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Volvo Car Malaysia Appoints New MD, Announces 2018 Sales Figures

VCM or Volvo Car Malaysia, custodians of the Volvo brand in Malaysia, have announced the appointment of Mr Nalin Jain as the new Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia. Mr Jain will continue the responsibilities of the current Managing Director, Mr Lennart Stegland, starting March 1, 2018.

Prior to this undertaking, Mr Jain was the Chief Financial Officer of Volvo Auto India and has over 20 years of experience in the automotive, consulting, and technology fields. Mr Jain holds a Master’s Degree in Engineering from State University of New York and an MBA from the Sloan School of Management in MIT. After 40 years of service with Volvo Cars, leading positions in Research and Development, Marketing and Sales, and Managing various National Sales Companies, Mr Stegland (below) will be retiring from the organisation.

On a personal note, Piston.my would like to thank Mr Stegland for his amazing contribution and dedication to the Volvo brand here in Malaysia, his wealth of knowledge, experience and amiable character will be missed here at Piston.my. Nalin has very big shoes to fill indeed. All the best to you Lennart! – Chris Wee.

VOLVO CAR MALAYSIA IN 2018…

Volvo Car Malaysia records strong growth in 2018

Volvo Car Malaysia, the premium car brand, has recorded strong growth in volume, finishing 2018 with a total of 1,384 units delivered, a 35 per cent increase from 2017 (1,021 units) and a 48 per cent increase from 2016 (934 units) – a testament to the transformation plan that was put into motion since the introduction of the XC90 T8 Twin Engine in late 2015.

On exports, the company recorded a total of 1,889 units of V40, XC40, S60, V60, XC60, and XC90 to Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam, thanks to investments made to the plant to accommodate more assembly volume and new platforms such as the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that underpins its new 60s and 90s Range, and the Modular Compact Architecture (MCA) used by the new XC40.

The transformation plan led by the Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Mr Lennart Stegland, is a multi-pronged strategy that involves an overhaul of retail operations, customer touch points, and product offerings in Malaysia. “From a consumer standpoint, the first visible change to our existing retail operations is the implementation of Volvo Retail Experience (VRE), a dealer standard that perfectly complements our new and exciting product line,” said Stegland.

VRE is a comprehensive standard that covers critical aspects of a dealership and aims to bring a more customer-focused experience based on Volvo’s Scandinavian-inspire values: from the look and feel of the showroom to the quality of service rendered to customers.

“Enforcing the VRE standards for our existing dealerships in 2017, sets the correct level of expectations for our prospective dealer-partners in the next phase of the transformation which involves the expansion of our dealership network,” explained Stegland.

The transformation also took customer service experience into consideration and yielded positive results after extensive training and programmes were rolled-out to Service Advisors across the nation. Volvo’s Customer Experience Management (CEM) scores, gathered from a survey of service customers, had doubled from 2017.

Volvo Service Agreement (VSA) was also unveiled in 2018 – this service agreement which includes a comprehensive service package that covers replacement of most wear-and-tear parts (excluding tyres), gives owners the freedom of choosing between a 3 (VSA 3) or 5 (VSA 5) year plans.

“It is common practice within the industry to include the cost of services packages into the sticker price of the car. We are challenging this by being transparent about these costs and letting the customers select a plan that is more suited to their individual preferences,” added Stegland.

Moving forward, Volvo Car Malaysia plans to take its customer experience to the next level by rolling-out a new service concept they call Volvo Personalised Service or VPS in 2019. A new management system to ensure optimum availability of parts called Volvo Managed Inventory (VMI) will also be introduced sometime this year.

In terms of dealership network, Volvo Car Malaysia has grown its nationwide presence to a total of 11 dealerships which includes the recent re-introduction of the brand in Kuching after close to 10 years. The company is aiming to add more dealerships in 2019, especially in locations that is currently not represented by the brand.

2018 also saw the launch of several models from Volvo Car Malaysia, including the XC90 T5, S90 T5, XC60 T8 Twin Engine, XC60 T5, and the new XC40 T5 R-Design. The market response has been positive for most of these models with the XC60 recording the most gains from the total units delivered and the XC40 taking in a strong order book.

