Paul Tan's Automotive News» Perodua Viva at Paul Tan’s Automotive News

Perodua Viva Elite: a new look for the Viva

Paul Tan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:40:12 +0000

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

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva 660 BX replaces the Kancil

Paul Tan — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:02:37 +0000

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.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

2 new colours for the Perodua Viva

Paul Tan — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 17:41:27 +0000

The Perodua Viva was originally launched with 5 colours – Pearl Jade, Tropical Green, Ivory White, Passion Red and Glittering Silver. From what I’ve seen on the roads lately, Pearl Jade seems to be the most popular one, though maybe it’s just by chance that I seem to see only Pearl Jade Perodua Vivas running around wherever I am.

There are two new colours now. One of them is a nice blue that we’ve seen before during the spyshots called Sapphire Blue, and the other is Ebony Black. Pictured above is the Sapphire Blue Perodua Viva, and after the jump you will be able to see the Ebony Black version as well as all the original colours available from the launch date.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva bodykit now available

Paul Tan — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 17:25:40 +0000

Click to enlarge

We first saw an artist’s impression of a Perodua Viva bodykit back in May this year when graphics artist Theophilus Chin whipped up a kitted version of the Perodua Viva. Well, now there’s an official kit from Perodua for the Viva. I don’t have any nice clear images of the kitted up Perodua Viva, but above is a scan from a newspaper ad showing off the new Perodua Viva bodykit.

Perodua calls the Perodua Viva bodykit a sportskit, and it includes a chrome rear garnish above the number plate, a rear spoiler, full skiring for the front, sides and rear, mocha-painted headlamps, and a radiator grille garnish. The kitted up Perodua Viva rides on 14 inch alloy wheels with a new design. The long antenna has also been replaced with a short beesting-style antenna. This highest spec kit also includes fog lamps with dark inserts – all the 3 trim levels do not include fog lamps as standard.

How much? I don’t know, but I will update this as soon as I check out the showrooms for pricing details as well as which trim levels it is available on.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Civil servants get 100% financing for Perodua Viva

Paul Tan — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:49:50 +0000

Perodua is currently having a promotion for civil servants which will allow them to buy a Viva through Bank Rakyat hire purchase financing and enjoy 100% financing for a 10 year loan period. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with Takaful Ikhlas Sdn Bhd to provide personal insurance protection coverage for civil servants. Perodua expects to sell 10,000 units of the Perodua Viva through this scheme.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva Bodykit Artist’s Impression

Paul Tan — Thu, 17 May 2007 15:41:15 +0000

Theophilus Chin works his magic with Photoshop again to tease our imagination with his concept of how a special edition kitted up Perodua Viva might look like. His Perodua Viva Special Edition was created by adding the original Daihatsu Charade’s front bumper, widening its corner vents, adding fog lights from Peugeot 207 GTi, widening the front and rear wheel fenders, adding bigger wheels and rims from the Peugeot 207 GTi, deeper side skirt, black B and C-pillars, darkened headlights surrounds, a new grille from Mazda 3, and finally doing the body up in a metallic red-ish tone.

Click the image above to view an enlarged version.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva and Perodua Myvi Loan Comparison

Paul Tan — Sun, 13 May 2007 18:41:00 +0000

We can assume if you buy a Perodua, you’re most likely going to be a very price-sensitive person. If you haven’t read my previous comparison of the Perodua Myvi and Perodua Viva, please click here to read it first. This blog entry focuses on the financial details if you buy a Perodua Viva or a Perodua Myvi.

First, we look at how much the car would cost in monthly repayments over a period of 3, 5 or 7 years assuming a 10% downpayment and 3.88% interest rate. The two variants of the Viva and Myvi I am using here are the Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium with Airbags and ABS, and the Perodua Myvi 1.3 liter Premium with Airbags and ABS. Both are of the automatic transmission variant with metallic paint.

First, let’s look at how much the two cars cost monthly. Over a 5-year loan which is what most people would take, the difference in monthly repayment between the Viva and the Myvi is about RM91.62 a month, or RM1099.44 a year. Over a 7-year loan, it is RM69.70 a month – or RM836.40 a year. If you think of it in monthly terms, an extra RM91.62 a month gets you an upgrade from A-segment to B-segment, more interior width so the rear bench is more comfortable with 3 people seated, and a smoother 4-cylinder engine that makes more power, together with a better power to weight ratio.

