Trailerloads of the Perodua D46T MPV are on their way somewhere, and from the looks of the livery on the side of one of the exposed vehicles, it looks like they are promotional units, probably to be used as display units or test drive units. These shots are thanks to long-time reader KK Chen.

Click for enlarged image

The Perodua D46T MPV is based on the Toyota Passo Sette so if you absolutely need to know more about this new model to hit our local roads you can refer to my story on the Passo Sette, but for a more accurate picture of what we’ll get in our Perodua version you’ll have to wait for the full story after the launch next week on the 23rd of November 2009 at 5pm.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Perodua held a media test drive for the new Perodua D46T MPV this morning somewhere in Putrajaya. I’ve tried it out and will share my findings with you after the MPV’s launch (due to embargo reasons), which is expected to be on the 23rd of November 2009. Showrooms will officially start taking bookings earlier, from the 13th of November 2009 onwards. Stay tuned for an update on the new Perodua D46T MPV on the 23rd of November 2009 at 5.00pm sharp.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

49 year old Aminar is a familiar face for me as he is usually the one who gives product presentations at Toyota car launches. He has been in the UMW group since 1992. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering. I don’t have any kind of ‘insider’ details but I don’t expect anything much to change with the way Perodua is run.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

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.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

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

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Perodua has officially launched its very first Body and Paint Hub (B&P) in Subang Jaya earlier today and along the with launch, the auto maker announced that it will introduce an exclusive version of the Perodua Myvi on October 24th. The limited edition compact hatch will be launched in showrooms nationwide.

The auto maker also announced that the highly-anticipated MPV (codenamed Perodua D46T) will be launched at the end of next month and bookings can be made at the beginning of the month. Pricing for the D46T which is based on the Toyota Passo Sette will be set between RM56,000 to RM65,000.

The above mentioned B&P Hub and Service Centre costs RM 6 million and is located at Taman Perindustrian Subang. Perodua also revealed that four more hubs will be built by 2012. Each hub will cost between RM 4 million and RM 6 million. Two hubs will be built in the northern and southern regions while two more will be made available in the Klang valley by next year.

Services offered at the 5,159 sq. meter B&P Hub in Subang Jaya include collision repair, spray painting, vehicle servicing and the sale of spare parts. The hub has 35 bays for collision repair, body aligners, four spray booths and three ovens.

According to Perodua, the hub can service up to 2,500 units per month compared to 1,500 units at the Jalan SS13/5 service outlet. This outlet will continue to operate until July next year and thereafter the operations will be relocated to the Subang Jaya B&P Hub and Service Centre.

The auto maker expects overall service intakes to increase to 1.5 million this year from 1.37 million intakes in 2008. For the nine month up to September, Perodua service outlets have recorded a total of 1.2 million intakes. Continue reading to view an image gallery of the B&P Hub and Service Centre in Subang Jaya.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

This may look like just another Hari Raya greeting from Perodua at first but for those who are follow the auto industry closely and are expecting something to be launched soon will immediately realise that this is in fact a hidden teaser for the new Perodua MPV!

The Perodua MPV will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette (also known as the Daihatsu Boon Luminas) and has been called the codename Perodua D46T for the development stage. Being engineered from an existing Toyota and Daihatsu model, the only surprise for us usually is the car’s refreshed and Perodua-ised exterior looks but even for that, we already have a rough idea of how it’ll look like thanks to teasers that Perodua have released – the exterior at SMIDEC and the interior at MSAM.

The interior teaser shown in April this year had a cream interior and this colour scheme has been repeated in this teaser image – the seats are done up in cream. There will be a small middle seat between the driver and front passenger but in this teaser image, it has been folded down to use as an armrest, and probably that’s how it should be used as most of the time as there probably won’t be any seatbelt for the front middle chair.

Second row shows all three occupants are buckled up – with the middle occupant wearing a lap belt. It doesn’t look like the third row occupants are wearing any seat belts (though there is most likely going to be seat belts equipped for the third row) and I personally don’t think the rear will be that wide – it must be some kind of optical trick.

Perodua’s head honcho Datuk Syed Hafiz has stated repeatedly to the mainstream media that the new Perodua D46T MPV is positioned mainly as a car with a large boot instead of an MPV (I believe the proper term for that is wagon). They won’t be trying to go head to head against the Exora or other MPVs, or at least that’s what they are saying now in the interviews that you see in the mainstream media every month.

