Own a Perodua? Have a memorable tale to tell about it? Well, Perodua wants to hear from you about your Perodua experiences, and with over two million Peroduas on the road, there surely has to be a great many stories waiting to be told.

The company has kicked off an initiative called What’s your Perodua story?, essentially a means to connect with its drivers and hear from them. In a nutshell, Perodua is looking to understand what matters to owners, and is hoping to find out what their needs and wants are.

So, it could well be a story about your car and the journey you’ve had together, or maybe a suggestion on how the company can further improve its cars or services. The point is, the company wants to hear what you, the Perodua owner, has to say.

The company is hoping to put the stories from the campaign to good use; bouquets will undoubtedly be appreciated and savoured, while suggestions will provide an avenue for change and improvement.

Perodua’s MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh will be closely involved with the campaign, and says that he’s keenly anticipating what owners have to say – as he puts it, who else better is there to learn from than the people who drive the cars?

You can share your Perodua story by clicking here.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua released a statement yesterday announcing sales figures for the first quarter of the year. Unusually for the market leader, it wasn’t another record breaking quarter, but a drop in sales.

Sales fell 11% in March to 16,000 vehicles sold, compared with 18,000 vehicles sold in the same month last year. In a quarter-to-quarter comparison, Perodua’s sales eased 2.2% to 44,700 vehicles for the first three months of this year, from 45,700 units recorded in Q1 2011.

The company attributes this drop in sales to the new guidelines on responsible financing introduced by Bank Negara Malaysia in January, which tightened the criteria for hire purchase loans.

“Based on the data we have compiled, the Viva is the worst hit with a 19% drop in sales in the first quarter of this year to 13,000 units from 16,000 units registered in the first three months of 2011,” Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said, adding that the current loan approval rate by banks were significantly lower than usual. He also said that BNM’s move is delaying loan approvals, while some loans were approved at a much reduced amount.

“Due to this delay it takes an average of 20 days to know the outcome of a loan application instead of three days previously, and this is having a huge impact to not just the manufacturers but also to the entire automotive eco-system,” Aminar added.

Combined, all these have resulted in high inventory levels at Perodua’s stockyards, which in turn has increased cost for the independent dealers, it was revealed. “We are currently compiling the data on the effects of the new guidelines to share with the relevant stakeholders and are still hopeful that a solution could be found and that the loan application process could be brought back to normal soon,” the Perodua boss said.

Another vocal opponent of BNM’s new guidelines is the Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia (PEDA). Read their list of grouses here. Media reports have quoted the Malaysian Automotive Association as saying that the total industry volume (TIV) for Q1 2012 shrank 12.6% to 138,544 vehicles year-on-year.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua and Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB) have signed a RM225 million deal to supply the carmaker with lubricant oil over the next five years. Dubbed the Perodua Genuine Oil agreement, the contract will see Perodua using Petronas SL/SM grade engine oil at all its service outlets nationwide worth RM45 million per annum.

“This deal is indeed very special for us as it strengthens the already good relationship that we are enjoying with Petronas Dagangan Berhad and I believe that this agreement will usher in a new chapter of cooperation between both parties,” said Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, who signed the agreement with PDB’s MD/CEO Amir Hamzah Azizan.

“Over the past 30 years, PDB has successfully grown to become Malaysia’s second largest lubricant company in a very competitive market. We aim to be the number one in Malaysia by 2015 through effective marketing initiatives, backed by our technological expertise and strong support from our strategic global partnerships. Today’s signing ceremony between PDB and Perodua is certainly a step forward to reinforce PDB’s position as the Brand of First Choice,” Amir said.

PDB is the principal domestic marketing arm of Petronas for downstream products. The national oil company has seven modern blending facilities worldwide including Italy and two research and development centres. Perodua and PDB have a business partnership since 2003.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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The Perodua Eco Challenge (PEC) is back for 2012, and things are about to get more interesting. This is the fourth edition of the annual event that’s part of Perodua’s CSR efforts, and it will be once again held at the Melaka International Motorsport Circuit (next to the Ayer Keroh Melaka toll) on July 15.

All 13 institutions of higher learning that participated in PEC 2011 will be back this year. Last year’s winners Politeknik Ungku Omar (longest distance), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (engineering category) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang (design and participation category) will be defending their position against Universiti Sains Malaysia (two time winners), Universiti Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia Spanish Institute, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Universiti Industri Selangor (UNISEL) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Also taking part are Politeknik Port Dickson, Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. The latter competed last year as a guest team, but is now a full fledged entry.

The big news this year is that there will be no car or engine given – the teams will have to modify and improve on their 2011 machine using RM10,000 given by Perodua at a ceremony today.

Another big new challenge is that the machines will be tested dynamically as well, as opposed to the sole criteria of longest distance from previous years. This will be done via a new category called Time Attack. Here, cars will be tested on acceleration, cornering, braking and a slalom test. The scope is now much bigger, with the addition of performance into the mix.

There’s more! Perodua has opened a new category for Business, Commerce or Management faculties of the participating IPTs, where “Marketing Teams” have to submit their marketing, promotion and business plans for their team vehicle. RM5,000 was given to each team. The judging panel for this category will be industry professionals.

With the newly introduced categories, there will now be an Overall Champion. The total prize money for this year’s PEC has been increased to RM103,000 from RM77,000 to cater to the new categories. The overall champ will leave Melaka with RM25,000, while longest distance and engineering category winners take home RM10,000 each. The new Time Attack category offers RM7,000 for the most dynamic car.

Click here and here for our 2010 and 2011 Perodua Eco Challenge reports. Go to last year’s report to see the 2011 cars that this year’s teams have to work with.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Bank Negara Malaysia’s new guideline on responsible financing, which tightened the criteria for auto financing, has impacted the automotive industry, especially budget car players. Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia (PEDA) has been among the most vocal opponents, claiming that only 30% of loan applications were approved in January.

Industry players met BNM last week and Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said the meeting was beneficial as it addressed serious issues.

“We are committed to support the government’s initiatives, in particular to address the rising household debt, but we would also appreciate it if the government and its regulatory bodies would consult the players to better understand the impact to the industry prior to the implementation of any new initiatives or measures,” he said.