But let’s not forget what upgrading to a bigger 1.3 liter 4-cylinder engine will do – increase your fuel consumption. For this one, it’s a little bit tricky. We’ve got two different km per liter figures to play with – Perodua’s optimum situation claims as well as estimated real life scenarios for the Viva, as well as the average reported fuel consumption for the Myvi from the Myvi owners I’ve asked. We also assume a traveling distance of 1500km a month (50km to and fro work daily, times 30 to factor for other misc traveling during weekdays and weekends), and the current RON97 petrol price of RM1.92 per liter.

Using the optimum fuel consumption calculation – you’ll save RM22.60 a month driving the Viva compared to driving a Perodua Myvi. Using the estimated real life scenario fuel consumption calculation, you’ll save RM31.42 a month. This brings the the amount you have to fork out every month for a Viva to RM1,022.02 a month inclusive of 5-year loan monthly installment and fuel expenditure, and for the Myvi – RM1,145.06. Damn, even though these are supposed to be affordable, these cars are looking pretty expensive to run now. The difference between the Myvi and Viva for a 5-year loan in this case is RM123.04, or RM1476.48 a year.

This is of course, a calculation for the first year where your road tax and insurance premium has already been covered in the purchase price. But let’s just keep things simple for the moment. The Myvi has a higher insured value and a larger engine, thus the two items will be more expensive, further widening that RM123.04 gap but it won’t be too big a difference. In terms of percentage, it’s about a 12 percent difference.

What’s RM123.04, or a savings of 12 percent worth to you? Is it worth the upgrade from the Viva to a Myvi? I’m not here to decide for you, just presenting to you the figures so you can decide for yourself.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Myvi vs Perodua Viva

Paul Tan — Fri, 11 May 2007 10:42:23 +0000

I know some of you who are thinking of buying the Perodua Myvi are now considering buying the top of the range Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium instead. So I’m going to do a little comparison here. If you have anything to add, please feel free to comment and contribute to the discussion.

Power

Interestingly, it seems that the same 1.0 liter DVVT EJ-VE engine in the Perodua Viva makes more torque than the Perodua Myvi’s 1.0 liter DVVT EJ-VE engine. The Viva claims to make 90Nm of torque at 3,600rpm, while the Myvi 1.0 liter only makes 88Nm at 3,600rpm – that’s a minor difference of only 2Nm though.

Since the Perodua Viva 1.0 liter would clearly beat the Myvi 1.0 in terms of power to weight ratio, so let’s compare the Myvi 1.3 to the Viva 1.0 Premium instead. The Myvi 1.3 weighs 955kg and puts out 86 horsepower. That’s a power to weight ratio of 0.09 horsepower per kg. As for the Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium, it weighs 800kg and puts out 60 horsepower – that gives it a power to weight ratio of 0.075 horsepower per kg.

So we can conclude that in a drag race, the Viva won’t be able to smoke it’s larger sibling in stock form. That doesn’t mean the Viva is terribly slow – in a previous supermini shootout done together with folks at NST Life & Times, I found that the Myvi effortlessly smoked other superminis with larger 1.5 liter engines.

Another thing to point out is the Perodua Myvi 1.3 liter uses a 4-cylinder engine, and 4-cylinder engines are alot smoother than 3-cylinder engines like the one found in the Perodua Viva. 3-cylinders have more vibration, which might end up being felt by you in the steering wheel and other points in the chassis.

Fuel Economy

According to Perodua’s own charts, the Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium can travel 17.5km per liter of petrol on a combined cycle which I suspect involves alot of light footed driving and highway cruising. This is for the manual transmission. The Myvi 1.3 manual is rated at 17.1km per liter of petrol. Very similar fuel consumption, however the people on the streets who actually own the Myvi 1.3 manual reports actual mileage of about 13 to 14 km per liter if driven frugally.

As for the auto transmission, Perodua says the Myvi 1.3 Auto can get 13.5 km per liter, however the average man on the street usually gets about 10 to 11 km per liter. Comparing it to the Viva 1.0 liter automatic, Perodua says it can get 15.1km per liter, so expect about 12km per liter in reality.

Thus we can assume the Viva automatic should be a little more frugal than the Perodua Myvi automatic, but for the manual transmission models actual fuel economy should prove to be about the same.

