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Another Record Year For Volvo Sales In Malaysia

Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) closed 2022 with another record sales volume with 3,194 vehicles delivered to customers nationwide. The achievement was the seventh consecutive year of sales growth for the Swedish brand, with the 43% increase over the 2021 volume also being a record.

Around 75% of all models sold were SUVs which, like the sedans and stationwagons, were assembled locally at Volvo’s own plant in Shah Alam, Selangor. Some of the output from this plant also goes to neighbouring countries as it is a regional production hub for Volvo.

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High-Performance Toyota Hilux GR Sport For Australia

With the popularity of the Ford Ranger Raptor showing that there are people who want a truck that’s not only built tough but also includes high performance in its list of capabilities, the folks at Toyota Australia decided they too would also come out with a high-performance version of the Hilux. Although Toyota doesn’t make vehicles in Australia any longer, it has an engineering facility which does a lot of development work on Toyota’s 4×4 models so it was the best place for such a project.

The high-performance Hilux is designated the GR Sport, associating it with Toyota’s GR range of performance models. The hardcore off-roader is the most powerful diesel Hilux ever offered by Toyota with power and torque from the 2.8-litre engine boosted by 10% to 165 kW/224 ps and 550 Nm. The boost in output has been achieved through revised turbo-supercharging and fuel-injection control.

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HARMAN Ready Vision Advances Head-Up Display With Augmented Reality

While carmakers make a large part of a car, many of the systems and features usually come from companies that are specialists the area. These are areas such as instrument display panels, transmissions, audio equipment and of course, wheels and tyres. Their specialisation allows them to be more focussed on making advances that meet changing demands of the carmakers as well as customers.

HARMAN, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, is one such supplier to the auto industry. Although well known for audio electronics in its history of over 40 years, HARMAN now also offers its expertise to the automotive industry. More than 50 million vehicle on the road today are equipped with the company’s different brands of audio and connected car systems (Infinity, Mark Levinson, JBL, Bang & Olufsen being among them).

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Mercedes-Benz To Develop Global High-Power Charging Network

In order for electric vehicles (EVs) to be more readily adopted, not only do they need to cost less but the issue of the charging network has to be addressed. The liquid fuel network around the planet where you can find somewhere to refuel – in the desert or in the jungle – is the product of 100 years of development but charging stations are very recent. In fact, it’s only during this decade that the charging network has accelerated as more EVs began appearing on roads.

Ideally, governments should build the infrastructure but it is a costly exercise, so they are leaving it to the industry players to make the investments. On their part, governments typically offer incentives (like tax exemptions) to buyers to reduce the cost of purchasing an EV. So it is up to the carmakers to either build a network themselves or partner companies in the power supply business.

At CES 2023, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will launch a high-power charging network in key markets that include North America, Europe and China, starting with the USA and Canada this year. The aim is to have the full network in place before the end of the decade, when Mercedes-Benz intends to go all-electric wherever market conditions allow.

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Flood Relief Assistance Program For Nissan Owners

With the monsoon season still ongoing and the risk of floods, especially in the East Coast areas, motorists unlucky enough to have their vehicles caught in deep water may find themselves having a big bill for repairs. Unless they have included insurance coverage for floods, compensation will not be given by the insurance company.

Over the years, Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn. Bhd. (ETCM), together with Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis Sdn. Bhd. (TCEAS), have been offering various forms of assistance to Nissan owner who have flood-damaged vehicles. This year, they are again announcing a special Nissan Flood Relief Assistance program for owners of Nissan vehicles nationwide.

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Perodua To Maintain Growth Momentum With Investments In Innovations And Capacity Expansion

It’s pretty much expected that when the official numbers for 2022 are announced by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) in the near future, Perodua will again be at the top of the list. It has been the bestselling brand since 2006 and its volumes have grown steadily over the years.

Last year, the increase in sales was 48.2% over the year before, taking the total volume to 282,019 units. To meet the demand, production naturally had to rise in tandem and 289,054 units were delivered by the two factories, an increase of 49.5%.

Being No.1 for so long has not made the Malaysian carmaker complacent; in fact, it has never taken its leadership position for granted and has planned its progress carefully and thoughtfully. This was particularly important to face the challenges of the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other issues affecting the industry.

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