We’re accustomed to news of carmakers setting up shop in Thailand or Indonesia, making our neighbours the regional production hub for important models, but here’s a piece of good news for Malaysia. Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), the owner of Subaru, has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tan Chong Group to produce Subaru vehicles in Malaysia.
This consignment production contract between FHI and TC Subaru Sdn Bhd will see the production of 5,000 units of Subaru vehicles per year “at an existing production facility of Tan Chong Motor Assemblies (TCMA)”. This could be the Serendah plant that currently churns out Nissan models such as the Grand Livina, Sylphy and Teana, or the older Segambut plant in KL. We’re guessing it’s the former.
Production will begin in October 2012, and the model in question is a Subaru compact SUV that will be marketed in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia through the Subaru sales and distribution network of Tan Chong Group.
FHI’s partnership with Tan Chong dates back to 1987, when the latter was appointed as Subaru distributor in Singapore. Over the years, Tan Chong has been expanding the sales and distribution network of Subaru vehicles across ASEAN countries. They now have a presence in Cambodia, Southern China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
As to the identity of the “compact SUV”, many first guesses will shout Subaru Forester, but we have a feeling that it’s a smaller crossover, since today’s Forester isn’t exactly a compact 4X4. We’re also surprised that FHI did not choose a mass market vehicle like the Impreza saloon or Exiga MPV. Anyhow, we will be heading to Singapore tomorrow to dig deeper, so stay tuned!
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
We want the old comment formats which is clear and exciting…
Tan Chong should focus on new models for Nissan Sentra and Serena. TC should bring in new Serena C26, it is awsome MPV in its class. I for once, consider to buy it if TC bring in to Malaysia.
Serena is unreachable. It'll be replaced by NV200 (new Vanette).
nv200 is not a mpv
it build on latio platform and it serve a purpose as a commercial vehicle
it would not be replacing serena… serena is far more refine vehicle compare to this
rear suspension is leaf spring, typical setting of a lorry … not a car or mpv … even the avanza also don't use left spring…
great…. hopefully they build the FR-S as well…
it will be forester
I want the Impreza sedan to be assembled in Malaysia to beat away Civic and Corolla. I also hope the WRX STi sedan will also be assembled as well.
Good on you TCMC !!
Hope that the compact SUV would be the Dualis
and the pricing must be competitive too!!
OMG OMG, does this mean Subaru's version of MYVI comming…..
Tan Chong Internation Limited (TCIL) are different entity with Tan Chong Holding Berhad (TCHB). Infact they 2 have legal case some time ago.
TCIL based in Singapore are the owner of Motor Image and Nissan Singapore.
TCHB based in Malaysia only the assembler and distributor of Nissan and Renault car in Malaysia.
I don't think TCIL would use TCHB Serendah or Segambut plant.
It is the same people in two different companies.
x quite understand, so what is the impact especially to malaysian consumer?
I think the Japanese's brain must be over shake by the quake. Didn't Subaru check their performance, sales and services????
“Smart guys get it” version of Impreza for me?
very good news…but i think they'll produce N/A cars…