Space

The Perodua Viva is actually longer in the interior than the Perodua Myvi at 1845mm compared to the Perodua Myvis 1835mm, but a great margin narrower. Having a long interior is important, it ensures the rear passenger legroom is at comfortable levels, just like the Perodua Myvi’s. However, being narrower the downside is you can’t really fit 3 people in the rear bench comfortably, making the Perodua Viva more of a 4-seater than a 5-seater. The Viva’s boot is only 149 liters with the rear bench upright compared to the Myvi’s 255 liters, significantly smaller, however you can extend this size by dropping the rear passenger bench to create a 449 liter space.

Ride and Handling

Nothing much can be said about the Perodua Myvi’s handling abilities other than the fact that it’ll probably get you to work and back safely. From what I’ve heard from some journalists who’ve driven the car, I think I shouldn’t expect much of the Viva’s either. Which is a shame as the Kelisa was a somewhat fun drive. Many will miss the Kelisa’s zippy DNA which is reportedly missing in the new Viva. If you want a driver’s small car, go get the Proton Savvy.

Equipment levels

One thing I am concerned about is the lack of an integrated CD player head unit in the Perodua Viva, which means Viva owners will have to be careful about where they park their cars lest their mirrors get smashed and their head units stolen. However, this means the CD player can be easily swapped.

The equipment level of the Perodua Viva 1.0 liter standard is disappointing to be honest, not even proper alloy wheels are supplied, instead you are given steel wheels. This means a difference of roughly RM4k on average gets you airbags, ABS, proper alloy wheels, wing mirrors with signal lamps, roof spoiler, and etc. I’m really not sure if it’s worth it or not – I’ll leave it up to you.

The Perodua Myvi on the other hand has just about everything you need in the baseline 1.3 liter model. It also feels more premium because of an interior design that looks abit more higher grade, as well as Optitron-style meters which are self illuminating, unlike the backlit meter clusters of the Perodua Viva.

Safety

Both the Viva Premium and Myvi Premium have dual airbags, antilock brakes – the usual stuff. The Perodua Myvi’s Japanese cousin the 2005 Daihatsu Sirion scored a 4 star score in the Euro NCAP crash test for adult protection, while crash test results of the previous gen Daihatsu Mira that the Perodua Viva is based managed a 3 star rating.

Price

Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Solid: RM36,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Metallic: RM37,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Solid: RM39,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Metallic: RM40,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Solid: RM40,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Metallic: RM41,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Solid: RM43,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Metallic: RM44,200

Perodua Myvi 1300cc MT Solid: RM43,007.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc MT Metallic: RM43,530.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc AT Solid: RM45,912.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc AT Metallic: RM46,435.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium MT Solid: RM45,912.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium MT Metallic: RM46,435.80
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Solid: RM48,792.60
Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Metallic: RM49,315.80

The differences between the non-Premium and Premium versions of the Perodua Viva is roughly about RM4,000, while in the Myvi it is only about RM2,900 or so.

So yeah, Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium Auto Metallic at RM44,200 or the Perodua Myvi 1300cc Premium AT Metallic at RM49,315.80? That’s a difference of about RM5,000 there for a bigger engine, slightly more performance, a minor decrease in fuel consumption frugalness, a wider interior space, and a bigger boot.

The boot space doesn’t matter to me – both boots are too small for serious usage unless you put the rear bench seats down.

Is that extra RM5,000 to go from A-segment to B-segment worth it, or would you rather save the money?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

New Perodua Viva Full Details, Photos and Price!

Paul Tan — Thu, 10 May 2007 16:18:48 +0000

Finally after a long wait full of anticipation speculation, the “mini Myvi” Kancil/Kelisa Replacement Model that used to be known as the Perodua D18D has been finally unveiled, and it’s name is Perodua Viva. This won’t come as much of a surprise to many people as the name had been leaked out for quite some time already, but now we get to know the Perodua Viva’s full specifications, details, features, clear non-spyshot photos as well as most importantly, how much it costs! More details after the jump.

The Perodua Viva is an A-segment car. What will make it a killer is it’s perceived Toyota DNA and the lack of any other viable choices in the A-segment. It seems most typical A-segment buyers have moved up to the B-segment, especially to the Perodua Myvi. Perodua’s A-segment offering is already more than a decade old and the standards of how big an A-segment car should be has pretty much changed. The Kancil has become too small for anyone other than the very poor.