Aminar added that partly due to the implementation of BNM’s financing guideline, the inventory of vehicles has risen and if left unchecked may need a downward revision to production planning. He added that the automotive ecosystem has also been hit as approval time for loans has lengthened, affecting sales of dealers.

He urged that the new guidelines be implemented in stages to allow a soft landing for both the players and consumers. Aminar said financing institutions should also take into consideration of the government’s desire to see growth in the industry by increasing competitiveness as well as a better business environment for all, in line with its comments on the soon-to-be announced revised National Automotive Policy.

Click here and here for PEDA’s views on the matter. To air your views, hit the comments section.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua has donated RM300,000 to Nurul Yaqeen Foundation in support of the foundation’s Caring Heart Project: School in Hospital. The amount is for two years. Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh presented the mock cheque to the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Puan Sri Datin Noorainee Abdul Rahman, who is patron of Nurul Yaqeen Foundation today.

“We empathise with all children who require long term treatment at hospitals and as a result have to miss their school lessons and examinations. This project will ensure that the children undergoing treatment at the hospital will not miss out on their school lessons and their preparations for the public examinations. This is in line with Perodua’s slogan Because You Matter Most,” Aminar said.

The pilot project was launched last year at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and it will later be extended to other major public hospitals. The foundation, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education has agreed to train 100 facilitators to ensure the children obtain continuous guidance and optimise their time during the school holidays. Aminar said Perodua will also send volunteers to help with the project.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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The new company Akashi-Kikai Malaysia Sdn Bhd will operate it’s 13,000 square metre plant on a 113,000 square metre plot of land in the Sendayan Industrial Park in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

The plant is expected to be ready in November 2013 and will have a production capacity of 150,000 units a year. The stakeholders will put in RM100 million as capital, and the new company is expected to employ approximately 120 people.

Perodua will own approximately 10% of Akashi-Kikai Malaysia, while Daihatsu Motor Co will hold 39% and Akashi-Kikai Industry Co Ltd of Japan holds a 51% majority. Akashi-Kikai Industry Co Ltd is a subsidiary of Daihatsu and currently makes automatic and CVT transmissions for Daihatsu.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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According to a report, Perodua is expected to obtain permission soon from the government to build cars with an engine capacity larger than 1.5 litres, which it has up to now been unable to do under the limitations tabled in the original arrangement between the government and the company when it was set up in 1993.

The ongoing arrangement dictates that Perodua is only allowed to produce compact cars with an engine capacity of under 1.5 litres. The NST report quotes an unnamed source, who said that the existing arrangement was being reviewed as part of the revision of the National Automotive Policy (NAP).

Toyota Etios with Perodua badging by Theophilus Chin

The source said that if the revised agreement yields positive results, Perodua will be able to begin assembling and producing cars with engine capacities ranging from 1.6 litres to 1.8 litres, effectively marking the beginning of the company’s venture in the sedan segment, the report adds.

The source also hinted that the new models with larger engine capacity would probably be prototyped along the lines of the Bezza concept, which made its debut at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show in 2010 as a show car.

He added that the introduction of new cars in the segment can be seen as a logical step and consistent with the increased demand for sedan choices among first-time car buyers in the country, but added that the company would not be reducing its focus on the production of compact cars.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua has introduced a new variant of its MPV called Alza SR. SR stands for “Smart Ride” and this is an entry level variant positioned below the Standard and Advanced spec. It is available for viewing and booking at all 178 Perodua showrooms nationwide now.

Selling for between RM53,013.50 and RM56,513.50 on-the-road with insurance in Peninsular Malaysia, the new variant, available in BX Manual and BZ Auto spec, is Myvi SE priced. Previously, the cheapest Alza was the Alza GX Manual at 55,503.50, so this new one lowers the entry price by about RM2,500.

“The introduction of the Alza SR variant will make it even more affordable for Malaysian consumers looking to upgrade to a more spacious vehicle. Our customers like the versatility and functionality that Alza offers and do not mind having less features available compared with the standard and other variants. However, it does not mean we have compromised on the safety and the aesthetics of the Alza SR,” Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

Under the hood, nothing has changed, but what’s the difference is spec? The Alza SR makes do with “UV protected glass” on the windscreen only, as opposed to on all glass panels, and there’s no rear wiper. The wing mirrors are manually operated. Fog lamps, airbags, ABS, EBD and BA are unavailable, but that’s the case for the 1.5 SX and EZ as well, so it’s expected.

Note that in the Alza SR automatic, the parking brake has been moved to between the front seats (it’s foot operated in other auto Alzas), and the front seats are separated, not bench style. For the manual variant, there’s no change in layout.

The Alza SR comes in three colours: Glittering Silver, Ivory White and a new hue, Mystical Purple. Perodua targets to sell about 400 units of the Alza SR monthly, which will take up around 13% of Alza’s monthly sales.

Alza 1.5 BX Manual (Solid) – RM53,013.50
Alza 1.5 BX Manual (Metallic) – RM53,513.50
Alza 1.5 BZ Auto (Solid) – RM56,013.50
Alza 1.5 BZ Auto (Metallic) – RM56,513.50

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua had a media briefing in KL this morning, revealing its 2011 performance and targets for this year. In a difficult year for the auto industry, the brand once again became the top selling marque in Malaysia, shifting about 180,000 vehicles in 2011. Retaining this title means that Perodua has been top of the tree for six consecutive years now.

The 180k figure is slightly down from the record breaking 188,600 vehicles sold in 2010, but then the total industry volume (TIV) also fell from from 605,156 to just below 600k units. Perodua’s market share also saw a slight decline from 2010′s 31.2% to 30%.

Exports grew from 4,000 units in 2010 to 8,000 units last year. Perodua revealed that Sri Lanka is its top export market now, taking over from UK. Bosses say that once overall cost is further lowered, exports will be ramped up, with a target of 20,000 units by 2015, or about 10% of total output. For 2012, they plan to export 10,000 cars.

Of the 180k local total, Perodua sold 81,904 units of the Myvi, which retains its title as Malaysia’s best selling car, 60,675 units of the smaller Viva, and 37,402 units of the Alza, which is the biggest car it sells.