On the Financial Services front, Volvo Car Malaysia had also introduced Volvo Car Leasing – a first for Volvo Cars in Southeast Asia – that lets customers enjoy stress-free Volvo ownership, minus the usual financial strain of a hire-purchase agreement. The company is also planning to introduce Volvo Insurance in partnership with AXA Insurance later this year.

Volvo Car Malaysia is projecting a double-digit growth in 2019 with the new XC40 and the opening of more retail locations as the two main drivers.

SDAP Ushers In 2019 With Upgraded Cayenne & Panamera + Invests In More Porsche Centres

Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), the authorised importer of Porsche vehicles in Malaysia, starts the year on a high with strategic investments in expanding its sales network. With the upcoming Porsche Centre Johor Bahru, SDAP marks another milestone for Porsche in Malaysia whilst assuring an outstanding experience for customers in the Southern region. Later this year, SDAP will also open a brand-new Porsche Centre Ara Damansara in Kuala Lumpur.

This expands the sales network to four Porsche Centres across the country by 2020, the year that Porsche anticipates to launch its first fully-electric vehicle in Malaysia, the Taycan. The recent opening of the Porsche pop-up store in Penang, which will be open to the public until May 2019, also marks the importance of the development of the business in Malaysia.

Ushering in the year on a strong note, the Cayenne (below) and Panamera (above) models now come with a newly enhanced Premium Package, with additional comfort and luxury features such as 14- way power seats including memory function for both driver and front passenger, four-zone automatic climate control, automatic dimming mirrors, electrical sun blinds, ambient lighting, and BOSE Surround Sound System. – In addition to the Premium Package, Power Steering Plus and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) are included as standard for an even sportier driving experience.

SDAP also announced the new competitive base prices for the Cayenne and Panamera including Premium Package. The third generation Cayenne starts from RM780,000, while the second generation Panamera starts from RM890,000.

Furthermore, the dream of owning a Porsche is much closer than one could imagine. Porsche 360 Financing offers a flexible financing programme that is personalised to the owners’ unique lifestyle with up to 30% lower monthly repayments, offering the opportunity to own a new Porsche from every three to five years. For example, based on 90% loan margin for five years, the new Cayenne with the base price of RM780,000 may be driven away for as low as RM9,700 per month. All Porsche vehicles sold via SDAP come with a four-year warranty and free maintenance package, which includes complimentary service, labour and parts.

“Together with Porsche Asia Pacific, the Premium Package for the Cayenne and Panamera is an initiative to enrich the product substance to elevate the customer’s ownership experience even further. We are giving a wider spread of comfort and sportiness in our vehicles, yet with even more competitive pricing. With this enhanced product line-up, we certainly look forward to a great year ahead,” said Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of SDAP.

Arthur Willmann, Managing Director of Porsche Asia Pacific, said: “Malaysia is home of the Porsche Experience Centre Sepang, and also one of our most important markets with a strong following for the brand. We are very excited about the future potential here together with SDAP as our long-term partner, especially with regards to an even more competitive model line-up, the expansion of our sales network as well as our electrification strategy. Together we are already looking forward to the introduction of the Taycan, our first fully-electric vehicle, which will come to the market at the beginning of 2020.”

About the Cayenne…
The new Cayenne combines even more of the typical Porsche performance with excellent everyday practicality. Its powerful turbo engines, new eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, new chassis systems and innovative display and control concept with total connectivity is taking both sport and comfort to the next level. The Cayenne, with a 3.0-litre turbo engine delivers 250 kW (340 hp), 29 kW (40 hp) more than the previous model. Equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package, the new Cayenne accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in less than 6 seconds. This is followed by the Cayenne S, which is powered by a 2.9-litre twin-turbo petrol engine, delivering 324 kW (440 hp). It accelerates from zero to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds with Sport Chrono Package.

The Cayenne is based heavily on the iconic 911 sports car: The third generation of this SUV, which has also been enhanced visually, now has mixed tyres and rear-axle steering for the first time. In addition to these typical sports car features, the on-road capabilities are further improved by active all-wheel drive as standard, Porsche 4D Chassis Control, three-chamber air suspension and the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) electronic roll stabilisation system.

Despite its significantly extended standard equipment, the Cayenne weighs up to 65 kilograms less than its predecessor and remains perfectly suited to off-road use. For the first time, the Cayenne is available with electric rear-axle steering offering agility on bends and stability when changing lanes at high speeds. The reduced turning circle also makes everyday handling of the SUV easier.

