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Proton In 2018: Part 10 – Exports Resume As Local Sales Go Up… [+Video]

After a short period of inactivity for PROTON in exporting cars, the Malaysian automotive manufacturer is now back in action for the second half of 2018. Recently, PROTON resumed exporting cars to the Middle East, marking the first time the Company has done so since formalizing its partnership with Geely. A symbolic flag-off ceremony was held at Westports Malaysia’s berthing area to commemorate the occasion, with Proton cars lined up to be driven on board the Grand Diamond cargo vessel.

Demand remains strong for Proton products…
The port of arrival in the Middle East is Aqaba in Jordan and from there, the cars will be distributed to Iraq and other neighboring countries. The first shipment will consist of 453 Proton cars, which have a strong following in Middle Eastern markets. The enthusiasm for the cars is such that there are even active owners clubs in the region despite the slow-down in exports over the past few years.

“This ceremony marks a starting point for PROTON as we resume and ramp up shipments to the Middle East in the coming months. It’s also the first export shipment since the partnership with Geely commenced and we expect our export market to have a positive outlook in the future so be prepared for more such announcements from as early as August this year,” said Dato’ Radzaif Mohamed, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of PROTON.

Voicing the same sentiment Eddie Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Westports, said, “We are equally excited to partner PROTON in its efforts to export cars all over the world, particularly as its last major export to Egypt was back in 2015. We believe Westports’ partnership with our customers like PROTON together with shipping agents like Sunship will further strengthen both brands, and help ensure cars sent over are in pristine condition.”

PROTON quality improvement efforts bear results…
Dato’ Radzaif’s enthusiasm for PROTON to grow its export market are backed by improvements to its product quality. Ever since the Company implemented the Global Customer Product Audit (GCPA) system on its production processes, the number of demerit points registered has seen a threefold improvement. Based on a sliding scale where smaller scores equates to better quality, the current GCPA score for PROTON as at the end of June 2018 is 1763 demerit points, with a year-end target of 1500. This compares favorably with Geely and Volvo who also use GCPA and have current scores of 1200 and 850 points.

“PROTON has always strived to produce high-quality products for our domestic and export markets but the collaboration with Geely has introduced a new quality mindset along with a shared quality audit system that is also used by Volvo. Using it as a roadmap we have managed to lower our demerit points threefold as we aim to deliver ever better cars to our customers,” he added.

Expanding export activities with assistance from Geely…
Also present at the ceremony was Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of PROTON. “The Middle East markets hold high regard for products from Islamic countries like Malaysia. The demand for cars will grow as their economies develop and will help fuel the growth of our export business. The ASEAN market however will remain as the main priority for PROTON’s export business so we are excited about the opportunities available in the region.” he said.

PROTON is also leveraging on Geely’s extensive overseas network operations to increase the cost effectiveness of its own operations. “We are exploring all opportunities to grow export volumes for PROTON. Geely are making a big effort to support us in this initiatives and there is a lot of experience within the group so we hope to leverage on it to enable us to sell more cars outside of Malaysia,” added Dr. Li.

Meanwhile in other news from the sales side, PROTON marked the end of the first half of 2018 by posting strong sales numbers for the month of June. Sales grew by 50% over the previous month as 6,173 Proton cars were sold to Malaysians eager to take advantage of zero rating for GST and the Duit Raya promotion offered by the Company.

Approximately 10% market share with Saga and Persona leading sales…
In line with the increase in sales, total market share also increased with PROTON garnering approximately a 10% share of Total Industry Volume (TIV) for the month compared to 9.5% previously.
As with previous months, the Saga and Persona continue to lead sales, with the former registering nearly 3,000 units sold. Buyers were attracted to the strengths of PROTON’s compact family sedan with its class leading affordability, spaciousness and handling as well as the ‘Best Saga deal in 10-years’ promotion offered in June where a brand new Saga could be bought for less than RM30,000. Improved product quality for all Proton cars was also a contributing factor as the implementation of the Global Customer Product Audit (GCPA) system has seen a big reduction in production line demerit points for all cars.