Click to enlarge chart

2011 saw the introduction of the new Myvi in June, before Perodua wheeled out the “Lagi Power” 1.5-litre Myvi SE and Extreme in September. The Myvi is also exported CBU to Indonesia as a Daihatsu Sirion, launched at IIMS in July.

It wasn’t an easy year to launch such a big model, with the launch coming so soon after the triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear) that hit Japan, but the company pulled through (Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh singled out partner Daihatsu for their efforts) and reclaimed lost ground with the popular new Myvi.

Among other obstacles they faced were the amended hire purchase act that came into effect mid 2011, the weak global economy, a strengthening Japanese yen and the recent Thai floods, although effects from the latter was minor compared to the Japanese disaster.

Looking ahead, Perodua sees 2012 as cautiously positive. Datuk Aminar revealed the target of a 4% sales increase to 188,000 units on the back of network growth and “aggressive promotions” throughout the year. Besides new competitors, Perodua sees inflationary pressures, slower growth and Bank Negara’s credit tightening measures (Malaysia’s household debt levels are very high) as challenges.

At the event, Perodua also announced a new flagship 3S Centre to be located in Section 19, Petaling Jaya. This RM30 to 40 million facility will be the model for future sales and service centres in Malaysia and abroad. It will also be the central region’s hub in the company’s new “decentralization” approach. Construction will start in March or April and it’s expected to start operations in 2013.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Google has released its annual Zeitgeist list for Malaysia, which ranks 2011’s hottest search terms on google.com.my. Zeitgeist, which is German for “the spirit of the times”, offers a glimpse at the significant whats and whos in the eyes of Malaysians. Since we’re an automotive site, let’s focus on the car list. The top 10 fastest rising car brand searches on google.com.my in 2011 are:

1. Myvi/Perodua Myvi
2. Mercedes
3. Volkswagen
4. Honda Insight
5. Peugeot
6. Lexus
7. Perodua
8. Ford Fiesta
9. Audi
10. Lamborghini

This is a “fastest rising” list, search terms that have seen the largest increase in search volume over the year. Not to be confused with “most popular”, which indicates terms that are most frequently searched.

It’s no surprise that the Perodua Myvi is at the top – it’s Malaysia’s best selling car, and people want to read up before they buy. Also, the new Myvi was introduced last year, before the more powerful SE and Extreme came in September, further adding interest.

Mercedes-Benz came in second, so perhaps it’s the brand most Malaysians aspire to. Continental cars are getting more popular by the day, gaining a foothold in the Japanese dominated non-national segment, so it’s no surprise to see VW and Peugeot in the top 5.

Hybrids are “in” too, thanks to tax breaks, and the sub RM100k Honda Insight is popular both on urban streets and in Google. Another “hot car” is the Ford Fiesta, the stylish B-segment hatch that single handedly revived the Ford brand in Malaysia. A surprise for me is Lamborghini at number 10 – everyone wants a bull as their wallpaper perhaps?

Away from what we all love, here is the overall fastest rising searches in 2011:

1. Facebook
2. Angry Birds
3. Maharaja Lawak
4. iPhone 5
5. Samsung Galaxy
6. iPad2
7. Jawatan kosong
8. Android
9. Tonton
10. Aishiteru

Agree or disagree? Discuss and leave your two cents below!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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A constant stream of news flows past us everyday, from the mouth watering to the bizarre, and here’s one that jumped out to catch attention. Perodua recently organised and sponsored a majlis berkhatan beramai-ramai (mass circumcision ceremony) for boys in the Kampung Sg Choh area. P2 is headquartered in Sg Choh, north of Rawang.

Organised by Badan Agama Islam Perodua (BAIP) together with Masjid Nurul Islamiah Sg Choh and Hospital Selayang, the mass circumcision ceremony, timed to fit in the year end school holidays, saw the participation of 50 boys ranging from six to 12 years old.

Among the brave kiddos were sons of Perodua staff and students from schools around the Sg Choh area. BAIP Chairman Tuan Haji Noor Hashiman Sulaiman officiated the event.

The Myvi maker sponsored RM80 of the RM150 cost for each boy. A majlis Aqiqah was also held, with seven Perodua staff combining funds to sponsor a cow. Perodua chipped in with RM3,000.

Here’s to a speedy recovery for the 50 lads in sarongs!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua has begun selling the New Myvi 1.3 litre in Mauritius, with the first 22 units already on Mauritian shores. The car, which is available in four variants (AT and MT, in Standard and Premium versions), was launched by Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, the Honourable Dr Ahmed Rashid Beebeejaun, last week.

Mauritius has long been an export market for the company – since 1996, Rauf Dusmohamud and Co has sold a total of 1,227 Perodua vehicles in the country, with models ranging from the Kancil, Rusa, Kenari, Kelisa and Viva to the Myvi.

Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh expect’s Perodua’s overall sales performance in Mauritius to grow by 67% to 200 units in 2012 from the 120 units expected this year.

He added that P2 is planning to increase its overall export sales to 20,000 units by 2015 from an expected 8,000 units this year.

“This plan, which is a part of our 5-year strategic road map, involves increasing the export volume to our existing markets, while at the same time exploring to new right-hand drive markets that has similar standards as Malaysia,” he said.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Miss the Perodua Kembara? Some might, but we reckon most don’t. Here’s something you might not know – the Kembara a.k.a. Daihatsu Terios is still on sale in India today, where it’s known as the Premier Rio. Billed as “India’s first compact SUV”, the Rio is available as a 1.2 petrol (77 PS/104 Nm) or a 1.5 turbodiesel with 65 PS and 152 Nm.

India’s car buyers have embraced diesel big time, but the Rio diesel hasn’t been selling well. That’s because the current oil burner doesn’t meet the country’s Bharat Stage IV emissions standards (we’ll just have to wait till 2014) that most big cities already use – it’s just BSIII compliant. But reports mention that from next year, the Rio will be adopting a BSIV compliant diesel engine to be more competitive.