About the Panamera…
The Panamera is advancing to become a performance icon of the luxury class. In this transformation, Porsche has systematically improved the Panamera concept – with a four-door car that has been redeveloped and redesigned down to the last detail. Its engines and transmissions have been redesigned, its chassis perfected, and its display and control concept reinterpreted for the future. The new Panamera also extends the borders between the world of ambitious sports cars and the world of comfortable cruising cars with highlights such as rear axle steering, active roll compensation and three-chamber air suspension.

The second generation Panamera’s engines have been redesigned. They have all been made more powerful, while significantly improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. The new bi-turbo direct injection engines in the Panamera 4S – may be equipped with a permanent all-wheel drive system and a new eight-speed Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK). A V6 twin-turbo petrol engine with 324 kW (440 hp) drives the Panamera 4S and a V6 turbo petrol engine with 243 kW (330 hp) drives the Panamera entry-level model.

More versatile than any other model in its class, the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo delivers 243 kW (330 hp) and 340 kW (462 hp) drives the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo. With a large tailgate, low loading edge, increased luggage compartment volume and a 4+1 seating concept, the new Panamera Sport Turismo model offers the perfect combination of everyday usability and maximum flexibility.

2019 Porsche Panamera & Cayenne Photo Gallery…

To make an appointment to test drive your favourite Porsche model, contact the following Porsche Centres near you.
Porsche Centre Glenmarie +60(3) 5030 9911
Porsche Centre Sungai Besi +60(19) 675 9911
Porsche Centre Penang +60(19) 400 9911

Fuel consumption and emissions:
Cayenne: combined fuel consumption 9.2–9.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 209–205 g/km
Cayenne S: combined fuel consumption 9.4–9.2 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 213–209 g/km
Panamera: combined fuel consumption 7.6 – 7.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 173 – 171 g/km
Panamera 4S: combined fuel consumption 8.2 – 8.1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 186 – 184 g/km
Panamera 4 Sport Turismo: combined fuel consumption 7.9 – 7.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 180 – 178 g/km
Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo: combined fuel consumption 2.5 l/100 km; electric power consumption 15.9 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions 56 g/km

Naza Kia Unveils Picanto GT-Line [+Video]

Naza Kia Malaysia, the official distributor of KIA vehicles in Malaysia, today unveiled the new top-of-the-range GT-Line variant of their best-selling compact car, the youthful, stylish and fun-to-drive Picanto, for the Malaysian market. We’ve reviewed it in the past here, and below is the video we made about it during the official media drive…

“Following the successful launch of the Kia Picanto 1.2 EX model last year, Naza Kia Malaysia is thrilled to introduce a new sporty variant of the innovative A-segment car which has stolen the hearts of Malaysian road users. We are confident the Kia Picanto GT-Line will receive no less attention on the road with its extra stylish appeal and nimble performance,” said Dato’ Samson Anand George, Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd.

The New Picanto GT-Line boasts new features designed to add a level of excitement to the Picanto line-up. Unique to the GT-Line variant are the new colour accents on the full body kit and Kia’s signature ‘tiger nose’ grille at the front to add to the aggressive stance. Perfecting the muscular expression are sporty-looking dual exhaust pipes at the rear of the GT-Line.

The New Picanto GT-Line is further fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels and pedals, LED daytime running lights and fog lamps, shark-fin antenna, and keyless entry. The large 7.0-inch floating touchscreen houses Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ ready functionality for full smartphone integration, suitable for the young and the young at heart.

The GT-Line is also equipped as standard with a sporty D-cut steering wheel, a rear-view parking camera, wireless smartphone charger and USB port. For maximum convenience, the GT-Line variant also comes equipped with Full Auto Temperature Control (FATC) a.k.a. Climate Control, which automatically maintains the set cabin temperature for a comfortable drive.

As a visual reference, here’s what the basic Picanto looks like…

The New Picanto is carefully crafted with top-notch safety features, featuring an Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) body construction and six standard airbags (dual front, side and curtain airbags). Active safety features are also included, such as standard-fit Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), to ensure stability under braking and cornering. On top of that, the innovative New Picanto GT-Line comes with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – a key technology adopted to enhance safety in urban environments and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) which prevents rolling back while on a slope when releasing the brakes.