“PROTON had its best sales month for 2018 in June, proving that Malaysians continue to find the current range of Proton cars attractive thanks to the range of features that have been engineered into each model. The attractive promotional offers we had, zero-rated GST price and an overall improvement in the quality of our cars helped to boost sales, which we are hopeful of carrying over for the remainder of 2018,” said Abdul Rashid Musa, Chief Executive Officer of PROTON Edar.

Improving quality scores…
After obtaining a J.D. Power Customer Service Index (CSI) score of 755 points in 2017, PROTON embarked on a quality improvement initiative to perform better in 2018. The CSI score is measured by examining dealership performance in five areas (in order of importance): service quality (32%); service initiation (22%); vehicle pick-up (18%); service advisor (15%); and service facility (13%) and to improve its score, PROTON has initiated activities to boost scores in each area.

Initial scores using PROTON’s own stringent internal audit system are already showing an improvement in CSI scores. Via the GCPA system implementation, the quality of the Proton cars has improved 3 times in the past 8 months, measured by the VOLVO quality standards. Combined, both activities the CSI initiatives and the product audit exercise, these will see an improvement in the overall experience customers have with the brand.

Supporting Tabung Harapan Malaysia As announced previously, PROTON is contributing RM10 for each car sold from 1 June to 31 December 2018. Therefore, following the first month of the programme, a sum of RM61,730 has been appropriated for Tabung Harapan Malaysia. With sales on an upswing and the launch of their first SUV due to happen before the end of the year the Company is optimistic about the amount of funds growing much larger.

“PROTON is proud that we have managed to earmark over RM61,000 for Tabung Harapan Malaysia in just the first month of our contribution initiative. It is our intention to sell even more cars for the rest of the year so as to contribute as much as possible to the fund that will eventually benefit all Malaysians,” explained Rashid.

New SUV receives boost from Tun Dr Mahathir…
While the launch of PROTON’s first SUV is still some months away, the pre-publicity build up for the first product jointly developed with Geely recently received a boost. The 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, recently met with the Chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Li Shufu, and following their discussions the premier got behind the wheel of the first right hand drive (RHD) pre-production unit of the SUV.

https://www.facebook.com/piston.my/videos/1120678258105014/

An avid driver, Tun spent the ensuing weekend putting the test car through its paces and told the media the following week that it was very good and he was impressed by its quality. He also commented that the SUV would be a good product for the Malaysian automotive market and added that he wanted more Malaysian companies involved in the supply of automotive components. Having gained the stamp of approval from the Prime Minister, PROTON is intensifying its publicity efforts for the SUV in the lead up to its launch later in the year.

“We are happy that the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, approves of our efforts with Geely. This confirms that PROTON are on the right track and now that pre-production of the SUV has commenced we will soon begin our media and customer previews to build momentum ahead of the actual launch,” said Rashid.

Photo Gallery…

SDAC Ford Offers Savings Up To RM113,000 In Its ‘Seize The Deal’ Campaign, While Q2 2018 Ends With Ranger Leading The Charge

Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, has announced its ‘Seize the Deal’ campaign offering great rebates of up to 17% on top of the new six percent GST reduction on selected Ford models. Through this attractive promotion, customers can enjoy significant savings of up to RM113,000.

Valid nationwide for all variants of the Ford Mustang, Fiesta and Ranger models, the promotion applies to vehicles registered from now until 31 August 2018. All prices stated are on-the-road, without insurance, for Peninsular and East Malaysia and private individual registration only.

Through the campaign, Ford’s iconic pony car, the multiple award-winning Mustang, is now priced from RM396,271 with a total savings of up to RM113,000 (up to 13 percent rebate with zero-rated GST). Available in two variants – the GT 5.0L and 2.3L EcoBoost – the new Mustang features a sleeker, more athletic styling, enhanced engines, sharper driving dynamics and advanced driver assistance technologies. To ensure complete peace of mind, customers who purchase the Mustang from authorised SDAC-Ford dealers will also enjoy a three-year full manufacturer’s warranty.

