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THROWBACK THURSDAY: Celebrating Its 120th Year Anniversary, Cycle & Carriage Launches “Exceptional Journeys” Brand Promise

Cycle & Carriage or 合发, a leading regional automotive group in Southeast Asia with 10 brands operating in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar is launching a new brand promise – ‘Exceptional Journeys’. Founded in 1899, Cycle & Carriage is celebrating its 120^th anniversary in 2019.

“The new brand builds on Cycle & Carriage’s passion for creating exceptional people-focused experiences. ‘Exceptional Journeys’ leads the company from focusing on delivering quality products and services, to enhancing the experience for the customers, partners, employees and communities that Cycle & Carriage engages with” – C&C.

“Being 120 years old doesn’t make us a traditional company. We see ourselves as a brand that has understood and responded to the changing needs of people – our customers, employees and partners for the last 120 years. We have long-serving employees who have been with us for over 40 years. We have also been a trusted partner of one of the world’s most well-known marques, Mercedes-Benz, for nearly 70 years,” Haslam Preeston, Regional Managing Director, Jardine Cycle & Carriage (above) said.

Preeston leads the Cycle & Carriage automotive businesses across the region and has developed the new brand together with his team. He added, “Today, consumers are looking for a brand to identify with. It is not enough to simply have great products and services. We believe we need to find a meaningful connection with people and our customers. We need to create experiences that inspires and resonates with them.”

“Over the course of 2017 and 2018, Cycle & Carriage undertook in-depth research of our brand positioning, speaking to customers, employees, partners and other key stakeholders. The new brand captures Cycle & Carriage’s purpose of making each and everyone’s journey exceptional, whether it is a customer we serve, an employee we engage, or a brand we carry. We aim to always support them along the way and exceed their expectations. The brand also hopes to inspire people to achieve the extraordinary, their own exceptional journeys.” Today, Cycle & Carriage’s iconic two-wheel logo is an instantly recognisable mark. The Cycle & Carriage logo was also refreshed to be more contemporary in 2017, ahead of introducing ‘Exceptional Journeys’.

120 exceptional journeys for valued customers

As part of the 120^th Anniversary celebrations, Cycle & Carriage will kick off 2019 with a regional anniversary campaign, giving away 120 exceptional journeys of specially curated trips to three enticing destinations: Mongolia, Nepal and Korea. The anniversary campaign will take place from 10 January 2019 to 30 November 2019 for Cycle & Carriage’s valued customers in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. More information can be found on cyclecarriage.com/120

Mongolia

“Adventure”

Journey across the rolling steppes and immerse yourself in the nomadic settlements that have called the grasslands home since the time of Genghis Khan.

§ Soak up the wild splendour of the Mongol Els sand dunes.

§ Visit the Hustai National Park and get acquainted with the takhi, the world’s last wild horses.

§ Connect with a local Mongolian family and experience the nomadic lifestyle first-hand.

Nepal

“Culture”

Immerse yourself in the history of Kathmandu and find out why this ancient kingdom is also one of the most enchanting places on earth.

§ Unlock the wonders of Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage site.

§ Journey to the mountain village of Nagarkot and admire the Himalayas from an altitude of 2,200m.

§ Venture into the Kathmandu Valley and uncover its stunning views and sublime beauty.

Korea

“Metropolis”

Step out in style in Asia’s capital of cool and embark on a glorious urban odyssey across Seoul to discover its thrills, sights, and sounds.

§ Witness the famous guard-changing ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

§ Stroll through the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village and re-live scenes from popular K-dramas.

§ Learn to prepare an authentic Korean meal and enjoy the best of home-cooked Korean cuisine.

An exceptional 120-year story

We reflect on our past 120 years as a company that has withstood the test of time – through the Great Depression, two World Wars and the Asian and Global Financial Crises. We grew with region’s developments and emerged as a leading automotive group in Southeast Asia.

Founded in 1899 as the Federal Stores (later renamed Cycle & Carriage) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, as a merchant trading in nutmeg and sundry goods. Later, it sold bicycles and carriages, before becoming the agent for a number of automobile brands.
Secured the Mercedes-Benz franchise in 1951 and was the first enterprise to represent this marque in Southeast Asia. The first batch of six Mercedes-Benz cars arrived in Singapore in that same year.
Listed as Cycle & Carriage Limited on the Stock Exchange of Malaysia and Singapore in 1969. The reception for its IPO of 33 million shares was overwhelming with 73 times oversubscription. The total offering size of S$241.65 million was just short of the budget of the Singapore Ministry of Interior and Defence for that year.

In April 1969, The Sunday Times reported, “The physical magnitude of the mailed application forms was staggering. Stacked in neat bundles of 100 each, and piled three to six tiers high on narrow, seven-foot long tables, the applications for 1,000 shares stretched nearly 120 ft, arranged end to end round the offices of Cooper Bros & Co., the Registrars. Other applications for larger amounts were heaped on the tables in the centre of the room.”