Sales of the Kancil and Kelisa have dropped from the year 2003 onwards, declining steadily from about 100,000 a year in 2003 to only about 60,000 a year in 2006. With the introduction of the Perodua Viva, Perodua intends to change the market perception of it’s A-segment models from SMALL to COMPACT, from CHEAP to AFFORDABLE, and from INFERIOR QUALITY to HIGH QUALITY.

Perodua Viva Interior

Based on the previous generation Daihatsu Mira which has only just been replaced last year, it’s really no secret how the Viva looks like. It was shown at the KLIMS as the Perodua XX06 Concept fully undisguised for everyone to see, albeit having no doors. Inheriting Daihatsu’s K-car expertise, the Perodua Viva shares the Myvi’s space-efficient interior engineering. In terms of interior length, the Perodua Viva is actually longer than the Perodua Myvi, at 1845mm compared to the Perodua Myvi’s 1835mm. This interior length is class leading, with all competitors including it’s own Kancil and Kelisa models having interiors shorter than 1790mm.

As for interior width, it is 1300mm wide, compared to the Myvi’s 1400mm. It’s definitely wider than the Kelisa’s 1220mm and 1185mm. The Perodua Viva has a 149 liter boot capacity with the rear seats up, and this increases to 449 liters with the rear seats down.

It’s four doors open 90 degrees, an improvement over even the Perodua Myvi which has an 80 degree door opening angle, and a big improvement over the Kelisa’s 60 degree door opening angle. There are many storage compartments in the car, other than the usual glovebox, there is a tray located under the passenger seat.

Different Trim Levels

L-R: 660 and 850cc, 1000cc, 1000cc Premium

The Perodua Viva comes in four trim levels – 660cc, 850cc, 1000cc, and 1000cc premium. The Perodua Viva 660cc has trim level that is obviously for cost-saving reasons. Bumpers, door handles, and wing mirrors are material coloured – that usual grayish stuff that’s unpainted. Even the door trim has no fabric. The audio system is a radio and cassette player only, without an option for CD, and there are only front speakers. Wheels are 12 inch steel wheels. Seat covers are specified as “standard grade”, whatever that means. The side and front turn signals are amber lense units. There are no power windows.

The Perodua Viva 850cc takes it up one notch with the door handles and bumpers painted to the body colour, though the door is still without fabric. Wheels are still 12 inch steel wheels, but a full wheel cap is supplied. Power windows are available. Seat cover material is specified as “medium grade”. The audio system is equipped with a CD player and also 4-speakers. It also has powered windows, which means you can adjust it’s angle from within the car through button control, but it does not have a retracting feature. Both the 660cc and 850cc have no power steering!

The Perodua Viva 1000cc adds some nifty features like the under-seat tray, headlamp buzzer warning (in case you leave your car with your headlamp on), seat height adjuster, and most importantly the power steering. The wheels are still steel wheels with full wheel cap covers, but are 13 inch in size. Side and front turn signals are of the clear lens type. The premium version has the usual creature comforts such as electrically retractable side mirrors, a first for a Perodua car. Even the premium Myvi does not have this feature. Other premium feature are the height-adjustable driver’s seat and the vanity mirror on the sun visor.

Of course, the features that are a must for any premium line version of a local car are ABS and dual SRS airbags, available only on the 1000cc Premium trim of the Perodua Viva. The 1000cc Premium has what Perodua calls “High Grade” seats, while the 1000cc standard uses the same medium grade seats as the 850cc.

Other than the different engines, other technical specs you should take note of is the suspension system. All Perodua Viva cars use McPherson struts are the front and a torsion beam setup at the rear, but the 1000cc models have an additional stabilizer bar in front.

Perodua Viva Engines

Powering the Perodua Viva is a range of three engines, which all come with DVVT Variable Valve Timing. Yes, DVVT even for the 660cc and 850cc models. The 660cc EF-VE engine is a high revver, with peak power of 47 horsepower coming in at a high 7,200rpm. The engine readline is an astronomical 8,000rpm (look at the photo of the meter panel below), numbers usually associated with performance cars, but is actually quite typical of small displacement K-car engines. Peak torque of 58Nm arrives at 4,400rpm.

The 850cc engine option is the ED-VE, making slightly higher horsepower than the 660cc at 52 horsepower, however it is achieved at a lower 6,000rpm. Peak torque is also higher and arrives earlier in the rev range – 76Nm at 4,000rpm. The biggest displacement engine is the EJ-VE which we are all familiar with since the Myvi 1.0 liter – 60 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 90Nm of torque achieved at a low 3,600rpm. All cars come with a 5-speed manual gearbox, but the 1000cc models have 4-speed automatic gearboxes.

