Archive for Local News

Here’s the media release from MITI detailing every bit of the National Automotive Policy review. More stories on this issue to come later. By now you would probably already have seen this embedded document viewer used on this site a few times before so please use the Full Screen function for the best reading experience.

Click here to read the rest of The full NAP review text released by MITI

UPDATED: The results of the National Automotive Policy review were revealed this morning at a media conference.

The following are the updates I’ve been getting so far from various sources, this post will be updated as I get more info.

• A total of 18 new policies and measures covering licencing, duties, incentives, technology and environment, safety and standards and APs to be effective January 1st 2010.
• Open AP system to be scrapped by December 31 2015.
• AP holders will be audited twice a year.
• A gazetted Customs pricelist for used CBU cars to be established to supplement the current list of new CBU cars. This will be used to prevent underdeclaration of grey import vehicles by declaring then as “used” instead of new in order to manipulate the price, as the gazetted pricelist is currently only for new vehicles.
• A large chunk of the RM300 million expected to be collected from the RM10,000 per Open AP fee to be used to develop the auto industry and increase Bumiputra entrepreneurship participation in the auto industry.
• Import duty on CBU & CKD cars maintained.
• Import of used parts to stop in June 2011 (what???).
• Incentives and exemptions will be increased to develop local auto parts.
• Franchise APs to be terminated by December 31 2020.
• Foreign firms can apply for manufacturing licenses to hold 100% shares in firms to produce vehicles with engine capacity of larger than 1,800cc and costing more than RM150,000. This will open up the upper end of the market while keeping the lower end where Proton and Perodua are protected.
• Issuance of new Manufacturing License to be unfrozen for selected segments – hybrid and electric vehicles, pick-up trucks, commercial vehicles and motorcycles with engine capacity of 200cc and above.
• Vehicles 15 years and older will have to be tested annually for roadworthiness; provisions to be made for vintage cars.
• A new strategic partnership between Proton and an established manufacturer will be established.
• Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to establish clear roadmap for fuel standards and quality towards Euro 4M standards to be implemented by 2011
• Automotive Development Fund and Industrial Adjustment Fund will be continued. Despite excise duty and import duty being the same across the board for all makes whether ‘national’ or foreign, cars that have a decent amount of local content as well as proof of local activities such as R&D will receive incentives from the funds. This is where national makes like Proton gets an advantage – despite an equally high excise duty, it gets rebates because its cars are developed locally. Supposedly anyone who meets the fund requirements are able to get the same incentives, but it’s safe to say only Proton has that much investment in the Malaysian auto industry.
• Exemptions on statutory income from exported goods will be increased to 30% from 10% for goods with at least 30% value-added content (I’m guessing this means local content), and from 15% to 50% for goods with at least 50% value-added content.

Nissan will be adding two more variants to its Nissan Navara line-up soon, and both of them will be manual. The two manual models will be called the Standard and the SE.

Instead of the 5-speed auto, you’ll get a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is a first in the pick-up segment in Malaysia. The engine is the same 2.5 liter YD25DDTi engine which is the most powerful engine in its segment, producing 174 PS and 403Nm of torque. The engine is intercooled and has VGT.

The list of equipment will also be a downgrade from the current LE Automatic. The xenon headlamps will be replaced by halogens, the seats will be fabric, the rearview mirrors will lose its auto-dimming function, the CD changer will be replaced with a single CD, and the 6 speaker system will be downgraded to 4 speakers.

Some plastic bits in the interior which used to have a silver finish will also be replaced by the beige interior colour. On the outside, the door mirrors will have their chrome finish replaced by body colour paint.

What the SE has over the Standard are ABS brakes and the dual front SRS airbags, which the Standard version lacks. So far no prices of the new manual Standard and SE have been released yet, but expect them to of course be lower than the RM105,800 that you have to pay for the automatic Navara LE in Peninsular Malaysia. With the equipment deleted off the Standard compared to the top of the range LE, it’d better be significantly lower!

Perodua has just launched the Myvi 1.3 Exclusive Edition which is now available for booking. We have visited an official distributor in Jalan Manis, Taman Segar Cheras and snapped away some images which can be found after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Myvi “Exclusive Edition” – showroom pix

As we reported earlier this week, Perodua has added one more variant to the Perodua Myvi range called the Perodua Myvi 1.3 Exclusive Edition. The Myvi Exclusive Edition is limited to a production run of 5,000 units and it is now open for booking.

The Myvi Exclusive Edition runs the same 1.3 liter DVVT engine as the rest of the Myvi range, save for the 1.0 liter model of course. The 1.3 liter engine is the K3-VE inline-4 DOHC with variable valve timing producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm. No 1.5 liter Myvi in sight yet, and it looks like if you want that you’ll have to just opt for the D46T and get a larger boot or a third row of seats in the process. What the Myvi Exclusive Edition does have is some uprated equipment.

It has 14 inch alloy wheels, side skirts, and chrome door handles on the outside. On the inside, the chrome treatment continues on the inner door handles. The seats, door trims and steering wheel are wrapped with leather. The audio system is a 2-DIN system (not the Myvi’s standard integrated audio) supports CD, MP3 and WMA, USB support and a Bluetooth handsfree feature. Basically it’s the same 2-DIN system that the Myvi SE gets.

Only three colours are available – Ebony Black, Ivory White and Medallion Grey. It’s priced at RM51,000 for solid colours and RM51,500 for metallic colours. It’s basically a regular non-SE Myvi but with side skirts, Myvi SE alloys and the upgraded specs mentioned above. This is for those who want abit more than a standard Myvi but don’t like the styling of the Myvi SE or the SE’s higher price. In accordance with its specs, its price is also somewhere in between a normal Myvi and a Myvi SE.

On another Myvi-related note, have you noticed that Caribbean Blue is no longer available as a colour choice? I liked that colour.

Look after the jump for a hi-res gallery of the Myvi Exclusive Edition.

Related Posts:
New Perodua Myvi facelift launched in Malaysia
2008 Perodua Myvi SE – full details and prices

Click here to read the rest of Perodua Myvi Exclusive Edition limited to 5,000 cars

Malaysia will finally get Ford’s D-segment sedan entry, the new Ford Mondeo sometime next month. Sime Darby Auto ConneXion has revealed that the Malaysian spec Mondeo will get a 161 PS 2.3 liter Duratec engine mated to a 6-speed Durashift torque converter automatic transmission (would be nice if it was a PowerShift instead though). The Ford Mondeo will be a CBU unit imported from the Ford production plant in Genk, Belgium. AutoConneXion will be organising a series of exclusive preview sessions for members of the public leading up to the official launch in October. You can get your own personal invitation by calling Tania of AutoConneXion at 03-77181223 or 03-77181216.

Click here to read the rest of CBU Ford Mondeo 2.3 with 6-speed auto to land in Malaysia in November 2009

Our PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has just revealed the annual budget for the year 2010, which is his first since taking office on April 3rd 2009. The RM191.5 billion budget would be the final budget under the 9th Malaysia Plan.

The Government expects the economy to grow by about 3% next year. The premier revealed that the budget for 2010 will focus on the ‘rakyat’ and aims to turn the Malaysian economy into a high-income economy.

Apart from unveiling various plans and measures to further improve the overall economy under the budget that is themed “1Malaysia, Together We Prosper”, the PM also briefly spoke about the local automotive industry and issues that relate to motorists.

First of all – one of the most important things for motorists – the combustible stuff we put into our cars so they can move. The Prime Minister says the fuel subsidy currently given to the public is being utilized by people who don’t deserve the subsidy.

The Government plans to introduce a fuel subsidy management system to determine the eligibility of a citizen, to find out whether she or she is eligible to enjoy the subsidy. The system is to be implemented in early 2010 and will incorporate the use of the MyKad. We’ve already saw a potential vendor demonstrating their ePetrol system at the WCIT 2008 (picture above). Not much other details regarding this was revealed.

There will also be a implementation of a new insurance and Takaful scheme for motorists. According to the PM, right now the structure of the motor insurance scheme is rigid (premiums are fixed) and fails to take into account rising business costs and claims. So in mid-2010, a new system will be introduced that will include an affordable ‘basic’ insurance and Takaful scheme.

The premium for the insurance will be figured at an ‘appropriate’ level and will be on par with the level of coverage. The scheme will provide mandatory coverage for bodily injuries and the death of a third party. Policy holders will also receive their compensation expeditiously without delays. I have a nagging feeling that this means the cost of entry to get a motor insurance policy will be low but to get the same amount of coverage we enjoy now, we’ll be paying higher prices.

Also announced is a RM10,000 price tag for an Open AP (Approval Permit). The change will be implemented on January 1st 2010 and a portion of the proceeds will be channeled to the automotive sector of Malaysia’s “Dana Pembangunan Bumiputera”. Four years ago in 2005, a total of 17,526 Open APs were issued. If the figure is used as a gauge, the Government can potentially earn over RM175 million. I wonder how the grey importers will deal with this new cost to them – will the buck be passed onto customers?

There was nothing revealed on the National Automotive Policy review in the Budget so we’ll have to continue waiting for updates on that issue.

Look after the jump for the full Budget 2010 text.

Click here to read the rest of Budget 2010: what it means for Malaysian motorists

The Prime Minister has just announced his 2010 Budget and it contains a few interesting bits of information to do with the automotive industry and motoring in general.

Look after the jump for the speech in both English and BM.

Click here to read the rest of PM’s Budget 2010 speech text available here!

The Honda Civic is now available in Tafetta White, making it the third model in the Honda Malaysia line-up to offer the new colour. Both the 1.8 liter and 2.0 liter models will get the new colour. Tafetta White Civics are expected to be quite high in demand, accounting for 30% of projected 600 units sales per month.

“After conducting research and analyzing customer feedback, coupled with the positive response from the introduction of the colour for Honda Accord and Honda CR-V, we decided to incorporate the Taffeta White in the Honda Civic 1.8L and 2.0L as well,” said Honda Malaysia’s new CEO Toru Takahashi.

Mr Takahashi also revealed that the two CBU Civic models – the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Civic Type R – have surpassed over 200 units each in Malaysia. The Type R is currently sold out for the moment and it’s not known when the next batch will come in. The last unit was sold by Honda Global Amity in Seri Kembangan.

Goodyear’s Duraplus giveaway which was held before the Raya holidays this year had received tremendous response from blog readers. In fact, there were so many entries that Goodyear had felt deserving that they decided to increase the prizes from one set of tyres to four sets.

Now Goodyear has decided to open up the giveaway again. Here is how you can win one out of four sets of Goodyear Duraplus tyres that are to be given away:

1. Snap photos of your current tyres to show that you need a change of new tyres.
2. Give your best reason to change to a set of Goodyear Duraplus tyres!

Send me the photos, your required tyre size and reason to my email at paul@paultan.org. Send your entries in by the 18th of November 2009. Goodyear will pick the winners. You can have a look at the previous round of winners to have an idea of what kind of entries are likely to be picked. Here’s a table of all available sizes as well as their recommended retail price per tyre:

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Goodyear Duraplus lasts up to 100,000km?