Piston.my

English

After the long period of inactivity due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) lockdowns for over 2 months, the auto industry is quickly revving up again. Customers are visiting showrooms and the backlog of orders is quickly being fulfilled. For Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), there has been a steady surge which led to a historic sales achievement in the month of September 2021.

During the first full month of business since the government permitted businesses to resume in mid-August, MMM delivered 1,521 units of its most popular model, the Triton. This volume also gave it the highest market share of 34% within the pick-up segment for September.

Brand among top 3 in non-national segment
In comparison to 2020, the volume of Triton sales increased by 5.1% within the first half of company’s Financial Year 2021 (April – September 2021), while the overall sales volume saw positive growth with a total of 6,907 vehicles delivered. This raised Mitsubishi Motors market share from 1.7% (April – September 2020) to 3.9% (April-September 2021), maintaining the brand’s position among the top 3 non-national brands in Malaysia.

XPANDER MPV bookings close to 13,000
Besides the Triton, the XPANDER MPV has also been growing in popularity. It’s unfortunate that, like a number of the latest models, it was introduced during a period when the pandemic restricted movements. Now, as the situation eases, it is clear that the model has strong appeal as it is the best-selling non-national MPV with close to 13,000 bookings since launch in November 2020. To date, MMM has delivered 5,756 units of the model, assembled in Pahang, to new owners around the country.

The XPANDER is priced from RM92,263 in Peninsular Malaysia (without insurance). As it is assembled in Malaysia, it is given 100% exemption of sales tax until the end of 2021.

“After a few months of the challenging market situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, the team at Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia is working with our best efforts to improve production, delivery timing, and to recover from backlog orders fulfilment for the XPANDER and Triton. We would also like to thank our customers who have shown us support and have been patient with us. As the nation moves towards the endemic era and with the resumption of the automotive supply chain and showrooms opening, we are confident for optimistic sales numbers over the second half of our Financial Year,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of Mitsubishi Moors Malaysia.

Home Delivery Service soon
“In addition, we are continuously looking to improve and introduce new digital services. Soon, we will be announcing a Home Delivery Service for customers who have purchased a Mitsubishi vehicle to have their brand new car delivered to their doorstep. This is to ease customer’s convenience in shopping using Mitsubishi Online Showroom. We are also working very closely with our dealerships to ensure full SOPs are in compliance and only fully vaccinated staff are allowed to be on duty and serve customers,” he added.

To know more about Mitsubishi Motors models available in Malaysia and to locate a showroom for viewing and test-drives, visit www.mitsubishu-motors.com.my.

Since the days of Henry Ford who said ‘you can have your car in any colour you want as long as it’s black’, the process of painting a car constantly evolved. In the earliest days, the work was done manually and took around 40 days to complete painting a car. Today, with automated processes using robots, the complete job can take about 18 hours (including passing through the oven). The principles are essentially the same but the technology has become more advanced to achieve higher quality, especially the finish.

However, one constraint in painting cars in factories that assemble them is that variations are very limited. Even the number of colours is controlled for optimization and for personalisation, the work has to be done outside of the normal process. Factory managers would love to do it Henry Ford’s way with just one colour.

However, in today’s market, customers want choice and those who can afford it also want a degree of personalisation. This is especially so in the premium luxury segment and the manufacturers even have special divisions to cater to such specific requirements.

Increasing scope of individualisation
At the BMW Group’s factory in Dingolfing, Germany, a new pilot painting process has begun where several paint colours can be used and designs applied without stencils or masking the vehicle as the process is free of overspray. This highly innovative application method not only increases the scope of individualisation for customers but also contributes to sustainability by reducing waste and energy consumption.

The process developed by the BMW Group, in collaboration with Durr (a well known company in this field) is known as EcoPaintJet Pro application. It applies waterborne base coats and 2K clear coat without electrostatics, relying instead on jet application. In the conventional procedure, paint is atomised by a rotating bell with 35 to 55,000 revolutions per minute and adheres electrostatically to the body.