This is quite different from the marketing strategy used by “cousin” UMW Toyota for their Avanza promos – the ads clearly show and promote the advantages of having 7 seats (remember the left behind print ads?). The third row is only meant to be used whenever needed – an admission to its extremely utilitarian looks as shown in the Japanese version photos. But of course marketing may say one thing but consumer purchase decision behaviour could go the other way – “it has seven seats so it must be an MPV?”

These interviews also unveiled a November 2009 launch date. Why so late and not in time for the balik kampung purchases you ask? It could be something to do with the impending NAP announcement – perhaps it is not safe to announce one set of prices and then have to change it a few months later?

If you want to find out more about the new Perodua MPV, you can refer to my past coverage on the subject, especially the coverage on the Toyota/Daihatsu cars as they show the Japanese version in detail including exterior and interior. Selamat Hari Raya!

Thanks to Iskandar Hidayat for the pointer!

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette: 7-seater MPV full details
Perodua MPV D46T spotted at Restoran Jejantas Sg Buloh
Perodua MPV D46T to sell for RM56k to RM66k!
Perodua MPV unveiled fully undisguised in SMIDEC teaser (with video!)
Perodua MPV D46T interior exhibited at MSAM 2009

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

This is quite a funny but kinda long ad for the Perodua Kelisa that I found on Youtube. For some reason I don’t remember ever seeing it on TV, but then again I don’t watch TV that often. It’s directed by Barney Chua and produced by Ira Carissa Shah for Perodua, and is inspired by Ultraman and Thunderbirds, amongst others. The Kelisa special editions (with the stripes and etc) saves the world from a certain Dr Bore.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Perodua launched the new Perodua ViVA Elite today, aimed at offering the market a variant with a more stylish image compared to the original ViVA. It is an aesthetic modification in the style of the Myvi SE, and at the same time they’ve revamped the model line-up a little.

The ViVA was first introduced with 660cc, 850cc, 1,000cc and 1,000cc premium variants. Now it has restructured the model lineup, offering the 660 BX MT, 660 EX MT, 850 MT, 1.0 AT, 1.0 ELITE MT, 1.0 ELITE AT, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi. That’s three different variants for the new ViVA ELITE.

Externally, the ViVA Elite has its own front bumper with integrated foglamps, front grille and its own engine hood design. On the side you’ll see chrome door handles, side skirts, and 14 inch 12-spoke alloy wheels. On the back you’ll see a new rear bumper with a honeycomb grille design, and the 1.0 ELITE EZi model (note, this is different from the ELITE AT) gets an additional rear spoiler. The windows of the ViVA Elite also feature a UV protection coating that is said to reject 91% of UV rays.

On the inside you get a new 1-DIN head unit with MP3 and WMA support, an underside tray under the passenger seat, seat backpockets, a new seat fabric design, and fabric trim on the door panels. All ViVA ELITE models will get seat height adjusters for the driver’s seat, and electrically adjustable side mirrors. On the ELITE EZi, these side mirrors are also electrically retractable and have integrated turn signals.

Only the ViVA 1.0 ELITE EZi gets a full load of safety features including dual SRS airbags for the front, ABS brakes, EBD and Brake Assist. Power steering is also only available on the ELITE models. The other non-Elite models are left with just basic features such as reverse sensors on the 850 and 1.0 model, and a CD player on the 660 EX, 850 and 1.0 model. The following are the prices for the new Perodua ViVA range including the non-Elite models:

• Perodua ViVA Elite M/T – RM37,900
• Perodua ViVA Elite A/T – RM40,900
• Perodua ViVA Elite EZi – RM44,900
• Perodua ViVA 1.0 AT – RM36,900
• Perodua ViVA 850 MT – RM32,900
• Perodua ViVA 660 EX MT – RM28,900
• Perodua ViVA 660 BX MT – RM25,300

GALLERY: Perodua Viva Elite Product Photos

GALLERY: Perodua Viva Elite Live Launch Event Photos

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

The last unit of the Perodua Kancil rolled off Perodua’s production line today. It will be replaced from Thursday onwards by a new baseline variant of the Perodua Viva called the Viva 660 BX manual. The following are the specifications (or rather lack of specifications) of the new Perodua Viva 660 BX:

• 660cc DVVT engine 47hp @ 7,200rpm, 58Nm @ 4,400rpm
• No power steering
• No power windows
• No central locking
• No radio
• No reverse sensors
• Unpainted bumpers
• Manual transmission only
• Only available in Ivory White, Ebony Black and Glittering Silver

The cost? RM25,300.00 from Thursday onwards. Also watch out for another update on the Perodua Viva later this week called the Perodua Viva Elite.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Malaysian cars have only appeared on Top Gear a few times in the past, and they haven’t exactly been portrayed in a very good light most of the time.