Here is a table with the claimed fuel consumption figures of the Perodua Viva compared to it’s competitors:

Finally, what everyone’s been waiting for. How much does the Perodua Viva cost?

Perodua Viva Prices

Perodua Viva 660cc MT Solid: RM28,400
Perodua Viva 660cc MT Metallic: RM28,800
Perodua Viva 850cc MT Solid: RM32,500
Perodua Viva 850cc MT Metallic: RM32,900
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Solid: RM36,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc MT Metallic: RM37,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Solid: RM39,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc AT Metallic: RM40,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Solid: RM40,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium MT Metallic: RM41,200
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Solid: RM43,800
Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium AT Metallic: RM44,200

The baseline Viva is about 6k more expensive than the cheapest Perodua Kancil 660EX Manual with solid colour. However perhaps this price is justified considering you get alot more interior space as well as a much more modern engine – the Kancil only has a carburetted engine making 31 horsepower. Besides, Perodua has decided to keep the Kancil in production, which means the Viva is technically a Kelisa Replacement Model. If you’re on an ultra-low budget, the Kancil is still the car for you I suppose.

The Perodua Viva comes with a 3 year manufacturer warranty.

Video: Perodua Viva Infomercial and Commercial

Perodua Viva 660cc Photos

The 660cc engine is a serious high revver – 8,000rpm redline!

Perodua Viva 850cc Photos

Perodua Viva 1000cc Photos

Perodua Viva 1000cc Premium Photos

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva to launch tomorrow night

Paul Tan — Wed, 09 May 2007 06:19:09 +0000

Perodua XX06 Concept

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Be sure to tune in to NTV7’s Thursday Night Live segment at 9pm tomorrow night (10th May 2007) for the launch of the new A-segment model Perodua D18D, or Perodua Viva as everyone has been calling it.

The Perodua D18D is rumored to cost between RM28,000 to RM43,000. Though some are saying the most expensive Viva will cost about RM46,000, I think this is highly unlikely as it causes some price segment overlapping and does not make sense from a product planning perspective.

Full details will be known by all of us tomorrow night, so stay tuned! In the meanwhile, have a look at all the previous blog posts in this blog covering the topic of the Perodua Viva. There are plenty of spyshots for you to have a preview of how it will look like.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua D18D Teaser: Headlamps

Paul Tan — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:16:34 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Those who signed up for the Perodua D18D (Perodua Viva)’s Looking For Love web teaser should have received an email by now with a teaser image of it’s headlamps. From what I can see, although the Perodua Viva is based on the a previous generation Daihatsu Mira, Perodua has facelifted it’s styling to mirror the latest model Daihatsu Mira recently launched in Japan.

I personally got Glittering Silver as my colour, though in reality for a car like the Viva I’d prefer a more fun colour. What colour did you get?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua D18D to launch on 10th May 2007

Paul Tan — Tue, 01 May 2007 13:42:33 +0000

Perodua XX06 Concept

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Perodua will be launching the new replacement for both the Perodua Kancil and Perodua Kelisa on the 10th of May 2007. Word on the street is the new car codenamed Perodua D18D will be called the Perodua Viva, but let’s wait until the launch to find out full details on the new car that’s set to take the budget car market to new levels.

Perodua’s production targets for the new car is between 7,000 to 8,000 units, and already 2,000 units of stock are ready to be delivered by the launch date. Three engine sizes are available – 660cc, 850cc and the top of the line 1,000cc, and all three engines will have electronic fuel injection and DVVT variable valve timing.

Booking for the new Perodua D18D (Perodua Viva) starts today, on the 1st of May 2007. If you visit the showrooms, some of them should have details on the car and will be giving you a sales pitch for pre-launch booking already.

Source: Business Times

As a recap, here are some of the previous posts covering the Perodua Viva. Check them out to view all the spyshots and juicy details previously posted about the car!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva Teaser Ads are up!

Paul Tan — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:45:36 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

I saw a teaser ad for the Perodua Viva, or Perodua D18D as it’s called by it’s codename on the Motor Trader main page. It’s the banner above that says “Looking for love?” If you click it, you’ll reach a flash page with the codename D18D in it’s URL address, and what you see is shown in the photo above. Basically it’s a small quiz thing aimed at getting a mailing list or something, which will be used for Perodua Viva launch updates perhaps?

