers up to 135 PS with 245 Nm of torque and an enhanced WLTP-rated range of up to 395 km, This is in addition to a class-leading 0-100 percent charge time of three hours via AC charging at 22 kW. 

FUSO Canter 60th Anniversary Contest 2023 - First draw winner gets a Mercedes-Benz C200 - Two more draws to go so buy and register a FUSO Canter by the end of 2023

Earlier today, Hap Seng Trucks Distribution Sdn Bhd (HSTD), the General Distributor of Daimler Trucks in Malaysia announced the winners of the first draw for its FUSO Canter 60th Anniversary contest. The contest, which has been organised in conjunction with 60 years of the light-duty Canter truck, will run until December 2023 and is open to anyone who purchases and registers a FUSO truck between January to December 2023. The main prize for this round was a Mercedes-Benz C200. 

WTC Automotif (M) Sdn Bhd (WTCA) with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) announces Completely Knocked Down (CKD) programme - RM60million+ investment to produce and market GAC vehicles in Malaysia

WTC Automotif (M) Sdn Bhd (WTCA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warisan TC Holdings Bhd (a Tan Chong related company), earlier today announced a new Completely Knocked Down (CKD) programme with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC). The programme, which WTCA stated that they will invest over RM60 million into this venture involves the manufacturing of the brand new GAC Motor GS3 compact SUV (in the B segment) as well as expanding its  presence throughout Malaysia. Expect to see a newly specced out CKD GS3 with a 1.5liter turbo direct injection petrol with a DCT gearbox here by the end of the year and on sale shortly after.

Proton New Energy Technology Sdn. Bhd. (PRO-NET) - official importer and distributor for Smart vehicles in Malaysia and Thailand appoints its first authorised dealer, Hap Seng Smart Sdn. Bhd.

Surprising news folks. Smart cars, the very tiny car manufacturer is back via Proton New Energy Technology Sdn. Bhd. (PRO-NET), a subsidiary of Proton cars and Hap Seng Group (as its first dealer). The company which was formed to promote and market New Energy Vehicle (NEV) from the Proton and Geely joint venture has hit an important milestone here in its development of pushing such vehicles with the appointment of its first authorized dealer, Hap Seng Smart Sdn. Bhd. Note that Smart vehicles was a joint venture project started out by Mercedes-Benz with watch manufacturer Swatch Group but since 2019 has been a partnership arrangement with Geely to promote and sell Smart badged cars globally.

VPCM and MHV Autohaus launches the First Das WeltAuto standalone dealership in Malaysia

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) together with its dealer partner, MHV Autohaus, had earlier today launched the first Das WeltAuto (DWA) independent dealership for Malaysia. DWA Gombak. Das WeltAuto is Volkswagen certified used car programme here and the newly set up centre has a total land size of 18,500 sq. ft. and can accommodate up to 55 cars with two additional parking bays for car delivery. This is much like how the brand new car sales side works, but for used cars instead and as such, you do get more peace of mind as the setup is like Volkswagen's new car sales network, but done for pre-owned ones. 

PROTON Launches the X90 SUV at their 40th Anniversary Celebrations - Our Initial Thoughts on It

Yesterday, PROTON celebrated its 40th anniversary of incorporation with the launch of the company’s newest model, the Proton X90 SUV. The new large sized SUV also marks the brand entry into the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market as the .X90 is powered by a 1.5liter turbocharged petrol engine with a 48volt Electric Motor Synergy System. It is a mild hybrid and will give you 190ps and 255Nm of torque. My thoughts are at the end of this article together with the specs of the X90. 

Subaru Forester updated for 2023 - 4 Variants for the Malaysian market from RM173,500 onwards

TC Subaru Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, on the 3rd of May, introduced four new 2023 Subaru Forester models for the Malaysian market. These are the 2.0 i-L EyeSight, 2.0 i-L EyeSight GT Lite, 2.0 i-S EyeSight, and 2.0 i-S EyeSight GT Edition. All of the variants come equipped with an upgraded activesafety system called EyeSight 4.0. EyeSight 4.0 is more intuitive than the previous Subaru EyeSight systems.

Statement by Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad on the status of the new Perodua Axia

 Here is Perodua's statement on the recent debacle that resulted from the Toyota group manupulation of crash testing of which affects the new Perodua Axia compact hatchback. According to the official statement below, the UN-R95 certification is still basically valid and there would be no recall of the vehicle.

This issue was brought up by the new CEO of Toyota where he uncovered that the test vehicles were tampered for side impact crash testing.