DRB-HICOM to manufacture Westfield sports cars in Malaysia, parts and CKD kits to be exported to UK

DRB-HICOM and Potenza Sports Cars Ltd, owner and manufacturer of Westfield cars, have entered into a joint venture agreement that will result in the production of a new line of eco-friendly and affordable sports cars in Malaysia. The cars, which will include electric and hybrid versions, are to be made in Pekan for the domestic and Asia Pacific region.

This comes after a feasibility study was conducted after both parties signed a MoU in April. Under the new agreement a new JV company will be set up to handle the importing, manufacturing and distribution of the sports cars. The same company will also export knocked down kits and components manufactured in Malaysia to PSC for assembly in the UK. The British built cars will serve the UK and European market.

DRB-HICOM to manufacture Westfield sports cars in Malaysia, parts and CKD kits to be exported to UK

Westfield is niche British manufacturer that makes lightweight open-top sports cars inspired by the Lotus Seven.

“We expect production to begin by 2012,” said Dato’ Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil, DRB-HICOM Group MD, who added that this is a significant move towards the company developing its own brand. “For DRB-HICOM, this is our giant step towards realising our vision of designing and developing our own brand of vehicles in cooperation with our global partners,” he said.

DRB-HICOM’s Pekan, Pahang facility is set to be a very busy hub. The company recently signed a MoU with Volkswagen in the production of three VW models in Malaysia. If all goes well, the first batch of CKD VW cars will roll out some time in the first quarter of 2011.

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Jacob Alexander

Jacob Mathew Alexander has been a motoring nut for as far as he can remember and has recently turned his passion into writing. After spending some time in the same industry in the UK, Jacob's work is from a slightly different perspective.

 

Comments

  • bryan.jones on Sep 06, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    hope they could sell it here at competitive price. maybe my next track day car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Kozlovski on Sep 06, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    Make sure they provide a retractable roof..Its raining all the time here in M’sia

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
    • Espresso! Quick! on Sep 06, 2010 at 3:45 pm

      yup, a hard top option would be better than a retractable hard top. more solid but i think a hard top option will add more weight than a foldable soft top.

      for malaysians afraid that the soft top will be cut by vandals, the hard top option makes more sense.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
      • bobdbilder on Sep 06, 2010 at 5:31 pm

        Dudes its a Westfield! Like a Seven! Like a Caterham! Like a Locost. Track day cars with loads of Power to Weight Ratios. Front Engined, Rear Wheel Drive racing cars with Ford Engines and some Cortinas rear differential transmissions. Cars you actually can drive to a track and race it.

        I wonder what engine they’ll be with. The main problem for us is the rear differential gearbox. Other than that, we could fit in anything.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Jaybond on Sep 06, 2010 at 5:38 pm

          Parts from old donor cars would be a problem though with the regulation in Malaysia. I I think it’s going to be strictly OEM/new parts.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • roughn3ck on Sep 06, 2010 at 7:01 pm

      Come on it’s a Westfield!! Next thing you’ll ask for is the F1 car to be fitted with a roof as well.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • Espresso! Quick! on Sep 07, 2010 at 8:51 am

        it may be a hard on track car but we’ve got to have a practical look at things over here. no, there are already f1 cars with roofs, and those are the endurance racers.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nabill on Sep 06, 2010 at 3:02 pm

    nice idea if thy will be more affordable , problem is threre are not enough track in and around kl….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Drifter on Sep 06, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    Westfield is niche British manufacturer that makes lightweight open-top sports cars inspired by the Lotus Seven…..can this car run the road o just for competiton if offer in Malaysia…..another choice for drifting…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • trav_da_man on Sep 06, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    Yet another success story for the NAP? I hope so. Looks like DRB Hicom is going to get busy n a bigger player soon, moreover after the Volkswagen deal.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • xavier lert on Sep 06, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    isn’t that pic is caterham? the one JC diy in one of the episode…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • aki_zz on Sep 06, 2010 at 5:16 pm

      caterham and westfield build cars inspired by lotus 7…so they are similar…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ko malu saje... on Sep 06, 2010 at 5:29 pm

      the westfield logo is there dude…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • pomen_gtr on Sep 06, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    let see..wether drb can make it competetive or not…

    price wise…how kit car could be installed and approved by jpj???can we install this by ourself??? (can get lower price) :P

