DRB-Hicom Bhd has signed a memorandum of understanding with Potenza Sports Cars Ltd, which will make the Malaysian company an exclusive importer, manufacturer and distributor of Potenza’s cars, including future electric and hybrid variants within right hand drive markets in the Asia Pacific region. UK’s Potenza is the designer and manufacturer of Westfield and GTM brands of kit cars.
Both parties will undertake a “joint technical and commercial feasibility study” to look into the possibility of putting together Potenza’s cars at DRB-Hicom’s facilities. If it takes off, combined sales is projected to see a five fold increase over current production figures of 400 cars annually within the next three years.
DRB-Hicom said that this collaboration would also include the possibility of the group becoming a development partner on new vehicle projects, which will include the possibility of sourcing the components locally, taking advantage of the “green car” incentives provided by the our Government.
Westfield, which has sold over 10,000 cars since 1983, makes road legal track day specials like the XTR, which is powered by a Suzuki Hayabusa engine and looks like a baby Le Mans car, and the Caterham Seven inspired SE. Caterham, which bought over the rights of the Seven from Lotus, has a Malaysian point of contact should you be interested to have one. Caterham’s Seven uses aluminium for its body while Westfield’s lookalike is crafted from fibreglass.
Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.
OOOoooo Reminds me of my day in UK with the Seight gosh its nice!! But will they approve kit cars over in Malaysia??
this mean i can buy catheram?
Great! I do hope they bring in the caterham
I might buy this just for track day use!
Bruce, you might want to contact this guy:
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/contact/international/malaysia.html
Thanks
If you have money, you can bring any car to Malaysia.
How much does it cost to bring in Tata Nano then? Hehehe.
d AP is more costly than TATA Nano ….. too bad
better dont!!
whoa,it’s road legal!cool!!i can jz imagine all the eyes looking at me in ths baby!
Yeah, right…when the rain falls…
Ha ha …. not to mention bugs get into your eyes ….
I wonder what sparked DRB’s interest in engaging Potenza? Hmm…
Cool!! Now who’s bringing in the Caterhams?
oh sorry, there’s already a Caterham contact locally…
this is a good news for automotif industry but wait and see how many dumbasses will come here to bash it
Yeh! Agree! For sure there’ll be lot of dumbasses basher who never think when talking , lead by the one who always say “Bxx better…” hahaha
can we just have some cheaper and better car? like a cheaper evo and subaru, instead of a track day use caterham and westfield, that is not in huge demand in any part of the world.
cheaper car for the people.!!!
Agreed!
A kit car on Malaysian soil. hmm.. Meaning we can build our own kit car and have it APPROVED by JPJ to be used on our roads? Then we can all have cheap fun cars.. YAY!!!
“Both parties will undertake a “joint technical and commercial feasibility study” to look into the possibility of putting together Potenza’s cars at DRB-Hicom’s facilities.”
There is no mention of selling Westfield kits. The car will be put together at DRBs’ facilities and sold to the customer all built up. I just hope that the customer can specify their level of trim/ accessories installed and state of engine tune.
Is Westfields still powered by Ford engine?
Your ‘cheap’ and their ‘cheap’ is completely different!
correct 3x. absolutely agree with the author. 1 pound is not the same as 1 ringgit!
lol 1ringgit can buy 1 nasi lemak here..1pound can buy 2 nasi lemak in the UK?
this is what i call true malaysian!! go uk still want to find nasi lemak
first….
to build your own kit car…
u need to submit the shcematic drawing of all parts used including your custom chasis to be evaluated by RTDept….
-plus including the force/strees calculation must be submitted….
cost::????
-to bouy outsource kit car was easier since all that already in their library..just submit it to the RTD..pay custom import duty tax….wallla….
nice trackday special that was road legal…..
but also costly…
wow i didn’t know that caterham is available in Malaysia
kewl2..dont ever think abt comfort when driving these car. hehehehe
Certainly a good news, although many would be curious, how a big local company like DRB-Hicom would be interested to bring in niche car brand (although very well known in UK) such as Westfield & GTM to Malaysia. But if they can localize the car with attractive pricing & better promotion, it may kick start people’s interest in motorsports especially at club racing level. And if actual kit car concept (self assembly) is legal in Malaysia, then it would be much cheaper! GTM car especially is quite comparable to Lotus Elise.
Its briliant business vision bro, not only Malaysia but Asia Pacific market with RHD (Thailand, M’sia, Indon, Australia and NZ maybe), and future electric and hybrid variants. Every body is trying to take advantage of the “green car” incentives provided by the our Government. after losing to Thailand and Indon in conventional engine.
And where shall we be able to purchase this car? At IKEA ?? Add in another RM50.00 and it will be delivered to your doorstep ready to be assembled.
good luck
well good luck guys
not good news 4 the driver.even i don’t want to sacrifice myself…..
only with half door and no protection against weather,
not safe enough 4 Malaysian road, even BMW f10 with high safety become a junk in a second….inikan lagi this kit car………(sorry 4 the mixing)
even the rear tire is behind the drivers back… and what happens if the car get rear end…
i dont want to say that i bashing this car.. its just my opinion..
eventhough it’s road legal, i don’t think people will drive this on normal road….
with lorries and buses beside you, thank you but no, thanks!
Niche product for a niche market!
It’s a marketing though not selling…
this is CKD-ing rubbish cars. What economic sense is there doing CKD for westfield cars when our weather is so farking hot, it rains like a bitch, the SIC track is open to public at very often, the pollution is crazy. It makes more sense for DRB to CKD a Ford ST then westfields.
i meant SIC track NOT open to public very often
who wants this?
biasa biasa saja…
if put the price a side this is a good road legal kit car for track used. Safe time & $$ to transport the car to & back from SIC. Engine can used the Honda S2000 or the SR20 turbo??? soik!!!
ie the Lotus cars.
But when u factor in the APs & pocket money for the big boss…….. hmmmmm.
nice car, but only suitable for track. not suitable for public road driving. Hot weather, heavy rain, rubbish throwing, vandalism, lousy Malaysian road courtesy, easy car jacking etc should make this can highly ‘unpopular” for normal road going vehicle.
hayabusa engine?delicous!!
i prefer caterham….btw is that car in malaysia, the caterham? i remember seeing the price list posted in the Star
well, if ppl can drive a kancil on the plus highway and still feel safe about it, why not a westfield? the only thing is they need to install a canvas roof and put a small aircond in it…
A true track sport car does not need aircond or power steering in it.. Rain? Buy a full head helmet + rain coat or a umbrella hat to cover it.. Haha..
Anyway i prefer catterham than this.. In UK, parts can be bought and customize easily.. But here? Everything cost $$$ Custom $$$ JPJ $$$ Importer $$$, so a basic 7000pound = RM40k car, might become 3X times more… Well, anything in bolehland..
Caterham basic car is around 13300 pound, so should be around RM70k. Sorry for the mistake.
I think they are aiming at a niche market rather than regular motorists, the price for the cheapest Caterham in the UK is even more expensive than most if not all Proton cars.
We will just waitttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt & seeeeeeeeeeeeeeee lah. as I think DRB vs Proton (Lotus).
btw, can buy this car use racing AP rite? so why bother CKD?
Now thats something interesting.
Will they bring in Kits? How does JPJ classify kits or its some stupid red tape preventing them in?
Wah, Westfield Cars are going locally assemble in Malaysia. If possible, I want sell cheaper with tops, we are tired of the prices of roadsters. Tell government to cut tax for small roadsters because they are better fuel efficiency and performance than pickup trucks.