Delivering the perfect blend of a connected world and fun-to-drive experience, promotional prices for the sporty Ford Fiesta is available from RM68,401. Customers can enjoy rebates of up to 17 percent in addition to the zero-rated GST for a combined savings of up to RM20,300. Built for the digital generation, the tech-savvy and young-at-heart can constantly be plugged into their favourite music and connected to their world while on the go with the Ford Fiesta.

Customers who desire a tough, capable and smart pickup truck that also offers a comfortable car-like environment can enjoy rebates to up to 10 percent on top of the six percent GST savings for the ‘Built Ford Tough’ Ranger. This works out to a combined savings of up to RM19,830 with prices starting from RM70,910. Available in 10 variants, including the Wildtrak, FX4, XLT, XL and Standard, the award-winning Ranger continues to be one of the best-selling pickups in the market, thanks to its durability and practicality, advanced technology and features, as well as its improved efficiency and refinement. Recent key accolades that Ranger has won include ‘Pickup Truck of the Year’ at the DSF.my Allianz Vehicle of the Year Awards (VOTY 2018) and ‘Best 3 Pickup Trucks of Malaysia’ at the Aurizn Awards 2018.

“This is a great time to own a Ford. We encourage all Malaysians to ‘Seize the Deal’ now and enjoy tremendous savings from these fantastic rebates on our popular Ford vehicles in addition to the zero-rated GST already implemented on our full line-up,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion (below).

Meanwhile in other news, strong demand for the segment-defining Ford Ranger pickup truck in Malaysia fueled second quarter retail sales that rose 7.5 percent from the prior year to 1,556 vehicles sold. The strong sales helped the Ranger increase its share of the pickup segment to 15.4 percent, a gain of 1.1 percentage points from the same quarter last year.

The “Built Ford Tough” Ranger continues to earn the favour of customers across the country and build on its growing success in the market,” said Truong Kim Phong, Managing Director, Asia Pacific Emerging Markets, Ford Motor Company. The Ranger continues to be Ford’s best-selling nameplate in Malaysia and one of the best-selling pickups in the market, attracting a wide range of customers who are looking for a versatile vehicle that is suitable for both on-and off-road.

“Ranger’s bold design, unmatched versatility, robust capability and advance safety features all combine to help drive its popularity in Malaysia,” said Syed Muzri. The Ranger is currently available in Malaysia in ten variants – including the high-series Ranger Wildtrak, Ranger FX4, XLT, XL and Standard variants – providing great customer choice and meeting a wide-range of work and recreational needs.

“We are delighted with the growing demand of expanded Ranger line-up and we’re confident that Ford Ranger will continue to drive our momentum in Malaysia. We also remain committed to continuously enhance our customer and ownership experience through the ongoing expansion and upgrades of our dealer network,” added Muzri.

Ford and Sime Darby Auto Connexion have continued to expand the nationwide dealer network this year with the opening of two new facilities in East Malaysia, Sime Darby Auto Connexion (Kuching) and Sime Darby Auto Connexion (Kota Kinabalu). Designed with Ford’s global Brand@Retail standards, these facilities offer Ford’s fast-growing customer base in East Malaysia the even better sales and aftersales services.

For more information on Ford, visit SDAC’s multilingual website (www.sdacford.com.my), which also features a chatbot now available in three languages – English, Bahasa Malaysia and Simplified Chinese – to provide a better customer engagement experience.

[1] All prices stated are for 2016 or 2017 year-make models, on-the-road, without insurance, for Peninsular and East Malaysia and private individual registration only.

BIKES: Aprilia Owners In Malaysia Have A New Place To Call Home!

“The Piaggio Group officially announces the appointment of Didi Resources Sdn Bhd in Malaysia, as the official distributor of Aprilia, one of the Group’s premium motorcycle brands”

It’s OFFICIAL!

