GoAuto carries some news on Proton’s model timeline for the Australian market, which could give us a guideline on when models will be released on our own shores. Probably take off a few months to half a year from each Australian launch date and we’ll get the Malaysian launch date.
The interview also carries some specifications for the new SRM. Proton Cars Australia MD John Startari says the new SRM will use 1.6 liter Campro engines found in the Proton Gen2 and the Proton Waja Campro. The GTi version is not fully developed yet, but 140kW or 187 horsepower is the current performance target for the hot hatch. It will might be equipped with Eibach performance springs. The SRM’s design is said to take design cues from the Alfa Romeo 147 and the Audi A3.
Here’s the timeline for Proton launches in Australia:
I will have to begin following foreign automotive news more often from now on since Proton seems to like giving foreign journalists nice tidbits of information on future plans. Especially Australia and UK where Proton has relatively significant presence.
Proton Cars Australia intends to set up their own Race Rally Research divison within seven months, based on the Lotus Sport franchise. Proton Cars Australia MD John Startari said Proton Cars Australia’s Race Rally Research would be a motorsports program that does R3 modifications locally.
PCA will be developing their own R3 Gen2 and R3 Savvy using bodykits from Race Rally Research Malaysia but however they will be doing their own engine modifications in Australia, as well as suspension modifications. The next generation Satria Replacement Model will also have an R3 edition. Startari also said there could be the possibility of an Australian R3 Lotus APX even if it does not end up as a base Proton model.
March 26, 2006 @ 12:20 am
· Filed under Cars, Local News
MKN Motorsports Sdn Bhd is pitching for APs to import hybrid cars like the Toyota Harrier Hybrid and the Toyota Alphard Hybrid into Malaysia.
MKN Motorsports currently imports luxury cars and sells them at their newly opened Sales Service and Spareparts centre worth RM10 million in Damansara Damai, Selangor. It does not hold Open APs, but instead buys them from Open AP holders. It is also an authorised distributor for Ssangyong vehicles.
“I know that the Government has long stopped issuing open APs but hopefully, I will get the opportunity to bring in a type of vehicle which is relatively new in the country but is fuel-efficient. Hybrid cars are something really good for the consumers given the high fuel prices nowadays. They are already a hit in Thailand,” said MKN Motorports CEO Syed Azniputra Syed Abdullah to reporters at the launch of their 3S centre.
An update on Perodua’s price cuts. Instead of the previously reported figures, car prices will be slashed by 4% for it’s Myvi, Kelisa, Kenari and Kancil models except for the Kancil EX660 and the Kancil EX850. The two low-end models will receive a RM300 price cut instead. Prices for the Perodua Kembara and the Perodua Rusa will remain the same, despite of the fact that duties for vehicles in that class have actually gone up.
DRB-HICOM plans to aggresively start CKD operations following the announcement of the National Automotive Policy in order to capitalise on new opportunities and incentives that arise directly or indirectly through the new policy. DRB-HICOM’s company Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd has already signed a contract with Suzuki Motors to assemble the Suzuki Swift as a CKD here, and is currently in talks with General Motors Asia Pacific to begin assembling certain Chevrolet models here in Malaysia. I would think the most likely models would be the Chevrolet Aveo and the Chevrolet Optra. However there was no timeline stated for the Chevrolet CKD operations.
DRB-HICOM is also undergoing a VSS (Voluntary Separation Scheme) exercise to cut down it’s workforce to something leaner. Currently it employs about 28,000 people and does not require that much to be operational, especially at the headquarters. The headquarters alone employs 340 employees and this is seen to be too much. It is offering 1.5 months salary compensation for every year served with the company. Rumours are that Datuk Abd Rashid Abd Rahim, group director services; Riduwan Shaari, chief executive officer of DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd, Datuk Mohd Nor Mohamad, senior group director of legal affairs and corporate governance, and Datuk Wan Ghaffar Ahmad, chief executive officer of Malaysian Trucks and Bus Sdn Bhd have tendered their resignations.
DRB-HICOM is also rumoured to be taking over AV Ventures Corp Bhd, a producer of automotive components listed on the second board.
We’ve seen some effects of the new National Automotive Policy only 3 days after it was announced. Most manufacturers have announced that their CKD vehicles would cost less. Proton says it would cut prices between 2-5% although no official figures have been announced. Other companies which have announced price reductions are Toyota, Perodua, and Mercedes Benz.
However DPM Najib has expressed that the government is not very happy with the reduction of car prices so far and hopes to see further reduction in car prices.
DaimlerChrysler Malaysia is reducing the prices of it’s CKD Mercedes Benz luxury cars across the board in the range of 6.5% to 10%, with immediate effect.
DCM CEO Datuk Frank Steinleitner gave some examples of the new prices to the press. The Mercedes Benz C180K previously selling for RM255,800 would now cost RM233,888. The Mercedes Benz E240K which was previously selling at RM428,000 is now selling for RM388,000.
Mercedes Benz CKD cars are assembled by DaimlerChrysler Malaysia at it’s plant in Pekan, Pahang. Datuk Steinleitner also said that prices of it’s CBU Mercedes Benz would increase significantly as soon as the current stock is sold out. People lucky enough to consider a CBU Mercedes Benz should take note of this and expediate your purchase as soon as possible.
Ssangyong Motors, a Korean company owned by the Chinese firm Shanghai Auto Industry Corp (SAIC) will be launching it’s new Ssangyong Rexton II at the end of this month.
Khazanah Nasional Bhd may be considering taking some government-linked companies private to help with their restructuring process in order to achieve KPIs. Earlier this week, K&N Kenanga had already speculated taking Proton private may be an option to expedite decision making to turn the company around.
If Proton goes private, it will no longer have to deal with issues with minority shareholders when making decisions. Khazanah Nasional has to bid for remaining shares it does not own in Proton Holdings Bhd before it can take it private.
The following is the Royal Malaysian Customs gazetted CBU vehicle price list for alot of cars that are normally brought into Malaysia in CBU form.
Please refer to the new National Automotive Policy tax rates for CBU vehicles to calculate how much CIF (cost, insurance, freight) car values will be after slapping on our exorbitant taxes. Here is an example of calculation for the Suzuki Swift, which is a CBU from Japan so I used tax rates for non-ASEAN CBU.
GoAuto carries some news on Proton’s model timeline for the Australian market, which could give us a guideline on when models will be released on our own shores. Probably take off a few months to half a year from each Australian launch date and we’ll get the Malaysian launch date.
Proton Cars Australia intends to set up their own Race Rally Research divison within seven months, based on the Lotus Sport franchise. Proton Cars Australia MD John Startari said Proton Cars Australia’s Race Rally Research would be a motorsports program that does R3 modifications locally.
MKN Motorsports Sdn Bhd is pitching for APs to import hybrid cars like the Toyota Harrier Hybrid and the Toyota Alphard Hybrid into Malaysia.
An update on Perodua’s price cuts. Instead of 
DRB-HICOM plans to aggresively start CKD operations following the announcement of the National Automotive Policy in order to capitalise on new opportunities and incentives that arise directly or indirectly through the new policy. DRB-HICOM’s company Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd has already signed a contract with Suzuki Motors to 
We’ve seen some effects of the 
DaimlerChrysler Malaysia is reducing the prices of it’s CKD Mercedes Benz luxury cars across the board in the range of 6.5% to 10%, with immediate effect.