Different approach to painting
The paint is applied using an orifice plate that enables high edge definition with a variable paint thickness of between 1 and approximately 50 mm. This requires maximum precision from both the robot and application technology. It also means two different colours of paint can be used, eg for a contrasting roof, with stripes and other designs applied on various parts of the bodywork.

The focus of technology and material development was on achieving the maximum range of applications. It will now be possible to paint every exterior component – offering customers virtually limitless options for individualisation.

No need for masking
Until now, custom designs like this can only be realised using manual masking, a time-consuming process. With the new technology, the material and personnel costs this previously entailed will be also eliminated, making it possible to realize these options at a lower cost. The precision of spraying means there is no overspray and therefore no excess paint particles to be disposed of.

A further contribution to sustainable production comes from lower energy consumption. Since paint separation is no longer required, the amount of air needed is also les. At around 7,000 operating hours, this results in energy savings of more than 6,000 megawatt hours and reduces the carbon footprint by nearly 2,000 tonnes per year.

BMW M4 Coupe used for trial run
The technology is being used for the first time for 19 BMW M4 Coupes. These will have custom two-tone paintwork and M4 identification on the bonnet and tailgate. With the paintwork for the M4 small series, the BMW Group is testing the possibilities of the new process. These unique vehicles will initially be used in the company’s own fleet. Wider use of the innovative paint process is scheduled to begin in 2022 when other factories in the BMW Group production network adopt it.

Those who know the name ‘Piech’ will know it is well known in automotive history as it is the family name of the great grandson of Ferdinand Porsche. Ferdinand Piech was a brilliant engineer who became CEO of the Volkswagen Group in the 1990s and it would only be expected that other family members would have an equally deep passion for cars.

One of them is Anton Piech, his son, who started a small car company in Switzerland known as Piech Automotive AG In 2016. His partner was Rea Stark Rajcic, ad industrial designer, and the company based in Zurich focussed on electric vehicles and EV technology.

2024 Piech GT

By 2019, the company had developed a flexible vehicle architecture and on this went a sleek sportscar body. It was called the GT Mark Zero and made its first appearance at the Geneva Motor Show that year. Naturally, the Piech name associated brought extra attention to the concept car as Ferdinand Piech and his great grandfather had come out with advanced and innovative cars in their time.

Piech Automotive had plans to develop the GT Mark Zero into a production model that could go on sale within a few years. But as with projects all over the world that started in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 would cause delays but the production electric sportscar will be available by 2024.

2024 Piech GT

At the time of its debut, Piech provided basic specifications which showed that the car would have a fully electric drive with a 450 kW (603 hp) output. This would enable a claimed acceleration time of 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3 seconds, while the target range was said to be 500 kms.

The battery and battery cell technology has received further innovation with a technical partner in China with a solution that enables a full charge in less than 5 minutes. This requires a fast charger specially developed by TGOOD, a company founded in 2004 by a team of German and Chinese engineers that specialises in EV charging equipment.

With more conventional charging stations, the battery pack can be charged to 80% capacity in 8 minutes, it is claimed. The battery pack has compact and robust pouch cells with low heat generation, which is why air cooling is sufficient for thermal management of the battery. The lack of liquid cooling – common in high-performance electric vehicles –  keeps the total weight to 1,800 kgs.

2024 Piech GT

Recently, the electric sportscar – which now has the name of Piech GT – has started its trial phase on test tracks. According to Rea Stark Rajcic, the co-founder of the company, it will have typical sportscar handling which was already clearly defined the positioning from the very beginning. “The new Piech GT should convincingly transport the DNA of a classic sports car into the electric age,” he said.

Latest details revealed show that the powertrain consists of one synchronous electric motor at the front axle which produces 150 kW, while another two motors at the rear generate 150 kW each. The additional thrust at the rear axle is what will create the sportscar driving experience.

The arrangement of the batteries (one part is housed in the centre tunnel, the rest on the rear axle) permits a similar axle load distribution and handling that had previously found only with pure sportscars with internal combustion engines. In contrast to the widely used underfloor arrangement, the package enables a low seating position typical of a sportscar as well as precise handling with immediate feedback to the driver.