Some journalists have already been to a media test drive somewhere, and with the appearance of these teaser ads, it means the Perodua Viva’s launch is coming soon.

Check out the Perodua D18D Looking for love teaser site.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva to launch in May 2007

Paul Tan — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:11:51 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

The Perodua Kancil and Perodua Kelisa have jointly raked in sales of about 700,000 units since 1994. As you all know, both models will be replaced this year with the eagerly awaited Perodua Viva.

We finally have an indication of the launch date – the Perodua Viva will be launched somewhere in May 2007 and will feature three engine options – 660cc, 850cc and 1,000cc. Price range is unknown, but some have indicated a price range of between under RM30,000 up to somewhere in the RM40,000 range for the highest spec 1.0 liter automatic model.

Perodua expects to sell 7,000 units a month of the new Perodua Viva, and is preparing about 2,000 to 3,000 units of stock in hand before launching. It would be interesting to note that the Perodua Myvi was originally launched with a sales target of 4,800 units a month, but actual sales shot rocket high, and after so long the Myvi still gets healthy sales of about 6,000 units a month average. Almost every fresh graduate or college student I know has the Myvi as their first choice of car, some even stretching loans up to 7 or 9 years just so they can afford the car.

As a recap, here are some of the previous posts covering the Perodua Viva. Check them out to view all the spyshots and juicy details previously posted about the car!

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva Photos on Forum

Paul Tan — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:34:12 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Forumers have been waiting excitedly in anticipation of the new upcoming Perodua Kancil and Kelisa Replacement Model to be launched. Talk is that the new car will be called the Perodua Viva. Expect it to be launched very very soon, as a reliable whisper through the grapevines is that the TV advertisement clips for the Perodua Viva have already been shot. Click the following link to the forum posts with the images.

Perodua Viva – Exterior
Perodua Viva – Specs

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Perodua Viva: 660cc, 850cc, 1000cc Kancil/Kelisa Replacement Model to be unveiled mid-2007

Paul Tan — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:54:30 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Perodua’s upcoming Kelisa and Kancil Replacement Model is due to be launched in the middle of this year, somewhere around June or July, replacing it’s 13-year old Kancil and 5-year old Kelisa models, reported The Edge Daily. The Perodua Kancil has been somewhat of an asset to the Malaysian automotive industry, and Malaysians themselves, allowing low-income families who use motorcycles to upgrade to a 4-wheeled vehicle due to it’s low entry price.

Rumours have been going around that the Kancil would be retained as an ultra-low end model, with the new car replacing only the Kelisa, but Perodua managing director Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar has cleared these doubts, saying Perodua will have a single model serving the 1 liter and below segment. Some specifications of the new car have been released by Perodua – the 1.0 liter Kancil Replacement Model will come in both manual and automatic transmissions, but there will also be manual-only variants in both 660cc and 850cc form. All 3 engine variants will feature electronic fuel injection and DVVT dynamic variable valve timing.

Perodua has also learned from the Perodua Myvi’s overwhelming runaway success – instead of stockpiling only 1,000 units for the launch orders which was done for the Myvi, the upcoming Perodua Kancil and Kelisa Replacement Model would have between 2,000 to 3,000 cars stockpiled to cater to demand. Production capacity will be 7,000 units monthly.

Perodua’s new Kancil and Kelisa Replacement model is expected to account for 30% of sales this year, with a remaining 40% expected to comprise of Perodua Myvi variants, and 30% for all other models. As for the new car’s name, it isn’t revealed yet, but most people have started referring to it as the Perodua Viva. Spyshots of these car have been captured since end-2005, so we’ve been waiting for this one for more than a year now.

Refer to the related posts below for a series of spyshots of the upcoming Perodua Kancil and Kelisa Replacement Model

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

New Daihatsu Mira launched in Japan

Paul Tan — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:32:47 +0000

Daihatsu Japan has updated their Daihatsu Mira with a new model and guess what… the new facelift seems to sport headlamps that look like they belong to the Myvi family! A similiar design has been spotted on the new Perodua Kancil Replacement Model that has been seen doing testing rounds lately. Look after the jump for some comparisons…

Above is a comparison between the three headlamps. The new Daihatsu Mira front end loses the sharp edged look that it’s predecessor had, now instead appearing more curvy than before. Similiarly, the new front grille has been made more curvy to match the new headlamps. Of course, a new bonnet is also required to match the contour of the new bumper and front grille.

