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Mattel Malaysia Celebrates 40th Anniversary, To Add Proton Saga To Hot Wheels Range

Mattel, the American toy and entertainment company, has over a dozen factories around the world which makes its various products, with the Hot Wheels model cars probably the best known. And of its main factories in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand, the one in Malaysia is the largest Hot Wheels manufacturing plant in the world. Malaysia therefore plays an important role in Mattel’s supply chain for the company’s manufacturing, tooling, and commercial operations.

The plant – Mattel Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MMSB) – located in Perai, Penang, was established in 1981 and is also the world’s only manufacturer of Hot Wheels singles, the top-selling toy globally in 2021.

Currently producing around 9 million diecast car models each week for markets around the world, MMSB is aiming for a 20% increase in production capacity by 2025.

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10,000th TGDI Engine Produced At Proton Plant in Perak

Just seven months after commencing operations, the Proton engine plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak, produced its 10,000^th 1.5-litre TGDI engine. The engine is used in X50 and X70 SUV models, further increasing their localisation which has always been an important mission of Proton as a Malaysian carmaker.

The engine assembly plant is part of the company’s commitment to invest RM1.8 billion to upgrade its facilities in Tanjung Malim (also referred to as Proton City) and the culmination of a journey that began in 2019 that was taken under challenging conditions. The operational expansion plan is in line with the first strategic thrust of the DRB-HICOM Automotive High Technology Valley (AHTV) programme that aims to maximise manufacturing activities in the region.

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New Ford 3S Centre For Northern Region To Open in 2024

Since 2007, when Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) immediately took over the Ford business in Malaysia after the American carmaker withdrew from its joint venture, the exclusive distributor for the brand has been steadily building up its retail network. Fortunately, Sime Darby had already been Ford’s business partner for a long time (since the 1980s) and had its own dealer network selling Ford vehicles and providing aftersales services.

With the continuing sales growth leading to a larger customer base, SDAC has continued to expand its network to have a presence in more areas around the country. Soon, there will be a new Ford 3S Centre to serve customers and owners in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.

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Toyota C-HR prologue Concept Previews Next Generation of Compact Crossover SUV

When Toyota revealed the bZ Compact SUV Concept last month, it was suspected that the design of the battery electric model might also be used for the next generation of the C-HR compact SUV. The first generation of the C-HR has been in production since late 2016 so it should be due for change.

Now Toyota has also revealed the C-HR prologue and mentions that it is a preview of the next generation of the compact SUV. It’s likely that the new model will be launched in 2023 though there’s no indication whether it will be during the early part or as late as the Japan Mobility Show (the new name for the Tokyo Motor Show) at the end of October.

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More Advanced Honda SENSING Systems With Enhanced Capabilities Being Developed

Honda, like other responsible carmakers, has been committed to ensuring that road accidents caused by motor vehicles are reduced, if possible to zero. After all, it supplies those vehicles and therefore has to ensure that they are not only safe to use but also safe to other road-users.

It has constantly introduced new safety features and systems in its vehicles as new technologies have been developed. Today, its Honda SENSING system integrates many active safety systems to work more effectively and intelligently to assist the driver and also prevent accidents. The Honda SENSING suite was first introduced in 2015 with the CR-V and has been included with new models since then.

Honda SENSING is being continuously improved and apart from the basic system – which already consists of a number of active systems – there are additional versions such as Honda SENSING 360 and Honda SENSING Elite for more sophisticated applications in certain models.

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Sime Darby Auto ConneXion Has Money-Saving Festive Promotion For Ford Owners

With the next couple of months being festive periods that will see many people going on holiday or returning to their hometowns to be with loved ones, there will be a lot of motoring taking place. Those who are planning long-distance trips should ensure that their vehicles are in a good condition for not only safety but also to avoid an unexpected breakdown that would certainly spoil the holiday.

For Ford owners, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) is having a service promotion that will not only ensure that the vehicles are in tip-top condition but also save owners money. The promotion period is from December 1, 2022 until January 21, 2023.

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