2024 Piech GT

“The second prototype will be completed by next March, with a further series of prototypes to follow before the end of 2022. Based on the test results from these prototypes, another batch of prototypes will then be built in 2023. Piech Automotive is exactly following the tried-and-tested testing cycles of German premium manufacturers here, with trials in heat and dust, in sub-zero temperatures with ice and snow, and on demanding roads and racetracks such as the Nurburgring Nordschleife, to be able to meet our target of starting series production in 2024,” said Klaus Schmidt, who was previously with BMW’s high-performance department at M GmbH for 30 years.

2024 Piech GT

In addition to the Piech GT, the company will  gradually broaden the range with a sporty electric SUV and a sports sedan to be called the Sportlimousine. “Our modular concept not only gives us freedom in the design to create vehicles that are as attractive as possible, but at the same time serves as a platform for all other body shapes. The initial focus is clearly on the two-seater Piech GT sportscar, while the sporty Piech SUV brings additional volume in sales and the 4-seater Sportlimousine offers more occupant space and round off the product range,” said Stark Rajcic.

“Not only are we flexible in terms of design and body shapes, but we are also keeping all options open when it comes to powertrains. We’re starting with electric cars, but our modular vehicle architecture would allow us to respond flexibly to corresponding developments and breakthroughs in the field of hydrogen or fuel cells,” added Anton Piech, CEO of the company.

2024 Piech GT

Tan Chong, one of the longest business partners of Nissan Motor (since the 1950s), has built up the brand to what it is today by ensuring that aftersales services have always been good. The company has invested heavily over the decades in developing a nationwide aftersales network to look after the increasing number of Nissan vehicles.

It has been recognized for its efforts on many occasions in the past and in fact, since 2017, it has been picked 3 times as the best achieving Nissan dealer for aftersales services within Asia and Pacific region. The most recent was being the Winner in the Global Nissan Aftersales Award 2020 (GNAA) by Tan Chong’s Aftersales Division. The Global Nissan Aftersales Award is one of the most prestigious honours by Nissan Motor. It is aimed at motivating and improving aftersales operational excellence, and enhance customer service experiences across the globe.

Award for meeting high standards

The award is given to the best performing Nissan dealer according to a set of standards covering parts and service performance, customer service and satisfaction, and quality of business management.

“We are proud to be recognized as the best amongst Nissan Aftersales dealers from across the region. To win 3 times since 2017 is a testament to our focused customer approach, dedication in service performance and teamwork. We will continue to improve and consistently provide our customers with highest service support to improve customer satisfaction,” said Michael Yao Tsu-Wei, Head of Aftersales, Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis (TCEAS).

“The award sets a new milestone for the company. The teams, especially aftersales, have consistently challenged and go beyond their best efforts to provide excellent services to our customers. I would like to thank the teams for their continuous support and hard work,” added Christopher Tan, Sales and Marketing Director of Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM).

Warranties remain valid

On a related matter, Mr. Yao said that all authorised Nissan service centres are operating as usual in the Phase 1 and 2 of National Recovery Plan (NRP) period. The exceptions are those within the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) affected areas.

Nissan owners should note that services will be available only via appointment which can be made beforehand via DriveOn mobile app. Owners can also schedule an appointment by visiting www.tceas.com, calling the Nissan Customer Care Centre Hotline at 1800-88-3838, or directly contact the preferred service centre.

Owners need not be concerned about their vehicle warranties. TCEAS says they will remain valid even if the preventive maintenance service could not be carried out during the Phase 1 and 2 of NRP period. However, the vehicle should be sent to the service centre as soon as it is possible to do so.

Click here for other news and articles about Nissan and Edaran Tan Chong Motor

Proton, like other carmakers in Malaysia, has been seeing a steady sales growth since the government allowed businesses to start operating again from the middle of August. While there were only two weeks of operations in August and many sales outlets also had to prepare their premises to meet SOPs, September was a full month and customers began returning to showrooms.