We all know what happened to the Kelisa, and the Waja was used as an example of a car with not very good crash safety in comparison to cars like the Avensis. The Proton Savvy did appear on rival show Fifth Gear and did well on the hill climb test they had. The Satria Neo is a regular feature on Top Gear Australia.

If you’ve been following the latest Season 13 of Top Gear, you would have already watched Episode 3 which has two of our cars in it – one from each manufacturer.

The Perodua Myvi (it’s rather odd how British people pronounced Myvi) and the Proton Satria Neo are featured in a segment where the team have to go find the best small “cheap and cheerful” car in the UK. Being priced at the lower end of the various car segments, the Neo and Myvi are natural candidates among other cars like the Chevy Aveo.

Skip to about minute 6:55 of the first video to go straight to the segment, then continue with the second video. The segment is broken over 2 videos. It isn’t pretty, just look at the face Jeremy is making while he is driving the Myvi.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

If you listen to the radio often you may have noticed Perodua (they seem to do alot of radio advertising) are currently promoting a sports kit package for the Perodua Myvi. No it’s not an aftermarket retrofit kit to turn your Myvi into a Myvi SE in terms of looks, but a new bodykit that includes front and rear lips, side skirts, chrome lining around the front grille, chrome door handles, rear spoiler and door visors.

A quick check reveals that this package costs RM1,799 and can be purchased from any Perodua showroom. Sorry for the low resolution photos above, they were snapped with a camera phone! But I think all the details of the bodykit can be seen.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Apparently Perodua played a teaser video for its upcoming Perodua D46T 7-seater MPV based on the Toyota Passo Sette at the SMIDEC exhibition this month!

Continue reading for the full scoop on the new Perodua MPV!

Reader waja2000 was kind enough to record the teaser video for us, and the good news for us eager followers of the MPV’s development is that the Perodua MPV is shown clearly in its undisguised form in the video, from pretty much every angle! The video also revealed that the MPV will be launched in November 2009.

The front end features a new grille that very much reminds me of the one found on the Perodua Nautica. Perodua has also changed the shape of the headlamps. The Passo Sette and Boon Luminas versions sold in Japan feature headlamps that have a straight bottom design but Perodua’s cuts upwards towards the outer edge of the car.

The bumper features a wide central air intake flanked by two large round foglamps. In a way, Perodua’s design has all the design cues to look relatively more sporty than the more conservative standard Toyota bodykit in comparison, but there are some optional bodykits on the Japanese versions that look way more aggressive than Perodua’s take on the Passo Sette.

The teaser video even lets us have a glimpse of the alloy wheel design. It is very likely that the alloy wheels will not be featured across the range as the norm is for Perodua to put steel wheels on the baseline models, and there will likely be a baseline model given the price sensitive buying behaviour of alot of Perodua buyers.

There are not much changes on the rear end. With one past rebadged model, Toyota and Daihatsu put the Passo’s number plate on the rear bumper with a flat rear hatch, and Perodua modified this to have the bumper on the rear hatch instead. But with the Passo Sette, the number plate was already on the rear hatch and this was probably in line with Perodua’s already established rear end look and feel so Perodua left it untouched. The rear bumper is missing the round or square reflectors that some of the Japanese models have.

I am not 100% sure but it looks like the Perodua MPV has LED tail lamps in this particular screen capture. Could just be an illusion or distortion though.

It looks like Perodua is not holding everything back with secrecy when it comes to their new 7-seater MPV. First it displayed the Perodua MPV interior, and now the exterior. It knows it will be sharing the market with Proton and is trying to draw buyers away from the Exora, or at least get them to wait until their model comes out and then make a decision. The Perodua is a smaller vehicle of course, likely to be powered by a 1.5 liter DVVT engine with front wheel drive.

Proton will likely be countering this with the 5-speed manual Proton Exora, which would bring the baseline price point down a little. I think other than competing with the Exora, the Perodua MPV might actually also steal some thunder from the Proton Persona because it will be an affordable Perodua (since the Nautica is relatively unaffordable) with decent boot space when you fold the small third row seats down and turn it into a 5-seater with a large boot instead of a 7-seater. The third row doesn’t look too welcoming for full sized adults. Perodua previously only had the Myvi and Viva, which cannot compete with a full blown sedan in terms of luggage area.

