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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.

Michelin Primacy 4 Pattaya Thailand Launch Photo Gallery…

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia Announces “Merdeka Deals 2018” Promotion

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Malaysia, is offering special Merdeka promotions for the upcoming Merdeka celebrations 2018! From now until end of August 2018, customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Triton will enjoy Merdeka bonus and GST rebates worth up to RM15,100! Merdeka promotions for all Triton variants are as follows:

No	Model/Variant	Zero-Rated GST Price (RM) From 1 June 2018	Merdeka Bonus + GST Rebates (RM)	Warranty
1	Triton Athlete	119,866	15,100	All Triton variants except Triton Quest: Five years warranty or 200,000km Triton Quest: Five years warranty or 100,000km
2	Triton VGT Adventure X	119,866	15,100
3	Triton VGT AT Premium	109,782	14,500
4	Triton VGT AT GL	97,989	13,800
5	Triton VGT MT	101,574	14,000
6	Triton MT	88,670	13,200
7	Triton Quest	73,076	8,300

The Mitsubishi Triton recently received the Pick Up Trucks of Malaysia award at the Cars of Malaysia Awards ceremony 2018. Customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Outlander- the Outlander 2.0-litre and Outlander 2.4-litre will get Merdeka bonus and GST rebates worth up to RM11,800 and RM12,700 respectively.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is currently selling fast and has limited stock. The Outlander 2.0-litre is priced at RM132,108 and the Outlander 2.4-litre is priced at RM146,276. The Mitsubishi Outlander recently received the Family SUVs of Malaysia award at the Cars of Malaysia awards 2018.

Last but not least, customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi ASX compact SUV 2WD, will receive Merdeka bonus and GST rebates worth up to RM14,700. Customers who opt for the Mitsubishi ASX 4WD instead, will receive Merdeka Bonus and GST rebates worth RM15,500. The Mitsubishi ASX 2WD is priced at RM112,399, while the Mitsubishi ASX 4WD is priced at RM126,739.

In addition, from 18 August to 22 September, Mitsubishi owners who service their cars at authorized Mitsubishi service centres will receive an exclusive Thermos when they spend a minimum of RM400. Mitsubishi owners are also eligible to save up to 25% on Mitsubishi genuine additives.

That’s not all! Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia will be hosting an exclusive showroom event entitled ‘New Hope New Ride’ from 28 July – 2 September 2018. Visitors to these showroom locations will be entitled to Merdeka bonus and GST rebates when they purchase a new Mitsubishi vehicle, booking gift, test drive gift, fun-filled activities for the whole family and refreshments.

Here’s the schedule for the Mitsubishi ‘New Hope New Ride’ tour:

Region	Showroom	Date	Time
Peninsular Malaysia
Northern	Lofty Ambition, Taiping	11 August	10am-6pm
	Lofty Ambition, Ipoh	12 August
	EON Auto Mart, Bayan Lepas	18 August
	JM Auto Gallery, Butterworth	25 August
East Malaysia
Sabah	Sebangga Dunia, Kota Kinabalu	28 July	10am-6pm
	KSY Automobile, Keningau	4 August
	TBNC Motor, Sandakan	12 August
	EON Auto Mart, Tawau	18 August
	TBNC Motor, Kota Kinabalu	25 August

The new on-the-road (OTR) excluding insurance prices will remain in effect from 1 June 2018 onwards until GST is eventually replaced by the sales and services tax (SST).

· Prices are quoted on-the-road without insurance for private registration in Peninsular Malaysia (not applicable in duty free zones).

· Merdeka Promotions is valid until 31 August 2018 only.

· Terms and Conditions Apply.

MMM Sales Network and Others

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia is currently represented by 54 showrooms (out of which 47 are 3S Centres) and 53 service outlets throughout Malaysia. In East Malaysia, MMM is represented by 14 showrooms (6 in Sarawak and 8 in Sabah). The Triton 4×4 pick-up truck are imported as CBU (Completely Built-Up) units from Thailand while the ASX Compact SUV and Outlander are locally assembled (CKD) in Malaysia.

The Volkswagen Marketplace – Now Open For Business!