Apart from being prominent in the automotive sector, in the late 80s and early 90s, Cycle & Carriage Limited also acquired majority shareholdings in established companies such as MCL Land and Cold Storage (Malaysia), as well as launched its first residential property development, Hillview Villas in Singapore.
In 2002, Cycle & Carriage Limited became a subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group (“Jardines”) and the company was renamed Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited in 2004. This firmly established Jardine Cycle & Carriage as a member of the Jardines group whilst retaining its shared heritage with Cycle & Carriage.
Today, Jardine Cycle & Carriage is a diversified group while the ‘Cycle & Carriage’ brand is used for its automotive activities Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. With 10 brands under its banner and over 85 facilities, Cycle & Carriage is a leading automotive group and accounts for 25% of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars sold in Southeast Asia.

Preeston expressed, “We’d like everyone, customers, employees, business partners, to be part of this Cycle & Carriage story and realise an exceptional journey along with us. As Cycle & Carriage celebrates its 120^th anniversary in 2019, we remain committed to serving those who have been along this journey with us.”

PROMO: Have A Holiday On Shell Malaysia! RM40 Is All It Takes…

From 17th December 2018 to 31st March 2019, all you need to do is spend RM40 at any Shell Station nationwide to stand a chance to win a dream vacation to either South Korea, Italy or New Zealand during the “Win a Trip with Shell” contest. Its first winner was announced today, which saw Wan Muhammad Fathi (below, right) walk away with an all-expenses paid trip to New Zealand.

All it takes are 3 easy steps: 1) Spend a minimum of RM40 at any Shell Station nationwide; 2) Choose one of the three destinations in the contest form; 3) Submit the form with a valid receipt. Receipts can be for any purchases except tobacco products, Touch ‘n Go reloads and E-Pay products.

Shairan Huzani Husain (above) MD of Shell Malaysia Trading & Shell Timur Sdn Bhd said, “Customers are our priority here at Shell, and we aim to make life’s journey better for all. We recognise Malaysian’s love for gaining new experiences through travelling, and from that we derived the “Win a Trip with Shell” contest, as a way for us to turn everyday journeys into a memorable and rewarding experience that our customers can look forward to this new year”

So don’t forget to do this the next time you refuel at Shell, and you might be on your way to the lands made decidedly more famous by The Lord of the Rings, Ferrari and….err, K-Pop.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Has Another Incredible Year In 2018

2018 was the fifth consecutive record year for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM). The distinctive three-pointed star shined brightly in 2018 with an extraordinary performance of 13,079 vehicles sold, translating into a 9% overall growth. Capturing a 2.4 per cent market share*, the achievement cements Mercedes-Benz as the undisputed luxury lifestyle brand in Malaysia and the global arena.

MBM President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner (below, left) said: “2018 was another successful year in the 15 year-long extraordinary journey for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and the Mercedes-Benz brand. Our efforts to invigorate the brand experience for our increasingly diverse fans have been fruitful and we are happy to retain our position as the number one luxury lifestyle brand. Our great combination of Best Products, Best Service and Best Customer Experience continues to drive the brand’s success and we assure our customers and fans that this will continue to be our focus.”

He added, “Offering a seamless customer experience to our valued customers is a core value that we uphold and we believe this is important to ensure sustainability of the business. The mantra has always been about ‘Putting the customer at the centre of our activities’. ”

Commenting on the 2018 performance, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at MBM, Mark Raine (above, left) said, “We are extremely proud of our history-making performance for 2018. We delivered 13,079 Mercedes-Benz Cars to customers, further cementing our position as the leading premium brand in Malaysia. Our fresh-faced product portfolio with the locally assembled Mercedes-AMG C 43 and GLC 43, and all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class has succeeded in keeping our fans excited about the brand. Furthermore, we gave the market a taste of the future with the EQ Concept this year. We intend to keep the momentum going with more exciting events and products in 2019.”

In 2018, MBM’s performance was spearheaded by the locally produced limousines, which recorded 7,910 units sold. Following closely were the Mercedes-Benz SUVs with 2,613 units sold, particularly by the locally produced Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 and GLC 250. The German marque expects continued positive demand for this segment. The Mercedes-Benz compact cars recorded a total of 1,875 units sold, while the Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars, recorded a total of 662 units sold, a 77% growth for the three-pointed star’s brand shapers.

The 20 vehicle launches spread throughout 2018 sustained the healthy momentum of demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The key launches included the locally-assembled Mercedes-AMG C 43 and GLC 43, Mercedes-AMG E 53 Sedan and Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupé, its New Dream Cars Collection, the New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Family, and the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class and new generation C-Class.