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette 7-seater MPV Full Details
Perodua MPV D46T interior exhibited at MSAM 2009

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

A Toyota Passo Sette 3-row MPV or rather the upcoming new Perodua MPV was spotted by reader Goniothalamus on his KL-Bentong journey.

The compact people mover had barely any disguise on, with only a few simple black tapes covering key identification marks such as the badges. In fact looking at the position of the badges that are covered up and the typical Japanese rear window black tinting, it could potentially just be an actual Passo Sette from Japan (compare to this photo), which means this car doesn’t necessarily belong to Perodua.

Toyota Passo Sette Interior

Perodua MD Datuk Syed Hafiz has previously indicated that the Perodua MPV (codenamed Perodua D46T for now) will be sold with a price tag of between RM57k to RM66k and a launch date has been set for somewhere in Q3 this year, which would be anywhere between July to September.

It has already been previously spotted in Malaysia from as early as April this year (check out Perodua MPV photo and video spyshot) and Perodua has also exhibited the Perodua MPV’s interior in Johor.

Look after the jump for all the spyshots.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Reader Nazril sent in these 3 shots of the new Perodua D46T MPV, which apparently is being displayed in near full glory at the Minggu Amanah Saham 2009 in Johor Bahru. Thanks Nazril! Now we can compare these shots with the already revealed shots of the Japanese model so we can see what the differences are.

Click for larger image

Quite interestingly these shots show a dashboard that has its dash-mounted shifter very intact – it’s not been moved to the floor! So that’s nice. The dash has a two tone design, dark att the top and beige at the bottom, with some form of integrated audio head unit with steering wheel audio control on the steering wheel.

The front seats are joined together (not the backrests though) as a single bench, and the arm rest in the middle looks like it can be flipped up to become a small backrest for the middle area, unlike the bench seat this part was found in the Passo Sette. No sign of a handbrake so it must be foot-operated!

Click for larger image

Of course there are some changes compared to the Japanese unit. The displayed Perodua D46T MPV interior used blue backlighting for its head unit and a blue instrument panel, while the Japanese car uses orange. The head unit design is also very different, but I see a little mic there so there should be a Bluetooth handsfree.

Air conditioning controls have been changed from automatic climate control with an LCD panel to a manual 3-knob version that looks like it shares parts with the Toyota Vios, but this 3-knob control is also found in the low spec versions of the Passo Sette.

For more info on the new Perodua MPV (currently called by its Perodua D46T codename) based on the Toyota Passo Sette set for a launch later this year, refer to the linked posts below.

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette: 7-seater MPV full details
Perodua MPV D46T spotted at Restoran Jejantas Sg Buloh
Perodua MPV D46T to sell for RM56k to RM66k!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

A Youtuber called byawn4us spotted this disguised Perodua MPV at the Sungei Buloh Restoran Jejantas carpark on Thursday, just one day after the launch of the Proton Exora. The flow of the video is somehow quite convenient really, first you get to see it parked next to a Wira, then it reverses and drives past a Viva, giving us a good comparison of its size compared to other cars that we see daily.

The Perodua MPV (codenamed D46T) is based on the Toyota Passo Sette and is definitely smaller than the Proton Exora, but it is expected to be cheaper (indicated pricing of RM66k and below) and there will always be people who are drawn to its Toyota DNA, even more so if they only need 5+2 instead of 7 seater capabilities.

Have a look at the Toyota Passo Sette version, or watch the video after the jump.

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette: 7-seater MPV full details

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

As Proton gears up for its Proton Exora MPV to be launched next week, our other national carmaker Perodua is also prepping up its Perodua MPV, set to be launched in Q3 this year. The new Perodua MPV is internally called the Perodua D46T codename and is expected to be priced between RM57K to RM66k, according to Perodua MD Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar in Bernama.

The new Perodua D46T will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette, also known as the Daihatsu Boon Luminas. It measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,620mm tall, with a long 2,750mm wheelbase to maximize the interior space (2,550mm long).

It sits 6 or 7, depending on how big the people are, but the intention is 7 of course, because some of the Japanese model pix shows 3 headrests for the 2nd row. The same Bernama report also confirmed it will come with a 1.5 liter engine, likely the 3SZ-VE in transverse-mounted front wheel drive configuration.

There has been an interesting video that’s surfaced on Youtube, but it could be removed soon. Watch it! Also, please read the link below to find out more about the Toyota/Daihatsu car that the Perodua D46T will be based on.

Related Posts:
Toyota Passo Sette 7-seater MPV: full details!