This diesel engine is question is said to be the 1.3-litre Multijet sourced from Fiat. Indians are very familar with this license built engine, as it also powers top selling cars like the Maruti Swift and Tata Indica Vista, among other models. The proven engine puts out 75 PS and 190 Nm at 2,000 rpm, which should be very useful in small cars.

Perhaps if we had such an engine with the Kembara, we would have missed it more!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Perodua is re-introducing Tweckbot, its unique Twitter-based free safety check team, in time for the upcoming year-end and Chinese New Year festive period. And this time, apart from the Klang Valley, Perodua will extend the service to Penang, Ipoh and Johor Bahru for the four-weekend campaign, which kicks off this Friday.

The teams will carry out a 20-point check that includes an engine check, transmission check, coolant system (coolant level, fan, temperature), brake system check (brake fluid, brake pad wear), power steering system check, clutch system check, tyre check, suspension system check, electrical system check (battery, lights, wiper) and engine diagnosis.

Tweckbot will be in Penang from 25-27 November, Ipoh from 2-4 December, Johor Bahru from 9-11 December and the Klang Valley from 16-18 December. Perodua will allocate between three to five mobile teams each weekend.

In Penang, the areas covered are Greenlane, Batu Lanchang and Island Glades (25 Nov); Pulau Tikus and Island Park (26 Nov); Bukit Mertajam, Simpang Ampat and Bukit Tambun (27 Nov).

In Ipoh, they will go to Ipoh Garden, Canning Garden and Kampung Simee (2 Dec); Bercham, Pasir Puteh and Bandar Baru Tambun (3 Dec) and Taman Happy, Taman Mayfair, Taman Bunga Raya and Taman Sin Far (4 Dec).

Perodua owners in JB can find Tweckbot teams at Taman Sri Tebrau, Taman Serene, Taman Pelangi and Pasir Pelangi (9 Dec); Taman Perling, Taman Sutera and Taman Permata (10 Dec) and Taman Sri Skudai, Taman Skudai, Taman Harmoni 1 and Taman Nesa (11 Dec).

In the Klang Valley, the teams will visit Taman Maluri, Taman Connaught, Taman Muda and Taman Len Sen (16 Dec); Kepong Lama, Jinjang Utara and Selatan and Jalan Ipoh (17 Dec) and SS2 Petaling Jaya, Bandar Utama, Damansara Jaya, Taman Mayang and Taman Megah (18 Dec).

P2 customers whose vehicles need repairs or service will be offered a 15% discount on selected parts at Perodua Service branches. To secure an appointment, Perodua customers need to have a Twitter account and follow the Perodua team on @MYPerodua to know where and when the Tweckbot team will be in their neighbourhood.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Earlier today, Perodua entered into an agreement with Yayasan Melaka to acquire a piece of land at Kota Hang Tuah Jaya, Ayer Keroh, Melaka. This piece of property, measuring 1.77 hectares, will be used to build a new 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centre.

The purchase price is about RM7.7 million and Perodua will design the new facility to “incorporate the culture, tradition and history of Melaka,” according to Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh at the signing ceremony. Datuk Tahir Bin Haji Hassan, VP of Yayasan Melaka, signed on behalf of the foundation.

Also planned at the location are a regional office and a training centre to cater for the southern region. There will also be facilities for human capital development, a body and paint (B&P) centre and stockyard.

The 3S service centre will have 25 service bays catering to about 2,500 vehicles per month. The B&P centre will have 30 bays. Construction of this new the outlet is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2012 and completed before the end of 2013.

Perodua currently operates two branches and five dealers in Melaka employing some 220 staff.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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“There are a few areas that we are trying to collaborate. They are still at discussion stage. I think we are happy with the items. We will make the announcement on a memorandum of understanding this year or next year,” Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh was quoted as saying.

Aminar added that there was no change in Perodua’s stance on the proposed merger with Proton. “We are against the merger. We have our own plans, going forward,” he said.

In other news, Perodua will be announcing details of its new electronic automatic transmission (EAT) plant in the near future. Aminar said that the company will reveal details on the equity structure of the plant as well as its exact location when the announcement is made.

“We are setting up a joint venture. It’s still in discussion. We’ll make announcement on the equity structure of both Perodua and our Japanese partner (Daihatsu), as well as the location of the plant in the next one or two months, whether it will be in Selangor or outside Selangor,” he told reporters today.

Perodua was also mulling whether the plant will be constructed at one go, or in phases, adding that at least RM200 million is to be invested on the factory, which will produce transmissions for both the domestic and export markets.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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Over in the UK, Perodua has teamed up with Wolfrace Wheels, a UK-based wheel and design house, to come up with the Myvi Wolfrace Design Concept. The car is based on a standard specification Myvi, but features a number of enhancements, primarily visual.

Items include a luxurious leather/alcantara interior, black polished 16-inch Wolfrace Shark Alutec 5-spoke alloy wheels, low profile Falken tyres and a lowered suspension with Eibach springs.

Elsewhere, the car gets a Wolfrace graphics pack in signature colours as well as a contrasting red tailgate spoiler and mirrors, rear window privacy glass, twin chrome exhaust and high-end Vibe audio upgrade, which includes a bass enclosure. It’s scheduled for production in early October.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. It’s not called SE – Perodua Myvi Extreme 1.5 spotted!
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9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?
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After rounds and rounds of spyshots, this time, it’s the real thing. Moments ago, Perodua officially launched the much anticipated Myvi SE 1.5 which is a new Myvi with a 1.5-litre engine, the biggest capacity lump that has ever been put into the popular hatchback.

And if the new Myvi launched in June is called “Lagi Best” (34,000 people agree and have booked the car) the Myvi SE’s tagline is “Lagi Power, Lagi Best”, referring to the bigger 1.5L engine powering the car.

There’s also the Myvi Extreme 1.5, a name which we broke last week. The Extreme is essentially the same car as the SE, but with a more extreme bodykit and some added kit. It can be immediately recognised by the grey lower lip missing on the SE.

At the back, the Extreme gets a unique bumper, a more elaborate spoiler and chrome door handles. The new seven-spoke rim design and grille insert are shared by both.