Piston.my received this notice from the Naza Group Corp.Com recently:

Naza Premira Sdn Bhd announces that it will cease operating its Aprilia distributorship with effect from 31st July 2018 after a mutual decision with the Principal. This decision is the result of a brands rationalisation plan under the Naza Group’s overall corporate strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability of other high-performing 4-wheel and 2-wheel brands, in line with current market demands. Naza Premira Sdn Bhd will continue to serve Aprilia customers in after sales, service, spare parts and warranty until 30th September 2018. Following this announcement, Naza Premira Sdn Bhd will continue to represent Piaggio and Vespa brands in Malaysia.

And mere hours later, we received this:

Didi Resources Sdn Bhd will manage Aprilia in substitution of the previous distributor, Naza Premira Sdn Bhd. The Piaggio Group wishes to thank Naza Premira for the continuous effort and support since 2013.

Mr. Gianluca Fiume, Chairman & General Director of Piaggio Vietnam & Executive Vice President Asia Pacific 2 Wheeler, said, “The appointment of Didi Resources is part of Piaggio’s business strategy to group the motorcycle brands of Aprilia and Moto Guzzi under a single entity to maximize efficiencies across all aspects of the business and reinforce customer commitment in Malaysia. With Aprilia and Moto Guzzi under one roof, we are able to better offer a wider range for potential customers who seek a unique Italian motorcycle experience backed by superior performance and rich heritage of these brands. We look forward to collaborating closely with Didi Resources to propel both Aprilia and Moto Guzzi to greater heights.”

Under the management of Didi Resources, the Gasket Alley at Petaling Jaya will house a dedicated showroom for both Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands, an aftersales and a service workshop with a new team equipped with specialized technical skills and expertise, fully trained by Aprilia. Customers are assured of a seamless transition in customer care and service support.

According to Mr. Rewi Hamid Bugo, Chairman of Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd, “We are very honoured to be presented with this opportunity to manage Aprilia, a prestigious Piaggio Group brand for the Malaysian market. This complements the Moto Guzzi range which we have established since August 2017 and completes our premium Italian motorcycle product range under Piaggio. Through this acquisition, Didi Resources is firmly committed to building the Aprilia brand through a dedicated aftersales support, strengthening of the Aprilia community and ensuring that engagement with the brand is continuous in the light of a competitive 2-wheel environment in Malaysia.”

The official appointment of Aprilia under Didi Resources will take into effect from 1 August 2018. A series of media and customer engagement activities and service support campaigns for Aprilia are currently in the pipeline to bolster brand building efforts.

Group PSA Worldwide Sales Up 38.1% In The First Half Of 2018

Groupe PSA’s SUV offensive with 13 models launched worldwide by the five brands – Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Opel and Vauxhall – drove the Group’s robust sales momentum in the first half of 2018. At more than 609,300 units, SUV sales accounted for nearly 28% of the Group’s sales. The success of these models has made Groupe PSA at the end of May, number two in this segment in Europe, with a market share of 16.9%, and number one in the B-SUV segment.

Peugeot is the leading brand in the SUV segment in Europe, selling more than 339,200 SUVs worldwide (up 26%) in the first half of 2018. Since the beginning of the year, Peugeot confirms the upward trend of the PEUGEOT 3008 SUV, with 144,000 units sold (up 37%); it has also enjoyed strong demand for the new PEUGEOT 5008, which has logged 58,900 unit sales.

The Citroën SUV offensive launched last autumn is being driven by the C3 Aircross in Europe and the C5 Aircross in China, which together represented nearly 80,000 units sold in the first half of 2018, for a total of 135,000 since their launch. The launch of the C4 Aircross in China and the C5 Aircross in Europe in the second half will allow Citroën to accelerate its offensive.