GALLERY: Toyota Passo Sette (Perodua MPV)

Video: Toyota Passo Sette TVC

Video: Toyota Passo Collection

Video: Toyota Passo Sette Collection – Interview #1

Video: Toyota Passo Sette Collection – Interview #2

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Anyone who scraps their cars which are older than 10 years will receive a RM5,000 discount to buy a new car, but only a new Proton or Perodua. Those who are looking at Nazas, Kias, Hyundais, Toyota, Honda or even a Chinese vehicle despite being CKD and have invested in Malaysia will not qualify. There is also zero incentive for those looking at a newer 2nd hand car, even if it is a Perodua or Proton.

No further details were announced – it’s best to go to your Proton or Perodua dealer to find out how you can scrap your car for the discount and whether all you’re going to get is RM 5,000 or you’ll get to keep the scrap value amount plus the RM 5,000. Scrapping your car could earn you perhaps RM 1,000 or more so that would be an extra bonus to the RM 5,000, but my guess it you won’t get any extra cash.

Proton already has a scrapping scheme running since the year 2007 called Proton XChange where old cars over 10 years old and owned by the owner for at least 6 months, registered and roadworthy can be traded in for RM 5,000 and so far up to 2,700 of such discounts have been issued. Once a car has been surrendered to Proton under the scheme it will be de-registered from the Road Transport Department and scrapped. As of now, Proton will still run its Proton XChange scheme, so essentially it will be the same thing as the government’s scrapping scheme. When I say the same, it truly is almost the same as part of the RM5k will be born by Proton and Perodua and the rest by the government, as with the Proton XChange program.

Other than the scrapping incentive scheme, the govt will also be pumping in an additional RM 200 million into the Automotive Industry Development Fund.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Subaru has revealed a newly improved Justy 1.0R which is basically a re-badged version of the Daihatsu Sirion which is known in Malaysia as the Perodua Myvi.

This newly “improved” version, designated as the Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition carries a limited production run of 100 units only, with 50 finished in Black Mica and another 50 in Shinning Red.

With a base price of £9,995 which is about £700 more than the standard 1.0R, the Twin Cam Special Edition is powered by the same 68HP 3 cylinder engine found in the 1.0R, and is treated to a rear roof spoiler, twin exhaust system, over roof ‘viper stripes’ and side decals, leather and alloy gear knob and rear privacy glass.

As standard, just like the 1.0R model, it features ABS with EBD, radio/CD player with AUX input, four electric windows and remote central-locking. There are also driver, passenger, front side and curtain airbags. Potential buyers can also opt for 15-inch Monza R alloy wheels wrapped with Toyo 185/55R15 tires for an extra £ 600.

Just the Myvi we have back at home, it is also one of the cheapest vehicles to run in Europe with a 64.2 miles to the gallon fuel consumption figure based on the Extra Urban Cycle and an annual £ 35 Road Fund License fee. Subaru also further revealed that “The new Justy 1.0 Twin Cam now offers even more, and offers a racy alternative for the younger, and the young-at-heart, motorist”.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

LATEST UPDATE: Toyota Passo Sette 7-seater MPV – full details!

Toyota and Daihatsu have called for a joint press conference in Japan on Christmas day to unveil their latest 7-seater compact MPV, strongly believed to be named the Toyota Passo Sette and the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous. After the car’s public unveiling this month, it will go on sale early next year about the same time as Proton is expected to launch its MPV, which could pose a problem for Proton as potential customers in Malaysia would be able to get a preview of this new MPV that will hit Malaysian roads as a Perodua in Q3 2009, just half a year after the Proton MPV is launched.

Still, the two vehicles are not exactly in the same segment. This new Toyota/Daihatsu/Perodua MPV is smaller than the Proton MPV. However because is primarily a Daihatsu product, it inherits the Japanese K-car’s expertise in squeezing the most space into the smallest package. The engine under the hood will be the 3SZ-VE 1.5 liter that’s found in the Toyota Avanza, but installed transversely instead of longitudinally and powering the front wheels instead of the rear wheels.

(dimension comparison table from my previous post)

Given how many Malaysians think long and hard between the Persona and the Myvi as if they were in the same segment when they are actually not because of similiar pricing, this new Perodua MPV could pose a real threat to the new Proton MPV for those who just must have a “Toyota”, whether with a Perodua badge or not.

An indicated price for the Japanese market car is between 1.45 million yen to 1.8 million yen, which is about RM57k to RM70k, so that should give you guys an idea how much a localised version would cost. Don’t expect things like the column shifter you see in the brochure above to make it into the Perodua version as the Passo also had that but it got switched to a traditional shifter between the seats for the Myvi.

