The talk that Perodua is mulling the possibility of producing sedan cars in the near future has resurfaced. It was initially reported in February that the second national car company was looking to go down the path of building cars with an engine capacity larger than 1.5 litres.
The company’s managing director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh told reporters yesterday that Perodua was currently studying the idea, but didn’t elaborate on details. “This is my aspiration. If there is opportunity and allowed by our partners and shareholders, this is what we would like to do,” he said.
The company showcased a sedan concept called the Bezza at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show back in 2010, but going down the sedan route will quite possibly see the involvement of a JV with UMW Holdings, according to reports. Incidentally, the rendering above is Theophilus Chin’s take on a Toyota Etios with Perodua badging.
Aminar added that Perodua would not be heading down the hybrid or electric vehicle path. “It’s expensive to build these cars and we don’t have the technology and research and development facilities,” he stated.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments suggest that Perodua might be developing a new sedan, likely based on Toyota models such as the Vios or Etios, with some audience predicting a rebadging strategy to keep costs low. Many believe that Perodua's move into sedans is mainly a strategic response to market competition and to challenge Proton, with some skeptics criticizing potential quality and design. There's a strong sentiment that Perodua relies heavily on rebadging Toyota/Daihatsu designs rather than developing their own technology, which sparks debates about innovation versus cost-saving tactics. Overall, excitement mixed with skepticism is evident, with discussions emphasizing the importance of affordability, safety, and whether this expansion will truly benefit consumers or simply perpetuate rebadging practices.