The shape of the widebody-like wheel arch has also been smoothened out to lose it’s sharp edged look. The front bumper has been given a new sportier 3 intake design, the classic two smaller intakes flanking a larger intake in the middle for the radiator. Of course, the wing mirror have gained the customary turn signal indicators that seem to be latest in automotive fashion!

The interior has also been updated. Above is the new interior while the bottom photo is the old interior. With the new Mira, the gear shift has been moved to the center dash instead of positioned traditionally between the two front seats. Our new 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model will likely get the gear shift in the traditional position instead, like the previous generation Mira that it was based on.

Just to remind you how the 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model looks like, here’s a spyshot from one of my previous entries. At the end of this entry, you will find links to all my previous coverage on the 2007 Perodua Kancil Replacement Model to date. Enjoy!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) sighted in Mines

Paul Tan — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 12:22:13 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen sightings of the upcoming 2007 Perodua Kancil replacement model – the last was shots of a blue one and a white one somewhere up Genting. Here are a series of 3 spyshots of the Perodua Kancil replacement model being tested in Mines, on the way to Bangi. Thanks to reader Tau. Two other photos after the jump.

It looks like one of these cars are a high spec version while the other is a low spec version. If you look at the wing mirror of the car below that’s likely to be a high spec version of the car, there seems to be some gray item which looks like a clear plastic insert – it’s not clear but it looks like it could be a signal light.

The front design is very similiar to the Perodua XX06 Concept shown recently at the 2006 KL International Motor Show. Have a look at the other links I listed below for other spyshots of the Kancil replacement model.

More news and spyshots of the 2007 Kancil Replacement Model:

Perodua Viva to launch in May 2007
Perodua Viva Photos on Forum
Perodua Viva to be unveiled mid-2007
New Daihatsu Mira launched in Japan
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) sighted in Mines
Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) spotted!
Kancil and Kelisa Replacements in first half 2007 (Perodua Viva)
Upcoming Perodua Kelisa replacement?
Could this be a Kancil Replacement Model?
New Perodua Kancil / Kelisa coming down our alley?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Kancil Replacement Model (Perodua Viva) spotted!

Paul Tan — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 06:31:02 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

New spyshots of the new Kancil/Kelisa Replacement Model are in! These shots are thanks to reader Nicholas Gan who snapped these photos at a top secret location somewhere in town. Nah, it’s actually somewhere up Genting. You know all those jokes about how Kancils don’t have enough power to go up the hill? Well, this just proves the new replacement can! There are two cars here. The blue one is the original Daihatsu Mira design straight from Japan. The other one is somewhat different, it looks like the Perodua XX06 Concept shown at the KL International Motor Show. So it’s likely that they will be using this facelift for the final product or they’re just borrowing the body panels. It’s likely to be the first one though. Let’s have a look at this new model by Perodua due to be launched sometime next year. More photos after the jump.

This is the original Daihatsu Mira, also called a Daihatsu Charade in certain countries. The original Perodua Kancil was also based on a Daihatsu Mira. The Perodua Kelisa was based on a variation of the Mira. These names vary from country to country.

The Kancil Replacement Model gets a new grille, front bumper, headlamps, fenders and a new bonnet with a design that matches the shape of the new front grille. While the original Mira had a more boxy shape, Perodua’s facelift takes on slightly more curvy design cues.

This is the original Mira butt. Numberplate on the bumper, and large empty surface area on the rear hatch. Daihatsu generally pulls off the very bare back look much better than most manufacturers.

This is Perodua’s facelift. The number plate has been moved onto the rear hatch, so this calls for a new rear bumper and a new rear hatch.

We can’t really see how the interior looks like clearly, but if you peek through the rear windscreen in one of the rear shots you can see that the meter console is positioned right in front of the driver instead of in the middle.

Perodua says this replacement for both the current Perodua Kancil and Perodua Kelisa will be out in the first half of 2007, most likely from March 2007 onwards. Since it is replacing both the Kancil and Kelisa, we can assume it’s engine options will serve both ranges of cars – 660cc, 850cc and 1,000cc. UPDATE: In an interview with Bernama, Perodua shareholder UMW Holdings Bhd’s group chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin said the new car would come with 660cc and 1,000cc engines, and carburettors would be phased out and replaced with electronic fuel injection.