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is set to make history once again with the launch of “Volkswagen Marketplace”, an e-platform where customers can reserve a Volkswagen car and enjoy exclusive online offers. A first-of-its-kind platform in Malaysia, Volkswagen Marketplace launches with an exclusive online-only deal on only 20 units of the Passat 1.8TSI Trendline Cyber.

These units are offered at an amazing online price of RM135,888 and comes with 5-year free maintenance, and 1-year free insurance. Customers will also be able to enjoy a low interest rate of 0.88% per annum on the Passat 1.8TSI Trendline Cyber.

Under the hood of the Passat 1.8TSI Trendline Cyber is the 1.8L TSI turbocharged engine paired with a 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG). This combination provides an output of 180PS and torque of 250Nm between 1,250rpm and 5,000rpm. Four colours are available for the Passat – Pure White, Deep Black, Indium Grey and Reflex Silver.

To make a booking, customers just need to follow a few simple steps to select their model, preferred dealer and submit in their details. A reservation will need to be accompanied by a credit card payment of RM1,500 (reservation fee), this amount will be deducted from the total price of the selected car. A Volkswagen sales representative will be in touch with the new owner to finalise the purchase until the car is fully registered and ready for collection.

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM said that the idea of creating an e-platform such as Volkswagen Marketplace had been in the pipeline for some time, and the recent success of VPCM’s partnership with Lazada further spurred the idea. “The rise of e-commerce has changed the way people shop, and selling 12 Beetles on Lazada in just 20 minutes confirmed our belief that Malaysians are ready and receptive to buying cars online. This as an important development for the brand and we are very excited to be able to bring Volkswagen Marketplace to Malaysia. Volkswagen Marketplace is a permanent platform for us, and we will be regularly updating it with new offers, so interested customers should definitely keep on a lookout for them”

The Volkswagen Marketplace is easy and simple to use. These are the five simple steps to follow once the customer logs on to the Marketplace.

Step 1: Select Volkswagen model.

Step 2: Select the preferred dealership.

Step 3: Enter customer details to continue with the reservation.

Step 4: Finalise reservation by submitting a fee of RM1,500 (credit card only)

Step 5: The selected dealer will guide and assist the customer throughout the purchase process, car registration up till the car delivery/collection.

All Volkswagen models now come with 5-year manufacturer’s warranty and 5-year roadside assistance. For more information, visit marketplace.volkswagen.com.my

Boon Siew Honda Launches New Dash 125

Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd has introduced its latest model with the official launch of the new Dash 125. This new 125CC cub is the answer for riders who are looking for a bike that offers the whole package – improved performance and stylish design.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Boon Siew Honda, Mr. Keiichi Yasuda (below) said, “Over the years, the higher CC cub market has grown increasingly competitive and challenging due to greater customer demand. As a company that is committed to bringing new values for the joy of customers, Boon Siew Honda has been refining our model offerings to meet the expectation of Malaysian riders for superior riding experience. Having understood the current trend and demand in Malaysia, we are extremely excited to introduce the new Dash 125 that is set to push the benchmark higher in the cub segment.”

The new Dash 125 received several value-added upgrades from its previous model, the Wave Dash that was first introduced 7 years ago. At the heart is the engine which is now 125cc to give riders a dashing ride that is better and more spirited in performance, making the new Dash 125 a great bike for those who are looking for a cub that has better performance within a reasonable price range.

The new Dash 125 offers a stylish and dynamic silhouette with its improved exterior. The new model is now equipped with LED headlights to offer better illumination and safety for riders who travel day and night in this fast-paced living environment. To add more aggressiveness in its aesthetic, the new Dash 125 is equipped with a stylish leg shield, sporty rim lining, cutting-edge mirror design as well as a new speedometer.

This new model also sports a new exterior, which is more contemporary with four colour options, which are Pearl Magellanic Black, Vivacity Red, Pearl Nightfall Blue and the Repsol Edition. Prices are as stated below:

Dash 125 (Single Disc-Brake) RM5,999
Dash 125 (Double Disc-Brake) RM6,299
Dash 125 Repsol Edition (Double Disc-Brake) RM6,499