Additionally, MBM showcased the brand’s innovative edge with the EQ Concept premiere in Kuala Lumpur – a first in Southeast Asia. The milestone has positioned Mercedes-Benz as a reinventer of the automotive industry with the EQ brand, pioneering the direction and setting the stage for future mobility.

Going hand-in-hand with its Best Products, MBM spearheaded engaging activities to match a diverse fan base aligned to its overall Best Customer Experience commitment. MBM engaged with fans through events like Urban Hunting x ULTRA Singapore 2018, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Kuala Lumpur, the MercedesTrophy and introduction of the AMG Owners Club Malaysia (AOCM) which are aimed at elevating the AMG experience with exclusive access to all things AMG for owners.

Complementing the seamless ownership experience, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia (MBSM) recorded a steady growth in line with the three-pointed star’s progress. For the year, MBSM financed four out of every 10 Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold and has a solid servicing portfolio of MYR 2.7 billion** MBSM’s commitment to innovative peace-of-mind financing and insurance solutions was further embodied with the introduction of new products like AgilityPlus and Lease2Go.

MBM’s emphasis on upholding Best Customer Experience at every touchpoint translated into the highest Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) After-sales score in history. The achievement has demonstrated the brand’s excellence in managing the high volume of Mercedes-Benz vehicles by maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

The passion and expertise behind the Best Customer Experience brand promise was showcased once again in this year’s Mercedes-Benz SEA II Skills Competition. 2018 marked the competition’s 10th anniversary and first year opening its doors to the South East Asia II (SEAII) region. A total of 613 Customer Services Professionals and Advanced Modern Apprenticeship finalists competed for the title of best technician, service advisor and process specialist within the Mercedes-Benz network.

The celebrated technicians and customer services personnel make up the backbone of MBM’s 35 dedicated dealerships nationwide. In tandem with its growing fan base, MBM launched five new touchpoints last year including the NZ Wheels Klang Autohaus, Hap Seng Star Setia Alam Autohaus and Asbenz Stern Kuantan Autohaus among others. Trained with a view of keeping customers at the centre, every touch point is key in delivering the Best Products and Best Customer Service throughout the entire customer journey. To date, Mercedes-Benz has the largest premium dealer network in the country.

Recognising the dedication, passion and hard work of its dealer partners, MBM held the inaugural Dealer of the Year awards in March 2018. The award is poised to be an annual event aimed at rewarding dealerships for operational excellence and commitment to delivering the Best Customer Experience. Another exciting offering introduced in the network for 2018 was the Mercedes-Benz Certified pre-owned vehicle programme. The programme represents the highest quality in used cars from Mercedes-Benz worldwide, previously known as Proven Exclusivity.

Mercedes-Benz as a brand has invested over MYR 1 billion in the Malaysian market since 2003 and MBM’s production plant in Pekan, Pahang demonstrates its long-term position and consistent commitment to the Malaysian economy. In FY2018, the production plant produced 9,854 vehicles, including the newest addition being the Mercedes-Benz S 450 L and the Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC Facelift.

MBM’s long-term commitment is also demonstrated through the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Training Academy built to develop the skills of Malaysia’s youth and create meaningful job opportunities in the automotive industry. 2018 saw an additional 26 apprentices graduated bringing the total to 853 globally certified local apprentices who have passed through its doors since the establishment of the training programme.

On its outlook for the year ahead, Dr Weidner said, “2019 will be another exciting year for Mercedes-Benz with refreshing innovations and new benchmarks to elevate the customer experience. We are excited to share these updates in due time.” Earlier this week, Daimler AG announced that on a global level Mercedes-Benz sold approximately 2.3 million cars worldwide in 2018, increasing its unit sales by 0.9 per cent, making 2018 the most successful year in terms of sales in the company’s history.

The new sales record in the car division of Daimler AG was driven in particular by the success of Mercedes-Benz in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific was identified as the region with the strongest growth in 2018, delivering 943,473 (+7.8%) Mercedes-Benz cars to customers in 2018. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia was one of the few markets in the Asia Pacific region to have delivered more passenger cars than ever before in a single year.

*As of YTD November 2018

**The numbers for 2018 are unaudited and subject to change.

PROMO: Get Upside Down This CNY With Amazing Savings @ Volkswagen Malaysia!

VPCM is inviting you to celebrate Chinese New Year by inviting good luck and prosperity. The Chinese character “Fuu” means good luck and the reason why it is hung upside down is to symbolize that good fortune will come pouring in. Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is kicking off its Chinese New Year celebration by offering great savings on all of its current models and it is enough to turn anyone upside down!

Below are the models and savings that are subjected to terms and conditions while stocks last.