Launched worldwide in February 2018, the DS 7 CROSSBACK, first DS of the second generation is key to growth at DS Automobiles, which came up to +35% in the second quarter. Two out of three customers choose the top-of-the-line versions, and while the DS 7 CROSSBACK offers premium equipment from the entry level, every second customer chooses the DS CONNECTED PILOT option, which opens the way to level 2 autonomous driving.

Excerpt from the full report: China & South East Asia: continued sales recovery…

With sales of 163,000 vehicles in China & South East Asia, up 6.9%, the Group has seen the first signs of a sales recovery. Citroën was the biggest contributor to the improvement, with sales up 50.5%, thanks to its range of sedans and the local launch of the C5 Aircross SUV last September.

The volume mix of the PEUGEOT 3008/4008/5008 SUV family is also improving, representing 40% of the brand’s total sales volumes. DS Automobiles sales are stable in the second quarter of 2018. In China, the DS 7 CROSSBACK was launched at the Beijing Motor Show in late April 2018.

During the first half, the Group made significant progress in strengthening its operations in South East Asia with the creation of a joint venture with Naza Corporation Holdings (Malaysia). The Group has sold over 4,900 vehicles in ASEAN area in the first half of this year. The acceleration in this part of the region is now noticeable.

For the FULL PSA 1st Half 2018 report, click to download this: PSA Worldwide sales up 38.1% in the first half of 2018v2

BMW X7 iPerformance Premiered In Malaysia! [+Video]

BMW Group Malaysia has unveiled the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance, a new icon that exemplifies the brand’s new definition of visionary mobility and progressive luxury, for the first time not only in Malaysia, but in South East Asia as well. It’s a crossover of sorts, a combination of sporty SUV and practical MPV, the X7 can accommodate six adults in its cabin.

Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director and CEO of BMW Group Malaysia said, “Luxury has a whole new meaning. At BMW, we understand this as the ability to have time for you, for other people, and for other things. Luxury is the ability to define an experience. This new luxury was first unveiled at the BMW Luxury Excellence Pavilion through the BMW Concept 8 Series early this year. Now, we are proud to once again share this vision of progressive luxury through the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance.”

Have a closer look at the X7 Concept in this video from CAR TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJyWtat3kQo

The BMW Concept X7 iPerformance is welcomed by the success of BMW Group Malaysia in the first half of 2018. With a delivery of over 6,400 vehicles to new BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad owners, it recorded an impressive 11% of growth compared to the same period last year. BMW charted an 11% increase having delivered over 5,300 cars to new BMW owners in the first half of 2018 compared to the first half of last year. Likewise, MINI grew significantly by 18% with a delivery of over 550 MINIs. BMW Motorrad also enjoyed a rise of 8% with over 540 new owners.

The success in Malaysia echoes that of the BMW Group worldwide which saw a 35th consecutive quarter of sales growth with its best-ever first-half-year sales with a total of 1,242,507 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles delivered to customers. Additionally, year-to-date deliveries of electrified BMW and MINI vehicles totalled 60,660, confirming the BMW Group’s position as a leading global provider of premium electrified mobility.

Locally, BMW Group Malaysia’s portfolio of Plug-In Hybrid deliveries in Malaysia now accounts for more than half of the total vehicle deliveries at 56% with over 3,200 new owners. It is well on its way to shaping mobility of the future here in Malaysia, from the executive segment right up to the luxury segment with the BMW 7 Series.

“The progressive take on luxury is closely linked to the number 7 in the BMW model scheme. The BMW 7 Series luxury saloon has served as a paragon of exclusive driving pleasure for over 40 years now. Game-changing innovations, benchmarking comfort and contemporary design and dynamics mark out its progressive character in the current family of luxury BMWs. Taking it a level higher is the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance which introduces the BMW Sports Activity Vehicle DNA into the luxury segment,” Harald (above) added.