For Proton, September was very encouraging as the total number of vehicles sold (including exports) was 10,380 units. The company estimates that the Total Industry Volume for the month will be around 43,500 units and, on that basis, Proton’s share would be 23.9%. This would keep it in second place in overall sales for 2021.

September’s sales volume takes the cumulative volume sold to 73,017 units after 8 months. That’s almost similar to the 73,547 units over the same period in 2020 although this year, Proton’s market share to date is slightly higher at 23% compared to 21.5%.

Although there is usually more news about the newer models like the X70 and X50, it was the Saga that was Proton’s bestseller in September. 3,907 units were sold, a number said to be the highest in the A-segment.

The newly launched Iriz and Persona also recorded strong first month sales. Even though production was affected by a shortage of components, the factory still managed to release 1,440 units of the Persona and 749 units of the Iriz (including the new Active variant) which were immediately delivered to customers.

As for the hotselling SUVs, deliveries accelerated to catch up with demand. For the X50, 2,431 units were delivered while 1,577 units of the X70 reached their new owners. To date in 2021, 27,312 units of SUVs have been sold by Proton which accounts for 37.4% of the overall year’s sales of 73,017 units.

“As the numbers show, sales were strong for Proton in September, so we are happy with the results. While we could have sold more than the 10,380 units achieved, some context should be given to our performance as Malaysia is recovering from a pandemic that is still affecting our vendors. The situation is slowly improving but the shortage of chips and other components is a real issue that will not change in the short term, so we must exercise caution when trying to forecast sales as production volumes remain subject to change,” explained Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.

“Therefore, for the remaining three months of the year, Proton will concentrate on meeting our commitments to our customers and delivering as many cars as possible. Clearing the backlog will free up more volume for the next calendar year and help us move forward with plans to expand our offerings both locally and in export markets,” he said.

Encik Roslan said that while there is growth in the number of bookings made online, Proton and its dealers have made big investments to upgrade the sales and service network the last few years. “The best brand experience is still delivered in person, so we have adopted new operational procedures in light of the pandemic situation,” he added.

With all states in Phase 2 or higher of the National Recovery Plan, all Proton outlets and service centres have now reopened nationwide. While operations remain governed by strict SOPs to limit the physical number of people at a facility, fully vaccinated customers can visit showrooms to view and test drive the company’s range of offerings.

Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected and although you may not show symptoms, you can spread the coronavirus to others. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.

Michelin, as a leader with a long history in the tyre industry, offers tyres for all types of vehicles… even spacecraft. With over 130 years of experience in making tyres, the company has built up its technological knowledge to develop the best tyres for each sector.

For the growing SUV sector, Michelin Malaysia has recently introduced the Michelin LTX Trail tyre, specifically designed for SUVs and also applicable for use on pick-up trucks. This new tyre has extended lifespan, with excellent wet braking performance – even when worn – for long-lasting safety. It is suitable for highway use as well as on unpaved roads and unlike many such tyres, it also generates lower noise levels for a more comfortable ride.

The extended lifespan can provide up to 41% longer mileage, thanks to the RallyForce2 Tread Compound. This makes the tyre more durable so it can give maximum service life, even with off-road use. The new tread design is also a contributory factor with the Biting Shoulder that wraps from the tread down the sidewall. This results in better protection against sidewall aggression and ensures greater off-road performance and traction.

Variable Thickness Sipes (those small slits in tyres) provide improved contact patch that enhances handling and grip. Braking performance is also better, even on wet roads. When compared to its premium competitors, the LTX Trail has been able to stop 3.1 metres shorter when new, and 4.6 metres shorter when worn. On dry roads, when new, it stops 3.8 metres shorter. The sipes are deep so even the tyre is worn, the performance remains consistent and high.

Quietness is not always a strong point of tyres for SUVs and pick-up trucks. However, factory tests show that the LTX Trail has 19.8% lower sound pressure level. This is thanks to Duo-Harmony Blocks featuring two different block shapes in the tread’s centre that spread the noise generated  across a wider spectrum.