Model	Savings up to	Monthly
Polo	RM6,000	RM720
Vento Comfortline	RM12,000	RM760
Vento Highline	RM8,000	RM870
Golf R-Line	RM4,000	RM1,767
Golf GTI	RM2,000	RM2,550
Golf R	RM2,000	RM3,155
Tiguan Highline	RM5,000	RM1,680
Passat Comfortline	RM20,000	RM1,635
Passat Highline	RM6,000	RM1,976
Beetle Sport	RM2,000	RM1,569

Note: Savings applicable for 2018 year make and limited stock available. Monthly calculation based on 9-year loan tenure with 10% down payment and based on 2.8% interest rate.

Volkswagen customers are always a top priority and here is a reminder to keep safe this festive season. For those looking to change their tyres, be sure to check out the ongoing tyre deals from as low as RM184 with free installation, balancing and alignment depending on the number of tyres purchased.

For peace of mind, there is also a battery campaign where all Volkswagen owners can visit authorized dealerships for a free battery check. Those in need of a battery change will enjoy 20% discount off new batteries starting from RM365 depending on model. This battery deal will run from 15^th January till 28^th February.

All Volkswagen models come with 3 years free maintenance, 5 years manufacturer’s warranty and 5 years roadside assistance. For more information, visit an authorized Volkswagen dealership or go to www.volkswagen.com.my

One-Off BMW 8-Series Is A Celestial Being…. No, Really!

BMW AG has revealed a special one-off creation from their BMW Individual Division, the BMW 850i. And it uses pieces of an actual meteorite in its creation, yes, a friggin’ meteorite from space!

“BMW’s Individual Division has produced an exclusive one-off version of the 8-Series. The official reveal of the M850i xDrive Night Sky, BMW says, is set to coincide with an intense meteor shower due to take place on 3-4 January as Earth passes through the orbit of the asteroid 2003 EH…

… as a result, the Night Sky is filled with a range of details inspired by the extraterrestrial, many of which showcase some of the brand’s more exclusive manufacturing techniques. The most striking feature is the inclusion of real meteoritic rock: the material adorns the centre console trim plate, the start/stop button, the the gear selector (below), the top of the iDrive click wheel and the door sill inserts.” – Auto Express.

“The Night Sky is mechanically identical to the regular M850i. That means power comes from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 with 523bhp and 750Nm of torque. The price is yet to be confirmed for the M850i xDrive Night Sky, but given the unique design, expect it to be astronomical”

For the FULL article from Auto Express, click here.

BMW M850i Night Sky Photo Gallery (All photos courtesy of Auto Express)

Tag Heuer Celebrates 2019 With A Tribute To Avant-Garde Watchmaking @ KLCC

TAG Heuer was the first to ring in the New Year at Suria KLCC, with a pop-up exhibition highlighting TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Watchmaking and unique legacy through exclusive and historical timepieces. Curated by Catherine Eberlé-Devaux, TAG Heuer Heritage Director, the exhibition is a tribute to TAG Heuer’s watchmaking innovations since 1860.

Creator of many firsts in Swiss watchmaking, TAG Heuer is relentlessly striving to bring additional technical performances to its iconic timepieces, from achieving ultimate accuracy to developing “disruptive designs” reflecting the brand’s unique spirit.

Among the models presented for the first time in Malaysia, visitors will have the chance to discover the oscillating pinion, patented in 1887, the Monaco V4, the first-ever watch mechanism powered by belts and the Mikrograph, launched in 1916, the first stopwatch accurate to 1/100th of a second used at the Olympics in the 20s.

They will also learn more on the Time of Trip, launched in 1911, the first 12-hour on-board chronograph for cars and airplanes with a power reserve of eight days, and on the TAG Heuer Monaco launched in 1969 and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the first square water-resistant chronograph equipped with the first self-winding automatic chronograph movement.

The final highlight is a race car Porsche 911, visible in its Gulf Heuer livery, tribute to the relationship between Gulf Oil and TAG Heuer since the 70s, and of course a reminder of Steve McQueen (below) in his legendary role in the movie Le Mans, where he chose the TAG Heuer Monaco to wear throughout the filming.

The exhibition was inaugurated on January 7th by Amelia Sillard, Vice President of TAG Heuer Southeast Asia, Tay Liam Khoon, Executive Director of Cortina Watch, Andrew Brien, Executive Director of Suria KLCC and Francis Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Suria KLCC.

“All the pieces presented in this exhibition are major breakthroughs TAG Heuer has created since 1860, and are the best illustration of the brand Avant-Garde spirit and incredible legacy in watchmaking” said Amelia Sillard. “It’s a real pleasure and honour to be able to show those unique museum pieces, especially flown in from Switzerland, in Kuala Lumpur”

The TAG Heuer exhibition, in partnership with Cortina Watch, will run from now till the 13th of January at the concourse of Suria KLCC.