Click to enlarge price list

Both the SE and Extreme are available with a four-speed auto gearbox or a five-speed manual. Prices range from RM50,900 for the SE manual to RM61,700 for the Extreme auto, figures that are lower than some have speculated. To recap, the Myvi 1.3 range starts from RM43,900 and tops out at RM57,400 for the 1.3 Elegance auto.

Myvi Extreme (white) easily identified via grey bumper lip, fog lamp housing has less bars

Let’s start with the heart of the matter. The SE and Extreme are powered by a 1.5-litre twin-cam engine with DVVT. This is the 3SZ-VE engine used in the Alza, and not the 1NZ-FE from the Toyota Vios. The chain driven (timing chain, not belt) engine puts out 102 hp at 6,000 rpm and 136 Nm of torque from 4,400 rpm, a 12 hp/19 Nm jump from the Myvi 1.3.

While this is lower than the Vios’ 108 hp/141 Nm, the Myvi 1.5 (at 970 to 995 kg) is lighter than that sedan, and Perodua’s power-to-weight ratio charts sees the SE beat the “Model SS” (Suzuki Swift), “Model V” (Vios) and “Model P” (Persona).

Rear bumper design is unique for each variant, Extreme gets a more elaborate spoiler

Lagi power eh? The Myvi 1.5′s acceleration is not to be scoffed at – the SE manual does the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 9.98 seconds, which is very swift. To compare, a BMW 320i Sport does the same sprint in 9.8 secs, so don’t play play! The Myvi SE auto is timed at 12.49 seconds. So 2.0L sedan owners, don’t be too surprised if that pesky yellow thing runs neck-to-neck with you in the traffic light GP!

As for fuel consumption, Perodua claims 15.9 km/l for the manual and 12.9 km/l for the auto. These figures are slightly down from the 1.3L, but are still better than competing national cars, says P2.

All black interior and steering buttons are standard, Extreme gets leather seats and tinting

Inside, the Myvi 1.5 gets an all black dashboard and interior, unlike the dual-tone scheme on the standard car. The steering wheel is now wrapped in leather, and there are audio controls on the left spoke, a first in Myvi history. The front seats are also unique – Perodua calls them “semi bucket seats”.

Start the car and you’ll also realise that the Camry style instruments – orange illumination in 1.3 Standard, turquoise in the Premium/Elegance – is now in red, with white for the needles and trip computer. The dial design is also slightly different and there are chrome rings thrown in. The plastic surround for the meter panel is now in sliver.

Myvi 1.5 instruments are in red and white, design is different, chrome ring added

The Myvi SE comes with the “flush type” audio system as seen in the Myvi 1.3 Premium. This one has Bluetooth, USB and the a sliver carbon fibre look, but the backlight is now red to match the instruments.

The full colour DVD touch screen system with navigation found in the Myvi 1.3 Elegance is an option for the SE automatic and standard on the Myvi Extreme.

The other additional kit that are exclusive to the Myvi Extreme include leather seat covers (with Extreme badge on the front seat backs), Extreme carpet mats (driver’s mat comes with locks to keep it in place), and window tint. These are in addition to the exterior differences mentioned and shown above.

We’ve driven the Myvi SE 1.5 already. Read our first impressions and view the hi res gallery after the jump. You can pore over 50 images of every nook and cranny, and there’s a presentation video, too.

Perodua Myvi SE 1.5 and Extreme – First Impressions

Two days ago, we attended a media preview and test drive of the Myvi 1.5 around Cyberjaya, the same place where Perodua did the media preview for the new Myvi in June. Fortunately, we got to drive a bigger loop this time around (about 10 km), giving us the chance to stretch the Myvi SE’s legs a little and test out the “Lagi Power” claims.

The changes to the cabin were immediately felt once I stepped in the car. Perodua may have been too liberal to call those seats “semi buckets” but the seat backs are new, offering more side support for the lower back section. However, they should have also changed the flat seat base, which was carried over from the standard Myvi.

One sits very high in the Myvi (SE and 1.3), even when the seat is set to the lowest position – not very sporty or conducive for hard driving, but a boon for most Myvi drivers. I’ve seen some so petite, they’re fully “sheltered” by the seat, and cannot be seen by the car behind, have you?

The steering feels much better in the hands with the leather wrap, noticeably chunkier but not too thick. The red dials were chosen for a sportier feel, and most will love it. Oddly, I prefer the cool blue dial lighting in the Myvi Premium/Exclusive, though. In any case, the Camry style instruments are a big deal for a car this price – they do so much to raise perceived quality and premiumness.

After being told that the manual Myvi SE is a 10 second car, I had to try the stick shift first. Far from the most satisfying gearshift feel, doing it yourself in the Myvi SE is a typical Perodua manual shift experience. No snick snack, the shift feel is rubbery and the gates don’t go deep enough/not very well defined for yours truly. Gets the job done, but not the most fun to use. But remember that the Myvi SE is no hot hatch, so it’s unfair to expect Swift Sport shifting!

Flooring the pedal and getting past the first three gears, the Myvi SE’s improved acceleration is very apparent, and getting to highway speeds is very easy. The pick up is really quite impressive, and the buzzy engine is quite energetic at the higher end of the rev counter.

The first bend I encountered, a long sweeper, also revealed a weightier and generally nicer steering feel. I later learned that there’s no difference in the EPS, and the difference in feel is due to the reworked suspension.

Speaking of that, the Myvi SE feels firmer than the standard car. Body roll is still a frequent visitor, although the lean angles are smaller now. There wasn’t bad roads to try the ride comfort in our route, but my guess is that it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable. I sat at the back for a round (headroom is less generous than the previous gen Myvi) and the high speed ride is quite composed.

I got hold of an engineer from the R&D team, and he explained that the rebound and compression rates for the shock absorbers were a little higher than the standard setting. Same for the springs, which are untouched in front but stiffer at the back.

He also revealed that the Continental CC5 tyres used were specially tuned for the SE, a unique Perodua spec 175/65 R14, in other words. Rubber wise, they sacrificed a little bit of ride comfort for better stability. The tyres are not too loud and grip was better than I expected.