The Michelin LTX tyres are suitable for SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner (above) and pick-up trucks like the Nissan Navara, Isuzu D-MAX and Ford Ranger (below).

“At Michelin, we are constantly innovating to enable people to move around more freely, safely; and to live a better life in motion. The new Michelin LTX Trail is a great match for the increasing popularity of SUVs, which is projected to grow 5.6% year-on-year, from 2021 to 2026. Perfect for consumers who own 4×2 and 4×4 high-rise pickups, as well as SUVs – such as Toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner, and Nissan Navara – these tyres also cater to those whose lifestyle demands the ability to reach on- and off-road destinations, for work or pleasure,” said Oliver Biggart, Managing Director of Michelin Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

“We are confident that the new MICHELIN LTX Trail gives drivers in Malaysia a safe and comfortable ride on the road, across a variety of terrain – ranging from city commuting, wet road, highway driving, to light and moderate off-road,” added Mr. Biggart.

For the Malaysia market, the LTX Trail is offered in 9 sizes to fit with rim dimensions ranging between 15 and 18 inches. It is available at Michelin’s authorized tyre dealers nationwide. For more information on the Michelin tyre range and location of dealers, visit the Michelin Malaysia website.

KINTO ONE is a car subscription program available exclusively to Toyota and Lexus customers globally. Introduced in Malaysia earlier this year, it offers the use of a vehicles without having to own it. Those who sign up for the program have only to pay a fixed monthly payment which includes registration fees, maintenance costs, insurance and even roadtax.

Originating from the Japanese word kinto-un, which means ‘flying nimbus’, as the future image of  mobility, the name is in line with the spirit of providing services that quickly appear when necessary, enabling mobility as per the user’s wishes.

With the traditional hire-purchase (H-P) financing facility, the customer has to pay a monthly instalment to repay the loan amount and also all costs related to ownership and usage. KINTO ONE packages all the costs for convenience during the term selected which can be 2 years or 3 years. At the end of the subscription period, the vehicle is returned and everything else will be taken care of. There are no worries of residual value nor how to sell off the vehicle.

The various packages and subscription periods with terms of up to 5 years now available.

In Malaysia, KINTO ONE is offered through a joint strategic collaboration between Toyota Capital Malaysia Sdn Bhd and UMW Toyota Motor. It is available in Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia but not Langkawi and Labuan. The subscription program is Islamic-based and is part of the local early mover transition to realizing Toyota’s ambition to become a mobility company.

“Soon after we launched KINTO ONE, the country was ushered into another major lockdown and  this has encouraged us to be more adaptive of the local happenings. Through our spirit of kaizen (constant improvement) and structured discipline in product development, we took advantage of the recent lockdown to improve our KINTO ONE features,” said Thomas Chai, President of Toyota Capital Malaysia. “We listened closely to what the market needs and have come up with additional varieties of KINTO ONE to cater to the growing car subscription market.”

KINTO ONE now offers the option to choose from different yearly mileage packages starting from 20,000 kms to 30,000 kms and a longer subscription up to 5 years can also be chosen. Additionally, there is a Lite Package, conceived as a response to the reduced motoring by many people (due to working from home and limiting their travels). They may still require an easy and straightforward car  usership program. The Lite package has all the value propositions of a car subscription program but offers extensive flexibility to choose the package that suits each customer’s needs best.

The corporate sector would also find KINTO ONE Business worth considering for company fleets. Formulated to appeal to companies who wish to be light on their assets and lessen the unnecessary  administrative works, KINTO ONE Business can help to improve the bottom line as it is a cost-effective solution for mobility needs. Furthermore, fleet managers can have an easier time as everything related to the vehicle throughout the subscription period is covered. KINTO ONE Business offers a range of commercial vehicles as well.

Some of the Toyota and Lexus models available for KINTO ONE’s subscription plans. The Toyota Hiace and Hilux for commercial usage are also available with KINTO ONE Business.