Whether you want to call it the new Toyota Passo Sette, or the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous, or the 2009 Perodua MPV, you can check out interior photos and a side profile which have been revealed in the brochure above, which does not mention the vehicle’s name yet. Or for more details, check out the related links listed below.

Related Posts:
2009 Perodua MPV Artist’s Impression
New Toyota MPV: details of the new 3-row compact MPV that Perodua will also build
New Perodua MPV coming in September 2009

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

This set of photoshopped images confirm that our resident graphic artist Theophilus Chin is a crackhead I suppose if Nissan and Mitsubishi can create drop top versions of their tall-ish B-segment hatchbacks (the Micra C+C and the Colt CZC respectively), it’s probably not too insane for Theophilus to dream of a drop top Perodua Myvi… or not!

But seriously, Theo had nothing to do so he whipped up these photoshopped images just for fun. But what do you think? Would anyone buy something like this?

Two more images can be found after the jump.


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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

This is an artist’s impression of the upcoming Perodua MPV that is set to be released in Q3 2009. Theophilus Chin’s rendering is based on the upcoming Toyota-Daihatsu compact MPV project that is set to be launched in Indonesia in early 2009. The Malaysian launch will come soon after.

Theophilus has given the Perodua version of the new Toyota compact MPV an aggressive front bumper inspired by the front bumper of the Daihatsu Sirion Sport. The bulging nature of the front bumper’s wheel arches are to complement the slightly bulging rear wheel arch that the Toyota version has. The grille has hints of the new Hyundai i-series grille in it while the headlamps are inspired by the JDM Toyota Camry.

And there’s of course the Perodua badge. This is probably much more accurate than the random impression posted here some time ago.

Toyota’s new compact MPV set for a 2009 debut

As a recap, here is a table comparing the dimensions of the new Toyota MPV versus some other MPVs available in our market, as well as competing MPVs from other manufacturers.

For more details on this new compact MPV, visit the related links.

Related Links:
New Toyota MPV: details of the new 3-row compact MPV that Perodua will also build!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

We finally have some pretty solid but unofficial details on the upcoming compact 3-row MPV that Toyota and Daihatsu have been working on, scheduled to be launched next year. This is also the same vehicle that will be the base of the new Perodua MPV to be launched in Q3 of 2009, just in time for Hari Raya.

The word is that the Toyota version will be called the Toyota Passo Sette while the Daihatsu version will be called the Daihatsu Boon Ruminous, and will cost between 1,380,000 yen to 1,880,000 yen in Japan.

The Toyota version has a front end and headlamps that are very similiar to the current generation Toyota Vios. In classic Toyota style in knowing exactly how some Japanese love individuality and customization, the Japanese version will also get an alternate front end that is more sporty and aggressive. The Perodua version will naturally have its own front end, with a new grille, bumper and headlamps.

Toyota also has an existing compact 3-row MPV called the Toyota Sienta so it would be fair to compare this new MPV to the Sienta, and also the Passo/Boon/Myvi. And why not throw in the new Honda Freed into the mix. Let’s have a look:

From the table above we can see that the new MPV is wider as well as longer in both length and wheelbase compared to the Sienta and the Myvi. A 2750mm wheelbase is impressive – that’s as long as the Subaru Exiga, which is quite a big vehicle!

It’s also quite obvious from even photos that the new Perodua MPV will be between the Sienta and the Myvi in terms of height as the Sienta is quite tall, but this new MPV loses some of that height for a sleeker profile that is generally more acceptable outside of Japan. After all, Indonesia is expected to be a production center for the car in ASEAN.

Something also very interesting is the fact that it is equal to the Wish in terms of wheelbase but significantly shorter and also narrower. Another key difference between this new MPV and the Toyota Sienta is the fact that the Sienta has sliding doors for the rear doors while this car uses conventional swing doors.

The primary engine for the Japanese market will be the 1.5 liter 3SZ-VE producing 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque, but a 1.3 liter version could be available for the ASEAN market since the Avanza 1.3 was accepted quite well here.

The Japanese market interior will feature a dashboard with a centrally-mounted speedo and also a dash-mounted shifter (CVT for FWD, 4-speed auto for 4WD). ASEAN versions could see this shift lever moved to the area between the seats instead as we’ve seen this happen before with the Myvi (Passo) and the Nautica (Terios).

From the Toyota product photos of the interior leaked by MagX, the second row looks like it can either fit 3 adults but I think 2 adults and 1 child would be more comfortable. At least it comes with 3 headrests, though this may be omitted in our market for cost cutting. The third row is a strict 2-seater.

