Here’s a sneak preview of the latest Toyota Camry due in 2006. This is the Japanese/American model, so it’s not 100% sure that we’ll get the exact body styling here in Malaysia as even currently the USDM/JDM and ASEAN models are different. Our Camry is less sporty.
UPDATE: The new 2006 Toyota Camry has been sighted in Malaysia. Click here. Click here to read the rest of 2006 Toyota Camry
Proton Holdings Bhd may post a second quarter loss of RM700 million due to MV Agusta, it’s unprofitable motorcycle unit. It previously posted a first quarter loss of RM 12.4 million, and attributed those to increased allowance for bad debts.
An industry source mentioned the red ink from MV Agusta’s books has spread to Proton’s. Proton will likely have to make some hard decisions involving cutting losses, and dumping MV Agusta.
A report by the Malay Mail last week had already given us some hints on this loss cutting exercise.
Reader Kenneth Irwin sent in these nice photos of his Toyota Vios Turbo in Thailand. It’s a 1.5 turbocharged manual version. Even the fact that it’s manual is something we don’t see here in Malaysia. Let’s have a look at the car. Click here to read the rest of Toyota Vios Turbo
Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd hopes to cut down the waiting list time for its vehicles to two to three months from the current five months by Q2 2006.
Perodua currently produces 280-300 cars a day on average and 5000-6000 cars a month. On whether Perodua will be coming up with a new model next year, the company says more market studies would have to be made first before anything can become solid. Maybe a Kancil Replacement Model?
Perodua Marketing & sales division senior general manager Mohamad Shukor Ibrahim said Perodua could not see any impact to it’s sales by the Proton Savvy AMT yet.
Source: Bernama
[ UPDATE: Hicom-Chevrolet has launched the Chevrolet Captiva in Malaysia. ]
Chevrolet and Daewoo showed a concept SUV called the S3X back in 2004 at the Paris auto show. The SUV had been further developed and Chevrolet is set to launch it as the Chevrolet Captiva, targetted at the European market. Click here to read the rest of 2006 Chevrolet Captiva
Proton Holdings Bhd may appoint Syed Zainal Abidin Mohamed Tahir as the new chief executive officer of the company, replacing former CEO Tengku Mahaleel Ariff.
Zainal Abidin is currently the deputy managing director of Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Bhd. (Perodua) and one of the four executive directors of Perodua Auto Corporation, the 49%-owned manufacturing arm of Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) and whose other shareholders are Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd (41%) and Mitsui & Co Ltd (10%).
Zainal Abidin used to work in Proton’s manufacturing division during the group’s early years of operation. He later joined Malaysian Trucks and Bus Sdn. Bhd, rised through the ranks to become CEO and moved on the Perodua to become it’s head of production.
Perodua officials said they’ve heard the rumours, but they are not at liberty to comment. Proton officials could not be contacted.
Source: The Edge Daily, Yahoo Finance
Proton has announced the availability of the Proton Chancellor beginning 15th December 2005. It will debut during the ASEAN Summit from 12-14 December. What is the Proton Chancellor? It’s basically a Proton Waja chassis with a 2.0 V6 engine from the Mitsubishi Eterna/Proton Perdana.
Proton officials say that the Chancellor had been redeveloped and not merely a stretched model like the Proton Perdana Executive. It has a 2850mm long wheelbase, compared to the Waja wheelbase which is 2600mm.
The Proton Chancellor is expected to be sold at a higher price than the current Proton Perdana and will feature luxurious trim such as DVD players. The Chancellor’s target market are high-ranking Government officers, corporate heads and senior executives.
Robert Bosch is in talks with Proton Holdings Bhd on supplying diesel fuel injection systems. Bosch currently supplies Proton with engine mnagement system parts, brakes, brake calipers, ABS systems, actuation systems, wiper washer systems and fuel injection systems. The companies are exploring options to use Bosch’s diesel fuel injection systems if Proton develops diesel-powered vehicles.
A diesel Proton Arena soon? Or a diesel SRM for the diesel+hatch loving European market. Proton used to have 2.0 liter diesel Proton Wiras, and the gearbox used for that car has been sought after by car modders for it’s supposed strength
The A1 Grand Prix PROTON Pro Celebrity Race went on without a hitch on the last day of the A1 Grand Prix of Nations. We saw an exciting battle between 11 cars driven by local and international celebrities. There was supposed to be 12 cars, but the man behind A1 Sheikh Maktoum had to pull out due to important business obligations. Click here to read the rest of A1GP PROTON Pro Celebrity Race Results
Looks like the government’s National Automotive Policy bag of carrots is effective. Renault has chosen Malaysia for it’s ASEAN manufacturing hub, instead of Thailand. Renault’s Asia-Pacific vice president Patrick Debrot attributed the decision to Malaysia’s suitability to Renault’s stable of vehicles. Thailand is mostly a pick-up truck market, while Malaysia is more of a passanger vehicle market. Renault’s target market in Thailand would be up to a maximum of 50% of the total automotive market segment, while in Malaysia the target is about 75% of the total market.
Renault is already assembling CKD versions of the Renault Kangoo here in Malaysia. The CKD Kangoo is assembled locally by Tan Chong Motor Assemblers in Segambut, and distributed by TC Euro Cars Sdn Bhd, a division of Tan Chong. A new plant will be built and be ready by 2007 outside Rawang, Selangor. By then, Renault will be ready to export Malaysian-assembled Renaults to the ASEAN region.
Debrot said the new National Automotive Policy was a positive step forward to an open market, and understands the government’s needs to protect Proton.