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • bobdbilder on Sep 07, 2010 at 12:35 am

      There’s a book published by Hayne’s that gives you step by step instruction on how to build a Locost. As long as you’re handy with a TIG/MIG welder and have the necessary donor parts, it’s doable. The problem is to get the gearbox. Coz you can technically make the mating plates to the engine. The only rear drive shafted machine’s that close enough would be a manual Nissan Vanette. But then you’d get to make the rear suspension from something else.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • pomen_gtr on Sep 17, 2010 at 5:07 pm

        not really to build it from scratch…(even if i could build it…because prepping a standard car for rally was my 2nd nature…mig set also in my possesion..too time consuming and to much precision measurement needed)….

        in this related….kit car means they come in a box like your 1:12 scale RC car…sort the parts and install it with minimal tools needed…in uk kit car can be registered easily(and kit can be puchased as easy as buying a toy car)..

        so i wonder if DRB hicom/R&T Dept. would allow us to install it by ourself….

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jaybond on Sep 06, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    I wonder this is going to be a feasible business case for DRB though? Given the nature of Westfield & GTM – niche sportscars. Not many customers in Malaysia will be willing to fork out huge sums for a car with a spartan interior and lacking in creature comfort & storage space , sportscars or not. Unless, if the localised cars are very attractively priced (e.g sub 50K, is it possible?) then that’s what you called, really affordable sportscars.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • bryan.jones on Sep 06, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    it’s not built for daily commute. more for track day or fun rev day.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Agree. But it will be more fun if they can make it practical as well. Just need a more solid roof only.

      j

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • adly91 on Sep 06, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    wow,that guy on the right is my neighbor…hahha,now I know…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kington on Sep 06, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    The price ought to be lower than Lotus.

    The Evora is pretty good, but the price is just a lil’ too much.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • VW 88 on Sep 06, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    If we dont get Paul wrong, DRB will be producing the cars here and exported to the UK market (where the market is)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Citroën ds3 on Sep 06, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Sorry.. So Westfield is Westfield & caterham is caterham? Correct?? Cool

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • mata katak on Sep 06, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    I think malaysian wlll be providing human power to assemble the cars. The car will be mostly sold oversea….BArang baik (and barang mahal) mostly sent overesea, Local ppl may not be able to afford such”toys”..

    Just like Bufori……Buatan Malaysia, but Jualan not in Malaysia….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Lim Kopi on Sep 07, 2010 at 1:08 am

    Wonder whats really gonna come out of this JV …. I mean Westfield + DRB = ???

    someone pls enlighten me …. Its like Pasta + Milo …

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Anti Proton on Sep 07, 2010 at 1:09 am

    not interested.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jaybond on Sep 07, 2010 at 9:01 am

    This JV will mainly cater for the market in this region, but apparently the long term goal would be new products, capitalising on Westfield’s expertise in building lightweight sportscars with the backing of DRB-Hicom’s big bucks.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • torque on Sep 07, 2010 at 9:24 am

    Sure ka VW CKD cars will roll out at first quarter of 2011? My copy of MOU from VGM stated by 2012 lor!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Anand on Sep 07, 2010 at 10:58 am

    Wow. Im really impressed with DRB HICOM. This seems like a great beginning. Let’s hope for the best.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • rDley on Sep 07, 2010 at 11:28 am

    tunggu je la.. you all will be impress… wait till 2012…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mufasa on Sep 07, 2010 at 11:45 am

    nak suruh rakyat beli kereta yang mahal macam ni ke? kalau nak timbulkan rakyat yang kreative… aku rasa kerajaan kena longgarkan skit undang2 modified kereta lama…(bukan penguatkuasa tutup mata, tapi undang2 dilonggarkan) jadi kreativiti rakyat tak tersekat….. tapi sesiapa yang tak register modified kereta,,wajib saman lah…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I dont think this car will be sold here for the time been. we still hv to play w/ the old Satria in SIC.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • glocked on Sep 09, 2010 at 6:26 pm

    if i remember correctly, “kit-cars” cannot be road registered like in the UK.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
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