“The New Picanto boasts class-leading cabin space, with more leg- and head-room than many others in the A-segment. Boot capacity is 255 litres (VDA) – the most of any car in its class – with 60:40 split-folding rear seats, which can fold flat to increase capacity to a whopping 1,010 litres in a compact urban car.” – Naza Kia.

The Picanto GT-Line is offered in Titanium Silver, Clear White and an exclusive Aurora Black Pearl colour. Available now from RM57,888 (on-the-road without insurance), the New Picanto GT-Line comes with five years warranty with unlimited mileage*. Visit your nearest authorised Kia showroom for more information.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Perodua Releases 2018 Sales Results, Sells A Record 1,025 New Aruz In One Day! No Price Increase Despite Rumours [+Video]

Not a typo. Following its launch (<– link) last month, Perodua is off to a good start in 2019 with over 20,100 vehicles sold in the first month of the year, of which the compact car company registered 1,025 units of its recently launched SUV the Aruz on the last day of January.

“Despite the delay in the registration of Aruz, we managed to maximise the delivery of Aruz up to the wee hours, in anticipation of the long CNY break,” Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director, Dato’ Dr. Zahari Husin said.

In case you missed it, here’s our walkaround video at the launch of the Aruz on 15th Jan 2019…

“Pending official figure from MAA, we estimated our market share for January 2019 to be around 41.7% market share for Perodua and 9.2% growth from 18,400 Perodua vehicles sold in December 2018,” he said. Compared to the same period last year, Perodua sold 20,100 units or 13.6% more in January this year against 17,700 units done in January 2018.

“While Aruz has been received well with 8,000 booking so far, our other models has been doing equally well with more than 19,000 units registered in January,” Dato’ Dr. Zahari said. “The strong demand on Aruz has resulted some waiting period especially for the AV variant. We are doing our best to reduce this waiting period to a more acceptable level,” Dato’ Dr. Zahari said.

He added that currently, the order composition is of the Aruz 85% for the Advanced Version (priced at RM77,900 without insurance) and the remaining 15% is for the X variant (priced at RM72,900 without insurance). “On the speculation that Perodua Aruz’s price will increase, I wish to clarify that we are maintaining the price for the Aruz which is RM72,900 for the X variant and RM77,900 for the Advanced Version,” Dato’ Dr. Zahari said.

On the demand for its other models, Dato’ Dr. Zahari said sales are encouraging with the new Perodua Myvi still leading in terms of sales with over 8,400 units sold in January. Its other models are also leading in their respective segments with the Axia, Bezza and Alza selling more than 5,500 units, 3,400 units and 1,600 units respectively in January.

“Please come by to the most convenient Perodua sales showroom and speak to our authorised sales advisor on our offerings. I am sure that we have the right vehicle for your motoring needs,” Dato’ Dr. Zahari said. “To all those celebrating this Lunar New Year, we at Perodua, wish you health, prosperity and happiness. Please be safe on the road,” he added.

As for 2018, Perodua had an excellent year as expected, with 227,243 vehicles sold. FULL details after the Aruz launch Photo Gallery…

2019 Perodua Aruz Launch Photo Gallery…

Perodua 2018 Sales Results…

Perodua recorded its best-ever sales performance of 227,243 units in 2018, and aims to better that figure by 1.7% to 231,000 units by end-2019, underpinned by the Myvi and the recent introduction of the Aruz. The Myvi was Perodua’s best-selling model in 2018, with 82,122 registered out of 117,844 booked in that year alone. From its November 2017 launch to date, the Myvi’s numbers have exceeded 91,500 registrations and 147,000 bookings.

The Axia, Bezza and Alza are still at the top of their respective segments with 70,821, 49,911 and 24,389 units sold respectively in 2018. “Perodua’s aim to boost its sales by 1.7% this year will not only strengthen the brand but offer some relief to the Malaysian car industry, which is forecast to grow very minimally this year,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad told the press today at the company’s Chinese New Year Luncheon.

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) expects an incremental 0.21% total industry volume (TIV) growth to 600,000 units this year from 598,714 units last year. The association explained that last year’s growth was artificial due to the one-off June-August tax holiday, and barring any fresh incentives, the market should remain at this level in 2019.