The second and third row can be folded down for a flat loading area. The loading area is 1330mm wide at the rear-most area but when you fold down the rear seats, this width reduces to 1045mm because of the rear wheel arches protruding into the cabin. The loading area height is 858mm.

So, there you have it. There’s no telling at the moment which market will get the new Toyota compact MPV first, but it’s either between one of the ASEAN countries (Indonesia in particular), or Japan. One possible unveiling schedule could see a more “sophisticated” (dash-mounted shifter, option for DVD player, etc) Japan version unveiled first, then a low cost ASEAN version, and finally the Perodua version in Q3 2009.

Look after the jump for one more side profile shot of the new Toyota/Daihatsu/Perodua 3-row compact MPV.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

The new updated Perodua Myvi SE has been launched in the Malaysian market, so let’s have a look through what’s new with this Special Edition model compared to the recently unveiled Perodua Myvi facelift.

The Perodua Myvi SE is essentially an easy way to accessorize your Perodua Myvi with all the costs of making it look different from the run of the mill Myvi factored into the hire purchase loan for you and installed straight from the factory.

What you get is a new bodykit featuring a different front bumper and a different rear bumper, a spoiler, and different 14″ alloy wheels. The new rear bumper features a diffuser-like design which looks so much better than the pre-facelift Myvi SE’s rear bumper. The taillamps are also now of a clear design and keep the LED lighting units inside while the headlamps are of a blacked out design.

On the interior you get leather upholstery on the seats as well as the steering wheel. The head unit is no longer integrated but of a 2-DIN type and comes standard with CD, MP3 and WMA capability. It can also load your music files from a USB drive, and it has Bluetooth capabilities. The instrument panel follows the facelifted Myvi’s three-gauge design but instead of being blue and white, it lights up in amber.

Interestingly the cute yellow Myvi that we saw in the spyshots is missing from the line-up of both the standard facelifted Myvi and this new Myvi SE. You do get one new colour – Tangerine Orange. Other colour options for the SE include Ivory White, Ebony Black, Glittering Siver or Pearl White. Pearl White is designated a “special metallic” colour that costs more than your normal metallic.

Basically that’s it – the enhancements are all aesthetics. The engine is still the same 1.3 liter unit producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm, and the brakes are still discs at the front and drums at the rear.

The following are the prices for the new Perodua Myvi SE:

Look after the jump for more photos of the Myvi SE including all colours.

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Ivory White

Glittering Silver

Ebony Black

Pearl White

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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Perodua has put up a preview teaser site for the new Perodua Myvi SE facelift. It’s quite a multimedia-heavy effort, and it seems that they’re spending alot on the internet, with even an Adsense campaign going online this week.

On the teaser site, you basically travel down some city streets and you pass signboards with teaser images of the new Myvi SE. You have to click on the signboard to view each teaser image. The images appear shrouded, but you can move your mouse around to uncover bits of the image. The countdown timer on the site indicates the car will be unveiled in approximately 6 days and 17 hours time at time of publishing.

That’s 6PM, Thursday October 9 2008.

Look after the jump for unshrouded versions of the teasers.

Related Posts:
New Perodua Myvi Facelift launched in Malaysia!
Perodua Myvi and Myvi SE facelift coming soon?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

The upcoming Perodua MPV is still pretty far off, set to roll off the production lines only in September 2009, but here is a rendered speculation by Theophilus Chin of how it will might look like. Based on an existing Toyota compact MPV, the styling for this three row MPV rendering is largely based off the Perodua Viva.

Perodua CEO Datuk Hafiz mentioned in an interview with The Edge Weekly earlier this year that we should think of the new Perodua MPV as a smaller Toyota Wish that will have three rows and sit 6 people comfortably (probably not 7 because of a Perodua’s typically compact size and thus reduced width).

It will be based on the recently announced new Indonesian-based MPV model that was announced in March this year and is currently still under development by Toyota and Daihatsu. Perodua will apply its own styling onto the model.

Look after the jump for a rear shot of Theophilus Chin’s rendering as well as some other photoshop “experiments”. PS: KSG = Kenderaan Serba Guna.


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These are just some extra renderings from Theophilus as a result of a boring weekend…

Perodua Kici

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Sometime later in the future we may see Daihatsu coming out with a tiny smart/iQ-like car, perhaps powered by an electric drivetrain. Naturally it might trickle down to the Perodua model range.