Current models available for KINTO ONE subscription include popular Toyota and Lexus and for KINTO ONE Business, vehicles for commercial usage as well. Vehicle inventories and subscription costs can be found at www.kinto-my.com.

After a difficult third quarter, the auto industry is picking up again and market leader Perodua is accelerating forward as sales and deliveries rapidly increase. In the third consecutive month, the total volume has increased by 102% to 14,160 units in September from 6,988 units in August.

“The automotive supply chain has shown improvements but have yet to reach their full potential. We are continuously working with our suppliers and dealers to further improve productivity and safety,” said Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Quality control maintained
While more vehicles are required, Dato’ Zainal Abidin explained that the increases would be gradual in both production and sales. “This is in keeping with the strict quality control measures throughout Perodua’s operations to ensure customer satisfaction,” he said.

For the period between January and September 2021, Perodua sold 119,093 vehicles, compared with 145,012 in the same period in 2020. Comparing the second quarter of the year to the third quarter, sales plummeted by 44.6% to 21,803 units between July and September as no business activities were permitted between June 1 and August 16.

Improving conditions
Dato Zainal Abidin is optimistic that the numbers will continue to improve in coming months as the country’s pandemic situation eases. “The fourth quarter of 2021 does offer a better outlook than the previous two quarters, especially the marked improvement in the reduction of COVID-19 cases nationwide as well as the nearly 90% vaccination rate of the Malaysian adult population,” he said.

All Perodua outlets are operational (unless they are in areas with specific EMCO conditions) and to locate the nearest one to you, visit www.perodua.com.my. As required by the Ministry of Health, all Standard Operating Procedures must be observed when visiting any showroom or service centre.

Angka-Tan Motor Sdn Bhd (ATM), a subsidiary of Warisan TC Holdings Berhad, has been appointed as the distributor of the Vigus Pro 4×4 pick-up truck made by Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd (JMC). This follows the signing of a Vehicle Technology Licensing agreement between the two companies in July last year.

Under the agreement, ATM has the sole right to manufacture, assemble and sell the JMC Vigus Pro 4×4 pick-up truck and related parts and components in Malaysia. For assembly, ATM would naturally use Tan Chong Motor Assemblies, which has already begun assembling the first batch of vehicles.

“We are pleased to announce that after more than 12 months of hard work, Angka-Tan Motor, in collaboration with Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd, is ready to introduce an exciting contender in the popular pick-up segment. The stylish and technologically advanced JMC Vigus Pro 4×4 pick-up truck has proven its mettle in the Chinese market and we can’t wait to share this new product with pick-up fans across Malaysia,” said Tan Keng Meng, CEO of Warisan TC Holdings Bhd.

“As a leading manufacturer and exporter of light commercial vehicles in China, we are thrilled to offer Malaysian consumers a versatile yet attractive pick-up truck engineered with the latest technologies. JMC has been standing as the second best-selling brand in the pick-up segment in China for many consecutive years. We would like to congratulate Angka-Tan Motor’s appointment as the official distributor of the JMC Vigus Pro 4×4 and to also express our appreciation to Warisan TC for their support in making this a reality,” said Xiong Chunying, President of Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.

2-litre turbodiesel with 8-speed transmission
The Vigus Pro is powered by a 2-litre 4-cylinder VGT turbodiesel engine which has an output of 141 ps/340 Nm with claimed consumption of 12.8 kms/litre. Its drivetrain consists of an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and BorgWarner 4WD System with High and Low ranges, as well as an Eaton Rear Differential Lock.

For safety, there are active systems such as Bosch ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control, and for safer reversing, a rearview camera is provided.

ATM plans to offer the Vigus Pro 4×4 at 13 sales and service outlets nationwide. Prices and specifications of the vehicle will be released later this month. Aftersales support is assured by a nationwide service network offering dedicated mobile service and 24/7 Res-Q response, backed by the resources of Tan Chong Group.

In the meantime, display units are available at ATM’s flagship showroom in Klang, Selangor. Bookings are also being accepted by authorised dealers which can be found at the JMC Malaysia website or by calling 03-3359 6068.

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube