Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
Naza will be launching it’s new Naza Sutera (Naza NX-01) tomorrow in Bertam, Penang. The Naza Sutera will be Naza’s first foray into the national mini car market, currently dominated by the Proton Savvy and the Perodua Myvi. Naza also sells the Kia Picanto but that’s not really the same price range and it is considered an import car.
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These are spyshots of a new car being tested on Malaysian roads. It is a small mini-MPV type of vehicle which belongs in the Hyundai/Inokom Atos and Perodua Kenari class of cars. It’s heavily plastered, but the overall shape and certain design features leads me to believe that it is the Naza NX-01, which is supposed to be launched on the 22nd of April 2006. That’s 10 days from now. Check out the spyshots after the jump.
Naza Automotive Manaufacturing Sdn Bhd will be rolling out two new non-KIA models in the next two months. Codenames, NX-01 and NX-02, they will be built at Naza’s plants in Gurun and Pekan respectively.
Naza hinted at some details of the two models. The NX-01 will be a small 1.1 litre car in the Perodua Myvi range. It will be priced between RM30,000 to RM40,000. Naza says the model was originally designed by Pinanfarina but Naza’s own team had made some changes to the design to suit local market tastes and to have an identity of it’s own. These little hints seem to point to the Hafei Lobo 1.1, a Chinese car designed by Pininfarina. Check out this link for more details on the car. Launch date is scheduled to be on the 22nd of April 2006. Update: See Naza NX-01 Spyshots!
The other car, codenamed NX-02, would be launched in May. It will be priced between RM65,000 and RM75,000. Not much details on this have been revealed by Naza, but it would most probably be the Naza-badged Peugeot 206 which was announced September 2005. The Peugeot 206 has since been phased out by the hot new Peugeot 207, but it still looks good.
The model introduced would likely be the 1.4 litre SOHC 8 valve model.
The Naza Group, which just announced that it will complete it’s RM200 million Gurun plant expansion in March, will file for public listing this year.
Naza also plans to spend RM800 million this year on expansion and marketing. Tan Sri S.M. Nasimuddin Amin also said Naza would launch a new sedan model this March.
Naza shares anyone?
Naza Group managing director Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin plans on turning it’s new Penang plant into an exclusive production facility dedicated entirely to the Peugeot marque.
Naza is currently bidding for the rights to manufacture other Peugeot cars. It already has the rights to manufacture a Malaysian version of the Peugeot 206 for the regional market.
The construction of the Bertam, Penang plant is expected to start next month and to be fully completed by early 2007. It will have the capacity to produce 100,000 cars annually. The plant cost RM1 billion and was 60% funded by the company’s own generated funds and the remainder via borrowings.
Nasimuddin said the local Peugeot 206 is to be called the Naza 206 and will have 40% local content. He is tight-lipped on the expected selling price of the car.
Naza and Automobiles Peugeot signed an agreement today to produce a locally manufactured and branded version of the Peugeot 206 car for local and regional export markets.
Naza will be manufacturing a Peugeot 206 branded under the Naza brand, and it will come with a 1.4 litre engine. This car will be manufactured at Naza’s assembly plant in Gurun, Kedah and may shift to Naza’s 2nd plant in Penang in 2007.
Target export markets for the Naza-branded Peugeot 206 1.4 litre are Thailand and Indonesia. Cycle and Carriage Automobiles will be providing the after-sales service in Malaysia.
Source: Dow Jones Newswire
Naza signed an agreement with French automobile company Peugeot S.A. yesterday (29/6/2005) for the rights to assemble and distribute the Peugeot 206 model in Malaysia and possibly South-east Asia.
Update: Naza has launched the Naza 206 Bestari. Click here for an in-depth coverage.
The Peugeot 206
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