Ford Malaysia announces their new promotion offers in line with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations

Now is quite a good time to buy a new car. Manufacturers are getting into the mood of giving as Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Ford and local distributor Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) today announced the ‘Ford CNY Promo’ to kick off Chinese New Year celebrations.

Volkswagen Sri Hartamas 3S Centre opens for business

Earlier today, Volkswagen Malaysia through FA Wagen Sdn Bhd officially opened their latest service centre located in Sri Hartamas. The centre, spanning over 30,000 square feet over three floors has a showroom on the top two floors and a service centre on the lower ground that has 8 work bays to handle most after sales matters for Volkswagen vehicles. 

Twenty Nine 3S & 4 S SUZUKI dealership outlets are now converted as PROTON Edar outlets. - With Analysis

In line with the Proton and Suzuki MoU and License Agreement that was signed last 15th of June 2015, All the twenty nine (29) Suzuki 3S and 4S outlets will be outlets which will have both the PROTON and SUZUKI logos. This was made official after the signing ceromony where most of the outlet operators entered into this new arrangement with Proton.

Proton Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir flags off the cars bound for the new Proton Suzuki 3S/4S Centers.

Shell Helix Motor Oil promotion for the Chinese New Year - Ang Pow galore

For the Chinese New Year, Shell Helix motor oils have a promotion running from now till 29th February 2016 (It's a leap year this year). With every purchase of a 4 liter pack of Shell Helix Ultra, Shell Helix HX7 or a 4liter / 3 liter pack of Shell Helix HX5 passenger car motor oil you can get instant rewards in the form of Lucky Ang Pows containing cash vouchers or free fuel vouchers. 

Motorists can receive these Lucky Ang Pows in two ways.

How a Perodua Axia can sell for RM231,000 over in Singapore.

So the latest thing to go viral is the story about how the Perodua Axia, in RM41,000 specification is sold for RM231,000 or SGD 75,000 in our good old neighbouring Singapore. 

Firstly - it's actually abit lesser now. By a measly two thousand Ringgit due to the current exchange rate of SGD 1 = 3.0578 MYR. But who the heck cares. It does cost RM230,000 due to the weak as hell Ringgit. 

industry news: Volkswagen Group's delivers close to ten million units for 2015

The Volkswagen Group handed over 9.93 million vehicles to customers worldwide in 2015. This is still impressive particularly in view of the continued challenging market situation in some regions as well as that diesel fiasco in the final quarter of 2015. Note that in 2014 the group sold over 10.1 million vehicles. 

ANG-POWS, GOODIES WORTH OVER RM15,000 AND AN ULTIMATE AFTERSALES PACKAGE ON THE RENAULT FLUENCE FOR THIS CHINESE NEW YEAR

TC Euro Cars, who sell Renault cars in Malaysia has started the ‘Usher in the New Year with 5 Prosperity Blessings’ sales campaign on the Renault Fluence. The salecampaign highlights the ‘5inFluence’ aftersales and maintenance package, which offers best-in-class aftersales deals (I don't think I've actually seen any other car company in Malaysia including as much actually). This package deal is available for all Fluence variants (actually two - the Fluence Expression and the Fluence Dynamique) sold in Malaysia, the worry-free ‘5inFluence’ package includes:

2015 is a Record Year for Ford in Malaysia

Ford today announced 2015 retail sales in Malaysia of 12,130 units, driven by an all-time record year for the Ford Ranger pickup.Ford finished the year strong as December sales rose seven percent from the previous month to 889 units. The class-defining Ranger remained Ford’s best-selling vehicle in Malaysia, and the country’s second-best-selling pickup truck overall in 2015, with full-year sales rising seven percent year-over-year to 9,231 units.

Genesis G90 - Hyundai's latest, and greatest flagship

Hyundai has unveiled the Genesis G90. This big boy is Hyundai's luxury flagship that is sold under the separate Genesis brand. The G90 will be competing at the top of the premium luxury car segment with the likes of the BMW 7 Series, the Mercedes Benz S-Class and the Lexus LS400. 

Test Drive: 2015 Renault Fluence Dynamique

Sometime during the end of December 2015 I was handed the key to a Renault Fluence Dynamique. I wasn't really sure it was a key as it basically looked like a fat credit card or one of Victorinox's SwissCard that had a knife, magnifier, toothpick and some other stuff. But it actually was the key as it had buttons on it and you could slot it into the center console of the Renault Fluence and start it up. With a press of a start-stop button. This is a good thing because this was the flattest key I have ever seen and it would fit in my card holder or in my pocket and not make the pocket bulge. Keys should be like this (see the pic below).

Spotted for Sale: 2003 Toyota Alphard 3.0 (A) MZG - The affordable truck/bus/van/window van for you

Last Saturday I had afternoon teh tarik with my friend Zairul. We had just gone around test driving one of the cars I had managed to procure for the weekend. So whilst we were discussing the merits of the car of the week we of course sidetracked to various other motor vehicle discussion and debate. As you know, people carriers are actually good for one thing only. People carrying. 