I’ll leave you guys with photos of the original Daihatsu Mira as well as the Mira’s interior. The new Perodua’s interior could be based on the original interior or it could be some new altogether, we’ll just have to wait and see.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Kancil and Kelisa Replacements in first half 2007 (Perodua Viva)

Paul Tan — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:28:36 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Perodua has been really quiet lately, reveling in the massive success of the Perodua Myvi. Not much news of new cars from them, which is understandable as Myvi sales might be cannibalised. But now there’s something to look forward to. Perodua has announced a replacement for both the Perodua Kancil and the Perodua Kelisa will be released in the first half of 2007, beginning from March 2007 onwards.

UMW Holdings Bhd group chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin said both models will be kept, and would maintain their current engine capacities of 660cc and 850cc for the Kancil segment and 1000cc for the Kelisa segment. Perodua’s current Kelisa also includes a lower spec 850cc model. Production of Kancil and Kelisa would be phased out gradually after the replacement model was introduced. UMW Holdings Bhd controls about 38% of Perodua.

The Perodua Kancil and Perodua Kelisa contribute a total of 4,000 units a month sales to Perodua, second to it’s best-selling model Perodua Myvi which has a total sales figure of 7,000 units a month.

Recently Perodua showcased it’s XX06 Concept Car at the KL International Motor Show 2006. It looks like a modified Daihatsu Mira. Check out the related posts below for spyshots of what could be the new Perodua vehicle to replace the Kancil and Kelisa.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Upcoming Perodua Kelisa replacement?

Paul Tan — Fri, 26 May 2006 10:12:09 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Perodua has an XX06 Concept Car over at the KL International Motor Show 2006 which begins today, at the Putra World Trade Center. It looks like the concept car is based on the Daihatsu Mira. We’ve been seeing spyshots of a Daihatsu Mira being tested on Malaysian roads lately. Links to the spyshots are available under the Related Posts section below.

Perodua has added their own bumper and grille to this concept. This could be a replacement for the Perodua Kelisa or the Perodua Kancil some time in the future. In my opinion, Perodua already has a car serving the higher-end market segment with the Perodua Myvi. They should just merge the Kancil and Kelisa lines. The Perodua Kelisa has already gone through facelifts and so many special editions since it was introduced back in 2001.

What I’d really like to see is the new Daihatsu Terios/Daihatsu Be-Go as a replacement for the Perodua Kembara. The 2nd generation Toyota RAV design elements in it look really good.

Anyone going to the KLIMS? I’ll go either this weekend or Monday to cover it. Will be back with lots of photos.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

Could this be a Kancil Replacement Model?

Paul Tan — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:34:43 +0000

Mohd Azril Mansor sent in these nice spyshots of a car being tested on roads of Jalan Duta to Damansara Junction taken by his camera phone. I previously blogged about this mysterious car here, and speculated it might be Perodua’s next model under testing phases, perhaps to replace the Kancil. Thanks Azril!

In the last shot you can see two of these cars being tested. Under the related posts links below you will be able to find the original car which I think this test model is based on, which is the latest Daihatsu Mira being sold in Japan. I like the looks of it.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.

New Perodua Kancil / Kelisa coming down our alley?

Paul Tan — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 20:11:47 +0000

[ UPDATE: The Perodua Viva has been launched! Click here for full details on specifications and pricing, as well as many clear photos of both exterior and interior! ]

Reader Syah sent me an e-mail with the following pictures of an unmarked car being tested around the Malaysian roads.

It’s definitely a car from the K-car class… and it looks very Daihatsu style. The back looks like a smaller Kenari.

I snooped around the net for Daihatsu car information to identify which Daihatsu this is and found it here.

It looks like the current generation Daihatsu Mira which is being sold in Japan.

The photos are confirmed to be taken in Malaysia as in the second photo with the back of the car shown, the car is seen to be parked next to a Ramly burger stall. I don’t know what other countries have Ramly burger stalls

Now what would a new Daihatsu Mira be doing being tested in Malaysia? Is this another new model up Perodua’s sleeves? It does not make sense to add an additional model to the current line-up, so will it be a Kancil Replacement Model or a Kelisa Replacement Model?

I’ll end this blog entry with a few more shots of the Daihatsu Mira’s interior as you can’t tell how it looks like inside from the spyshots.

Update: Why do I think it’s a test car and not some car from Thailand that just drove into Malaysia? Well, have a look at the Satria Replacement Model photos here. The number plate used for test cars are similiar.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:04:08 +0800.