So the Myvi SE is a better drive than the Myvi 1.3, and not just for the improved pace, which is the most impressive part of the car for me. But don’t get us wrong, this is no hot hatch, and a Ford Fiesta 1.4 trumps the SE in every subjective driving criteria.

However, if one’s in the market for a Myvi, do test the SE first. Unlike the old one, this SE is not just leather and bodykit, but a better car. The Myvi SE is lagi best than the Lagi Best!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

No related posts.

Perodua has officially announced that the Myvi SE 1.5 will be open for bookings from 12 September 2011, which is next Monday. The range topping “Lagi Power, Lagi Best” Myvi will be available at all 178 Perodua showrooms nationwide from 15 September 2011. Prices will be announced on the launch day.

Wait, what happened to the “Myvi Extreme” name revealed by the pics we posted yesterday, you ask. Well, Perodua says that a total of four variants will be available, so perhaps “Extreme” is one of them. What we know for now is that there will be a “Multimedia” variant available, and the Myvi SE will come in both manual and automatic forms.

Choose from five colours, one of which is the “Majestic Yellow” shown here. Another is black, and white is almost certain to be included.

“We are very encouraged by the feedback from our existing and potential customers who want a Myvi with a bigger engine capacity. This new 1.5 Myvi “Lagi Power, Lagi Best” is currently exclusive to the Malaysian market,” Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

“The new 1.5 Myvi is aimed at the young and urban executives who want a model which is sporty and premium. We anticipate that the new 1.5 Myvi will contribute to about half of the monthly 8,000 units Myvi sales,” he added.

The P2 boss also said that all Perodua showrooms will stay open “until very late at night” during the first few days after the launch, in anticipation of big crowds.

Since June, Perodua has received a total of 34,000 bookings for the new Myvi 1.3, and has delivered 18,000 units to date. The Myvi has overtaken the Proton Saga to again be Malaysia’s best selling car (according to MAA data, click here to view), a place that it has occupied for a long time.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. It’s not called SE – Perodua Myvi Extreme 1.5 spotted!
2. Perodua sales up by 85%, orders for new Myvi hit 25k units
3. Perodua Myvi Jet and Perodua Myvi Sport Silver special editions launched for the UK market
4. 2011 Perodua Myvi – first five buyers receive cars
5. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
6. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
7. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
8. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?
10. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4

Reader Khairiizuan Bin Nazarudin sent us some fresh shots of the “yellow Myvi SE” that has been regularly spotted on test, and with these undisguised pics, we learn something new about the upcoming variant. For one, it’s not called “SE”, but the Myvi Extreme 1.5, as printed on the rear emblem.

And while the tagline for the new Myvi is “Lagi Best”, this one is “Lagi Power, Lagi Best”, referring to the bigger 1.5-litre engine offered.

Click to enlarge

We previously posted some shots of the yellow Myvi Extreme being tested alongside a white coloured car with a different bodykit (view it here), so could that instead be a “1.3L SE” that slots between the Extreme and the standard car? We’ll see.

These pics, which was taken at the port (probably for shipment to East Malaysia or Langkawi?), shows all the previously taped up parts, such as the emblem and the lower part of the front and rear bumpers. We can see that the front bumper is all new, and has prominent cutouts for the fog lamps. Both sides are linked by a bronze coloured lip, matched in colour by the grille and the wheels.

Click to enlarge

At the back, the “holes” below the reflectors introduced for the new Myvi (reduces pressure build up, improves aero) appears to have been omitted for the Extreme. The rear wing is rather elaborate in design and very prominent. Of course, there are side skirts to complete the sportier look. We also get to see how the car looks in black.

Moving on to the inside, which we also see clearly here for the first time. The central touch screen head unit looks like the one in the Myvi Elegance, and there appears to be leather seats and a leather wrapped steering wheel for this range topper.

The wheel appears chunkier with the leather wrap, and there are audio control buttons on the left spoke, which is a new feature for the Myvi family. The housing for the instrument cluster is in silver, and there’s some carbon style metallic trim on the door panels.

Read and view the standard new Myvi here. The official launch of the Extreme shouldn’t be too far away from now. Stay tuned!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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1. Yellow Perodua Myvi SE spotted transported by trailer
2. Perodua sales up by 85%, orders for new Myvi hit 25k units
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4. Perodua Myvi Jet and Perodua Myvi Sport Silver special editions launched for the UK market
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9. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
10. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?

Prior to the 2011 Perodua Myvi’s launch, we saw two different versions being tested on the road – a regular Myvi and another version with a sportier outlook that looked pretty much like a Myvi SE. Come launch time, only the normal Myvi was launched, and only with a 1.3 litre engine. So there’s still a few chapters to go when it comes to the new Myvi – the Myvi SE continues to be sighted around town and the fabled 1.5 litre version is also supposed to be coming soon. Perhaps they’ll launch together?

The Myvi SE’s launch could be coming very soon as reader Sean Lim saw a whole trailer load of yellow Myvis being transported on the KESAS highway, moving towards Port Klang near the Kampung Jawa exit.

Another reader Muhammad Ridhuan Md Nor also saw a yellow Perodua Myvi SE being tested earlier this month at Jalan Kuala Kubu Bharu.

Reader Saiful Azlee also saw a yellow Myvi SE being tested on KM 105 Jalan Kuantan-Kuala Terengganu, heading towards to Kuala Terengganu. What’s interesting in this set of photos is that the white Myvi seen here is different from the Myvi SE. The most obvious change is the fact that it has a different rear spoiler design from the Myvi SE, and it’s not the same spoiler design seen on the Myvi when it was launched either. Is the white Myvi here a regular non-SE Myvi 1.5?

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. Perodua sales up by 85%, orders for new Myvi hit 25k units
2. Daihatsu Sirion launched at IIMS – it’s a Perodua Myvi!
3. Perodua Myvi Jet and Perodua Myvi Sport Silver special editions launched for the UK market
4. 2011 Perodua Myvi – first five buyers receive cars
5. VIDEO: 2011 Perodua Myvi instrument panel demo
6. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
7. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
8. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?
10. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4

Remember the lime green Daihatsu A-Concept that was showcased at the Indonesia International Motor Show earlier this year?