Perodua Borong

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A replacement for the commercial Perodua Rusa, which if ever comes into existance is likely to only come with minor styling changes and based on the Daihatsu Gran Max.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

The Perodua Myvi has received a facelift 3 years after it was launched, at a time which would appropriately be mid-point in its lifecycle. There are updates with the exterior, interior, equipment as well as price, which naturally have been revised higher.

Continue reading after the jump for full details of the updated Myvi…

RELATED: 2008 Perodua Myvi SE Facelift – Full Details, Photos and Prices

On the exterior you get a new look on the front and the rear, more of the front than the rear actually as the rear only gets a new bumper. The front gets a new bonnet and front bumper with new foglamps but the headlamp remains the same. All 1.3 liter models get UV protection glass which are said to be able to repel 91% of harmful UV rays.

The interior receives the option for a blue Optitron meter panel for the Premium version, a style that was introduced on the Myvi SE. The rest of the Myvi range continues to have the amber Optitron meter, and the white meter is now gone. The meter panel is now of a three-gauge design with the speedo rearranged to the middle instead of previously located on the left. The rev meter has been moved from the right to the left.

The dashboard is now two tone with a separate colour for the lower section. The area where the audio and climate controls are have also been revised. The integrated audio system gains the ability to read MP3 and WMA files from CDs, and there is now a USB port (1.3 Premium only) for you to plug in a thumb drive or a media player. The system also has a Bluetooth handsfree feature (1.3 Premium only) to pipe your phone calls through the car’s audio system.

The seats have also been redesigned with a new cover design (for 1.3 liter only) and for the premium versions now feature the ability for seat height adjustment up to 45mm.

The premium version also features a teh tarik hook at the back of the front passenger seat. All versions get an underseat tray under the front passenger seat.

The engines are unchanged. The lower end models use a 1.0 liter EJ-VE inline-3 DOHC engine with variable valve timing producing 58 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 88Nm of torque at 3,600rpm while the 1.3 liter models use the K3-VE inline-4 DOHC with variable valve timing producing 86 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 116Nm of torque at 3,200rpm.

The following is a table of the facelifted Myvi’s equipment. Click for larger version.

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And the following is the new pricing for the facelifted Myvi:

Interest rates are now apparently between 4.1% to 4.3% depending on loan period.

8 colors are available and you can see all of them after the jump. The Medallion Grey looks like the same colour as the one offered on the recently launched Perodua Nautica, while Carribean Blue is a type of light blue. There are now two whites – one is the Ivory White which we all know and the other is Pearl White.

Two colours are designated “Special Metallic” colours and cost an average of RM400 more than the other colors – Glittering Silver and Pearl White.

Medallion Grey

Ivory White

Pearl White

Klasik Gold

Mistik Red

Ebony Black

Caribbean Blue

Glittering Silver

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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Perodua has launched the Perodua Viva in Sri Lanka through its Sri Lankan distributor Unimo Enterprises. The Viva line-up there consists of the 660cc, 850cc, 1000cc Standard manual and auto as well as the 1000cc Premium manual and auto.It is priced from 1.45 million Sri Lankan rupees (RM45,450) onwards.

Unimo Enterprises is a subsidiary of United Motors Lanka, which distributes brands such as Perodua cars, Yokohama tyres, Mitsubishi cars, Mitsubishi Fuso trucks, Valvoline oil, and TVS motorcycles. Unimo previously sold the Perodua Kelisa, with total sales of 1500 units since its introduction in 2004.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

They say the government will benefit from such a move because of higher excise duty income, and the related authorities will also benefit from the simplicity of multiple vehicle types being assigned a single tax category. They say the increased duties will encourage automakers to locally assemble their MPVs and SUVs, and for those who are already assembling them locally, it will encourage a higher use of local content.

We all know that both Proton and Perodua will be introducing MPV vehicles in 2009. This push for a single excise duty will definitely benefit the Proton MPV and Perodua MPV as the percentage of local content in the two vehicles will be higher than locally assembled or ASEAN-imported foreign makes.

Also in the memorandum sent to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry is the recommendation of streamlining the road tax prices for both petrol and diesel vehicles to promote the use of fuel efficient diesel vehicles, a proposal to scrap import duties on automotive-related raw materials, and a proposal for a vehicle end of life policy.

Yup, in times where fuel prices are so high, they’re still trying to get the government to take away that 25 year old car that you’re forced to use because your monthly fuel expenditure is too high for you to afford the loan repayments of a new car.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.

Related Posts:
Compulsory rear seatbelt usage from June onwards
Government to ink deal for free rear seatbelts

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 05:44:39 +0800.