“For Perodua, the Myvi is expected to remain popular this year, and since we started order-taking for the Aruz on 3 January, we have collected nearly 5,700 bookings to date. Given that our sales target is 2,500 units monthly, the figure is very encouraging indeed,” said Dato’ Zainal.

Perodua also expects to increase its component purchases by 20% from RM5 billion last year to RM6 billion this year. This is in line with the demand expected in 2019 and will directly benefit local automotive suppliers.

According to Dato’ Zainal, over 219,000 vehicles rolled out of the Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd plants combined in 2018, and the national carmaker expects to better that figure by 10.5% to 242,000 vehicles in 2019.

In after-sales, Perodua broke many of its own records in terms of service intakes (2018 2.17 million intakes versus 2017 2.1 million intakes – 3% up) and sales of parts and accessories (2018 RM320.8 million versus 2017 RM288.5 million – 11% up). Its Body & Paint and Pre-Owned Vehicle businesses also saw encouraging growth.

“After-sales is just as important as sales to us as it sustains us in this ever-competitive market. We want to improve in this area further as it is with customer care that we will be able to further strengthen our brand in this country. We thank all Malaysians for their strong support over the years and we look forward to serving you for many more years to come,” Dato’ Zainal said.

Porsche Asia Pacific Reports Strong Growth In Vehicle Deliveries, Celebrates 70th Anniversary!

With an increase in sales of 6% compared to the year before, Porsche Asia Pacific, together with its importer partners, has been reaffirming the potential for the Porsche brand in its 13 markets. Singapore claimed the first position among the region’s markets delivering a total of 567 units in the preceding 12 months. Thailand followed closely with 499 units delivered, making it the region’s fastest growing market with an impressive 44% growth year-on-year.

The newly introduced Cayenne, which enjoyed an 86% year-on-year increase to 422 units, showed the fastest growth of any model line, whereas the Panamera continued its sales success in 2018 with an increase of 40% to 473 units. With 591 units delivered to customers, the Macan defended its position as the best-selling model. With the new Macan making its debut across the region this year, it is expected to further extend its lead.

Among the two-door sports cars, the demand for 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman remained on a strong level, registering a 3% increase to 357 units, while the iconic 911 enjoyed a 51% increase in deliveries to 304 units in the year of its transition to the 992 generation – a remarkable achievement by any measure.

“2018 was an exceptional year for us”, said Arthur Willmann, Managing Director of Porsche Asia Pacific. “The strong sales performance across all models and markets underlines the full commitment and dedication of our importer partners across the region, the Porsche Asia Pacific team in Singapore as well as the Porsche headquarters. Together we celebrated 70 years of Porsche at the global Sportscar Together Day, enhanced our product offer in various markets and passed important milestones on the road to E-Performance – gearing up for our first all-electric model, the new Taycan and an even stronger 2019.”

Sportscar Together Day in Bangkok, Thailand

Porsche Asia Pacific celebrated the 70^th anniversary of Porsche with the Sportscar Together Day in Bangkok, Thailand on 14^th July 2018 for which they teamed up with Das Treffen, Southeast Asia’s largest Porsche gathering, and AAS Motorsport, the motorsport division of the official Porsche importer in Thailand. Enthusiasts enjoyed more than 300 Porsche vehicles on display throughout the course of a wide-ranging, interactive event day for the whole family and had the possibility to visit the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race held concurrently in Bangsaen.

Porsche Asia Pacific to oversee New Zealand from 2019 onwards

Porsche Asia Pacific also welcomed New Zealand, a well-developed and professional market with a strong Porsche customer base, in its ranks, totalling the markets supported by Porsche Asia Pacific to 13.

Porsche Experience Centre Sepang, Malaysia

Rounding off the calendar, the Porsche Experience Centre Sepang enjoyed its most successful year to date with an unprecedented number of track days as well as a record number of more than 650 participants and more than 800 visitors, making the facility the main hub for the Porsche Experience in Southeast Asia.

With the E-Performance Nights it was also the first Porsche Experience Centre to debut a nearly 24 hour operation, offering customers and media the flair of a 24 hour race and guided night time driving on an illuminated FIA-certified race track.