It was a concept car developed with the involvement of Indonesians with the technical support of Daihatsu Japan. They were pretty vague about what segment the A-Concept was competing in though – it looked a little bigger than a typical A-segment car, but it had a lower roofline than a typical JDM B-segment tall hatchback like the Myvi – shaped more like a Fiesta or Mazda 2.

Imagine if the Daihatsu A-Concept was toned down for production and given a Perodua badge for sale in Malaysia – that’s what Theophilus Chin sought to achieve with his latest image manipulation project.

The A-Concept was given production side mirrors, a rear wiper, door handles, mud guards, a more production-looking rear light cluster, a hatch-mounted number plate holder (as with all Perodua cars), body colored roof and A pillars, and a revised front to carry a look similar to the new Myvi’s face. It’s colour was also given the popular bluish grey Perodua paint.

What do you think – do you like it?

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
10. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night

Last month, it was reported in the press that Proton has overtaken Perodua to be the top selling car brand in Malaysia, with the former on top in both June sales and first half of 2011 figures. However, that period coincided with the final months of the old Myvi’s lifespan, as well as the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which obviously impacted Perodua much more than Proton.

Well, it seems like P2 is back with a vengeance, and armed with its new “Lagi Best” Myvi, has sold 16,500 units in the just concluded month of July. That’s a whopping 85% higher than what they sold in June (8,900 units), giving Perodua an estimated 32% share of the market. The Rawang based company expects this momentum to continue for the rest of the year.

“We are thankful to our customers for their continuous support for Perodua. We are also grateful for their patience in waiting for the delivery of their vehicles as we sorted out the production backlogs,” said Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh. “In the case of the Perodua new Myvi, bookings has already reached 25,000 orders and about 10,000 units have been delivered to our customers to date,” he revealed.

Besides the contribution from the Myvi, sales of the Viva and Alza also improved in July from the month before. However, Perodua’s year-to-date sales is still 14% lower than the 111,500 units sold from Jan-July 2010.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. Daihatsu Sirion launched at IIMS – it’s a Perodua Myvi!
2. Perodua Myvi Jet and Perodua Myvi Sport Silver special editions launched for the UK market
3. 2011 Perodua Myvi – first five buyers receive cars
4. VIDEO: 2011 Perodua Myvi instrument panel demo
5. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
6. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
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8. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
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10. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4

Perodua today launched its Twitter-based free safety check called Tweckbot, where P2 owners with a Twitter account can send a request to a mobile team to carry out a 15-point safety check, if the latter happens to be nearby.

The Tweckbot – which combines Twitter, check and robot to get the name – is also what Perodua’s mobile team is called. Five of these mobile teams will ply 14 locations within the Klang Valley between now and August 10 – in time for the Raya holidays – to provide the free safety check for Perodua owners.

The 15-point check includes an engine, transmission, coolant system (include coolant level as well as fan and temperature) and brake system check. Other items on the checklist include the power steering, tyres, suspension and electrical system.

The mobile teams can potentially check 40 vehicles per day, depending on weather and traffic condition. Locations covered include Subang, Ampang, Sentul, Kg. Baharu, Cheras, Serdang, Puchong, Wangsa maju, Selayang, Shah Alam (section 1-14), Shah Alam (Section 15-24), Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Bangsar and Petaling Jaya.

To secure an appointment, Perodua owners need to have a Twitter account, and follow the Perodua team on @MYPerodua to know where and when the Tweckbot team will be in their neighbourhood. Vehicles that need proper servicing, maintenance and repair will then be channeled to service centres of the customer’s choice.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

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PT Astra Daihatsu Motor has launched its latest model at the Indonesian International Motor Show (IIMS) 2011 with with plenty of song and dance (not Bollywood, but Party Rock Anthem!). Readers of this website would have already known that the Sirion is a rebadged 2011 Perodua Myvi, and that the car is built in Malaysia and exported to Indonesia – we caught a trailer of Daihatsu badged Myvis heading to a port in June.

Now that we’ve seen and touched it in the metal, we can confirm that the Sirion is identical to the Myvi save for Daihatsu badges on the front, rear and steering wheel, which is a basic looking three-spoke unit (I prefer Perodua’s wheel). There’s also a “VVT-i” badge at the rear, which is DVVT for us, although the new Myvi doesn’t have badges for that.

Of the three variants we have in Malaysia (Standard, Premium, Elegance), PT Astra chose the mid-spec Premium, which has standard features such as Optitron MID, Bluetooth, USB and MP3 functions, power retractable wing mirrors and 14in alloys, among other kit.

According to Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, who looked relax blending in with the crowd instead of being on stage, PT Astra is looking at importing the top spec Elegance model at a later stage. For now, it’s the Premium with a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual. It was revealed that PT Astra is targeting sales of 500 units per month – not much, but still much more than the 100 units or so per month rate of the previous Sirion, which was also from Perodua. The majority seller will be the manual variant.

Priced at 139,500,000 to 150,500,000 rupiah (RM48,715 to RM52,556), the Sirion is costlier than basic versions of the Xenia, which is Daihatsu’s version of the 7-seat Toyota Avanza. This ties in with the relatively small 500 units per month and the more “premium positioning” of the Sirion in Indonesia.

The Sirion is also being launched in various locations throughout Indonesia today. Live gallery from IIMS after the jump.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. IIMS: Daihatsu A-Concept – by Indonesia, for the world
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4. Perodua Myvi Jet and Perodua Myvi Sport Silver special editions launched for the UK market
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8. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
9. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
10. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night

Thought you saw the last of the last generation Myvi on this blog? Nope! It’s still on sale in the UK, and in fact from the image above you can see that the UK market Myvi is still the first generation pre-facelift model, the design that the compact had before it was facelifted in 2008.

Perodua UK has launched two Myvi special editions for the UK market called the Myvi Jet and the Myvi Sport Silver. The Myvi Jet is the black car you see here, equipped with chrome door handles, side moldings, remote central locking, and a new 10 spoke 14″ silver alloy wheel design.

The other car is of course the Myvi Sport Silver which adds the same side moldings and chrome door handles, but also has a carbon fiber lookalike finish for the interior and 10 spoke 15″ alloy wheels.