For the FULL details on the BMW X7 click to download this: BMW X7 iPerformance

MID-WEEK FEATURE: New Michelin Primacy 4 Launched! “Safe When New, Safe When Worn”

Piston.my was recently invited to Pattaya, Thailand to witness and try-out the latest offering from renown tyre maker, Michelin, the new Primacy 4! Sep Irran, Editor of MotoMalaya.net files this report…

One of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers, Michelin, has officially unveiled their latest generation vehicle tyre; the Michelin Primacy 4. The latest and best addition into their premium Primacy range yet comes with a very assuring slogan, “Safe When New, Safe When Worn”.

This particular catchphrase is not just mere words the PR department from Michelin conjured up, folks. After years of research and development, they’ve pushed the limits of tyre safety technology and produced a tyre that provides lasting safety and excellent performance not only when brand new but up to the point where they’re worn down after miles of usage whilst providing the ultimate comfort throughout.

According to Pascal Nouvellon, Managing Director of MICHELIN Malaysia, “A tyre’s grip and braking performance – especially on wet roads – is critical to road safety in our country. Malaysian consumers today choose their tyres based on their characteristics when they are new.”

“But what happens to grip and braking performance after 50,000 kilometres, or after a few years of use? In the tyre industry, performance tests are typically conducted on new products. Michelin is a step ahead. We want to demonstrate that our performance is maintained with mileage and time,” added Pascal.

Three years worth of effort and innovation led to the birth of two new technologies developed for the new Michelin Primacy 4. The first one is the EverGrip™ Technology where it provides two remarkable features, which are:

New tyre sculpture – provides increased water evacuation space by 50% for wet grip as the tyre wears with usage, which allows the tyre to still safely grip wet roads even when worn.
New-generation rubber compound – bonds rubber and silica more strongly and evenly together, which provides uniform energy dissipation upon contact with the road, resulting in better grip on wet roads, even when worn.

The second ground-breaking technology by the folks from Michelin is the second-generation Silent Rib Technology which helps in elevating the overall driving experience and comfort. How are they able to achieve this? By the introduction of brand new inter-locking bands that helps to minimize the deformation of tread blocks as the tyre is rolling. This helps by:

Reducing the air pumping sound effects for a more silent ride
Providing better shock absorption in response to road obstacles for a more comfortable ride

Michelin invited media members from all over Asia to Pattaya, Thailand for a very exciting test drive to see how the Michelin Primacy 4 is able to perform under different conditions. The Primacy 4 Experience showcased how it’s able to perform under super wet conditions when brand new AND when worn out to 2mm remaining tyre depth. The result was quite amazing, to say the least.

Michelin commissioned TÜV Rheinland Thailand Limited to test new and worn MICHELIN Primacy 4 tyres on wet roads, as well as new and worn tyres of other premium tyre brands. The result? Michelin Primacy 4 tyres brake 2.5 meters shorter when new, and 5.1 meters shorter when worn, compared to other premium brands in the market.

With Michelin’s main focus of pushing the limits of tyre safety even when worn, they’ve accomplished something more amazing in which we were able to witness for ourselves at the test track. The Michelin Primacy 4 tyres are able to brake 1.8 meters shorter than brand new tyres from other premium brands!

Pascal continued by saying that “The new Michelin Primacy 4 addresses two major pain points of consumers in our country: safety journey after journey, due to unfavourable road conditions and rain-related accidents; and on comfort, due to challenging road and traffic conditions. Sustainability of our products is Michelin’s key corporate strategy. Instead of producing tyres that are easily depleted, we strive to deliver tyres that provide safety and true value to consumers, while respecting the environment, throughout its full life cycle.”

The new Michelin Primacy 4 will be available from July 2018 onwards with 64 available sizes from 15 to 18 inches in diameter, with an estimated MSRP of between RM400 to RM700 each depending on size (TBC, check local authorised dealer).

Those who own popular vehicles like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, BMW 3 and 5-series, Mercedes E and C-Class plus many more are all able to enjoy the new Primacy 4. For more information, head over to www.michelin.my, ‘TYREPLUS’ or any of the Michelin’s authorised dealers across Malaysia.