So the other day a colleague of him drove to work a Toyota Alphard. It belonged to the guy's brother and he had to pick it up as the owner had to be elsewhere. It was a 3.0liter Toyota Alphard and was fully loaded with all sorts of creature comforts. Now when he first entered the barge of a Toyota, my friend Zairul thought that the barn was a 5 year old Alphard as it looked immaculate. It wasn't. It was a 2004 model and therefore one of the first that was imported (by some local AP dealer) into Malaysia. The colleague's brother bought the moving bungalow for RM70,000. 

Truck News: Daimler Trucks sells more than 500,000 units in 2015

BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner (from the left to the right): With its truck brands, Daimler Trucks is present on all continents.

We're hearing more record sales worldwide for most manufacturers, especially the Daimler group (which includes Mercedes Benz). Their truck division had sold over half a million units in 2015 and even in a difficult economic condition. 

The newest Mercedes Benz E-Class has been previewed

E400 AMG

Mercedes Benz has just released complete details of the new tenth generation E-Class premium sedan (Codename W213). Ten generations of mid-sized business class sedans. Has it been that long? I suppose it has since Mercedes Benz is actually the oldest producer of horseless carriages around and these mid-sized sedans have been the staple for most in the corporate world and an aspirational car for some. 

E400 4MATIC AMG

So what does the latest E-Class offer then?

Supercar News: McLaren delivers more than 1,650 cars in 2015, another record year in sales for them

McLaren Automotive, the British producer of luxury sports and supercars, ended 2015 with another record year. A total of 1,654 cars were delivered to customers across 30 markets.  The global demand for the range of McLaren Automotive cars, especially the recently-launched Sports Series, has driven the need for a second shift at the world-class McLaren Production Centre and the immediate recruitment of 250 skilled production team members. 

Hyundai previews the Hyundai IONIQ next generation hybrid and electric vehicles

Hyundai had recently revealed to the media details of their IONIQ next generation hybrid/electric vehicles. The full Hyundai IONIQ range will feature a choice of electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrains, which according to Hyundai is a world first for a single model. At the unveiling in Soouth Korea, details were shared for the first version to come to market – the IONIQ hybrid.

PROTON Edar is carrying out its Chinese New Year promotion for after sales services packages.

Proton have announced their SAFETY PROMOTION for after sales service packages at all their service centers in anticipation of the upcoming Chinese New Year Festive celebrations. This includes a FREE 30 point Inspection at all their authorised service centers, 20% off on selected spare parts for all Proton cars and special fixed price service package for out of warranty cars.

The promotion is ongoing and will run to 31st March 2016.

PRESS RELEASE

Record Sales Figures for Mercedes Benz in 2015

It has been a very, very, very good 2015 for Mercedes Benz Malaysia. The brand with the three pointed star delivered a total of 10,845 units to its customers. This is 56% up from 2014 (6,932 units) making 2015 an extremely memorable year for Mercedes Benz here in Malaysia. 

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia delivers 10,845 units to customers in 2015. (from left) Mercedes-Benz Malaysia President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner, and Vice President, Sales and Marketing Passenger Cars, Mark Raine, with the S400 Hybrid.

Renault will maintain its prices for 2016 here in Malaysia & a bit on the Renault Fluence

Renault in Malaysia will still be sold at the same prices for 2016. This is what TC Euro Cars, distributors for Renault in Malaysia have announced. Whilst you may have read other car manufacturers announcing price increases, Renault are staying firm with its current prices. 

 Renault price list for 2016 is as follows:

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia launches 2016 Range Rover Evoque facelift

Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (JLRM) has launched the facelifted enhanced 2016 version of its best-selling model, the Range Rover Evoque. To date, JLRM has sold over 1,600 units of the Evoque since its local launch at the end of 2011. And this year, the Evoque now comes with more new features, which also tell us that Jaguar Land Rover does continuous improvements towards their products. This keeps them fresh and it also keeps people like me excited to continue writing about them.

For the model year 2016, Range Rover Evoque’s cutting-edge exterior gets updates which include a new front bumper and grille design, Xenon headlamp with new LED signature daytime running lights (DRLs), rear lamps with signature DRLs that match the front, fog lamps, and tailgate spoiler with discreetly integrated third brake lights that emit even light distribution.

Spotted for Sale: Volks Royce aka Old Beetle with a Huge Grille

Sometime in the late 1970s I remembered reading about a Rolls Royce front grille grafted on a Volkswagen Beetle (the Original, not the New Beetle). It was dubbed the Volks Royce. This was before the early 2000s when Volkswagen did actually own Rolls Royce and Bentley for a short while before the Rolls Royce name reverted to current owners BMW. Now I was about seven or so years old then. Things like this would impress me.