Both are only available in manual transmission. The Myvi Jet goes for £7,499 while the Sport Silver goes for £7,999*.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. Ford Mondeo and S-MAX EcoBoost launched in Malaysia – market introduction of both set for August
2. 2011 Perodua Myvi – first five buyers receive cars
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4. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
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6. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
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Politeknik Ungku Omar has won the 2011 Perodua Eco Challenge, held over the weekend at Melaka International Motorsports Circuit (MIMC). The team from Ipoh managed to squeeze 24.07 km from just half a litre of Petronas Primax 95 Xtra petrol, beating closest challengers Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel, 19.1 km) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM, 17.42 km).

PUO took home RM20,000 cash for their efforts, while Unisel and USM won RM10,000 and RM5,000 respectively. In the Engineering category, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) took home RM15,000 for bagging the top place ahead of USM and Universiti Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia Spanish Institute.

In the minor “Design and Participation” category, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) took home RM5,000 as the chosen team. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and UTM were second and third.

In the previous two editions, USM took top honors in the automatic category, so they should be a little disappointed at not meeting their “25 km and above target”. They were banking on their ace card, which is cylinder deactivation for the supplied 660 cc three-pot engine. Their simple looking 370 kg machine ran on only one cylinder full time, logical since this “race” doesn’t require much power or speed.

By the way, this year’s PEC is a much tougher challenge, as teams were only given one engine and one (manual) gearbox, as opposed to a complete car in previous years. This means that instead of just stripping and modifying Vivas, students have to also work on chassis and bodywork. And because of this extra work, the seed money given to each team has increased from last year’s RM10k to RM17,500. Also, instead of one litre, they now have to squeeze miles out of 0.5 litres of fuel.

The winning team’s lean machine on skinny tyres relied on measures such as a fuel tank that’s “ngam ngam” in size, with minimal space for air and a very lean 22:1 air fuel ratio, according to team leader Mohd Azmi.

Each team had their own focus – the Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten, last year’s M/T winner) team worked hard on CFD, and were proud of their car’s 35:65 weight distribution, enthusiastic second year Mechanical Engineering student Tan Win Yew told me.

Another team that mentioned “good handling” was Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), whose car had all round double wishbone suspension and 40:60 weight distribution. The logic is that a car that can corner well and relatively fast can maintain momentum by minimising the need to brake.

Some other things caught the eye of yours truly. This year’s grid had a female driver in the small frame of Nur Effarini. The pint sized final year Mechanical Engineering student weighs just 45 kg, in contrast with the big guy driving for PUO. She should have weighed even less after the race, as the UTM car was stuck on the steaming grid for quite some time due to an electrical glitch (according to a team member). It started in the end, and they went home with smiles and cash.

Another eye catcher was the “Lotus Elise” of UKM. In contrast with the skeleton look of rivals, they wanted to do a “body that can be commercialised”, which according to them was part of the original regulations, including closed wheels. Apparently, the rules changed, but they stuck to the plan. The batik cabin is questionable, but it’s not easy to fabricate that body in a short time. But because of the extra weight, they were never really in contention.

Another looker for me is the “Caterham style” white Unisel car with orange stripes. Tanjung Malim based Politeknik Sultan Azlan Shah had the most outrageous looking car on the grid. Their hot rod style “classic car concept” didn’t look too lightweight and aerodynamic, though.

The Perodua Eco Challenge is one of the more unique CR initiatives in town, challenging student minds and allowing them an outlet to experiment, and be hands on in practising what they learn from books. Congratulations to the winning teams, see you again next year in Melaka!

Full gallery from the event is after the jump. Spot anyone you know?

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. 2011 Perodua Myvi – first five buyers receive cars
2. VIDEO: 2011 Perodua Myvi instrument panel demo
3. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
4. Unidentical twins: Perodua Myvi versus Toyota Passo
5. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
6. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
7. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
8. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?
9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4

The new Perodua Myvi is chugging along merrily; to date, 12,000 orders have been placed for the car since bookings began on June 4, and today, a week after the car was officially launched, the first five owners – Siva Rajan Subramaniam, Mullai Arunasalam, Tan Soo Hong, Yusainianir Mohd Yassin and Kok Zhien Wei – received their vehicles at a simple handing over ceremony in Subang.

“The first five owners here are the first among thousands to receive their cars in the coming weeks and we could not be happier with the response from the public for our new model,” said Perodua’s MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.

Aminar said that Perodua will also ensure that customers get their vehicle in the shortest possible time, compared to the previous experience of six to nine months when the previous Myvi was launched in 2005. He said that those who booked their cars before the launch can expect their cars to be delivered anytime between now and end-July.

In terms of exports, Aminar said that the company was on track to ship the first 500 Myvis, under the Daihatsu Sirion badge, to Indonesia this month. “On average, we expect to export 350 units per month of the model to Indonesia within a 12-month timeframe,” he said, adding that the company is looking to export the new Myvi under the Perodua brand to five of its seven export markets, including Mauritius, Singapore, Nepal, Fiji and Sri Lanka.

Domestically, Perodua expects to achieve its year-end target of 195,000 units, with another milestone coming about before the year is out – the two millionth vehicle production mark should be achieved sometime in the fourth quarter.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. VIDEO: 2011 Perodua Myvi instrument panel demo
2. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
3. Unidentical twins: Perodua Myvi versus Toyota Passo
4. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
5. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
6. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
7. 2011 Perodua Myvi – last of the spyshots before launch?
8. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4

Here’s a short little walkthrough video on how the Camry-inspired instrumentation panel for the top of the line 2011 Perodua Myvi looks and moves. The fade in and fade out of the backlight is a nice touch, and so is the multi-info display integrated into the circle in the middle of the speedometer.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:51:08 +0000.

Related posts:

1. 2011 Perodua Myvi – full details and first impressions
2. Unidentical twins: Perodua Myvi versus Toyota Passo
3. 2011 Perodua Myvi D54T to be launched tomorrow night
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6. Perodua Myvi D54T previewed on Buletin Utama TV3
7. 2011 Perodua Myvi spotted being trailered in the night
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9. 2011 Perodua Myvi – bookings open from June 4