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EON changes its corporate logo, takes over 9 Proton Edar dealerships

A number of companies, even global ones, have changed their corporate logo over the past year and Edaran Otomobil Nasional, a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM Berhad, joins them this month.

The new logo is the third one for the company, better known as ‘EON’, since it was established in 1984. The first change after that was in 1990. The new logo is a total departure from EON’s previous logo. It sports a stylised red ‘E’ that sits within a blue diamond, showing a forward-movement motion.

‘Coming of age’
The company’s acronym ‘EON’ also appears on a more modern font. The company says this signifies the brand’s coming of age after more than 30 years in the automotive distribution business in Malaysia.

The red ‘E’ is said to depict the boldness of the brand that retails a number of automotive brands in Malaysia. The blue diamond is a show of strength for the 36-year-old brand, as well as the typical traits that are associated with the colour blue: loyalty and wisdom.

*EON was originally set up the handle distribution and marketing activities in the domestic market when the Proton Saga was launched.*

EON was originally established to handle domestic distribution and marketing of Proton cars. When the role was taken over by Proton Edar, which was a subsidiary of Proton, EON became a super dealer chain as it had the most Proton outlets in the country.

With the change in its role, EON took on other brands to represent, namely Audi, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi. The other brands are sold by subsidiaries of EON. Additionally, the company also operates the Avis car rental and leasing network in Malaysia.

*Euromobil, an EON subsidiary, handles Audi.*

9 Proton outlets
Along with the new logo, EON has announced the commencement of their Proton retailing business. EON now owns nine Proton dealerships, including four 4S (sales, service, spares and spray-painting) centres and three 3S outlets. Four branches are in the central region, while there are two each are in Johor and Penang. The outlets were formerly owned by Proton Edar.

LOOKING BACK – Remembering the birth of the Proton Saga and what it meant to the nation

Nissan Almera Turbo officially launched, confirmed prices start from RM79,906

One of the things that has changed about how cars are being launched into the market nowadays is that the period of ‘teasing’ and ‘previewing’ can be quite long. It can be many months from the time the first official pictures are taken and first details released, until the time the car is actually ‘launched’ and deliveries start. In the past, delays were usually due to price approvals being slow and while the cars were already in the stockyards, customs duties could not be paid as the price was not approved by the government (only for locally-assembled models).

Nowadays, companies stretch the ‘preview’ over months to get maximum publicity. In some cases, due to competition, it is necessary to reveal details and the estimated price so as to make some customers who are considering another model pause and hopefully wait. The manufacturers themselves do it too – unveiling a new model at the beginning of the year and then starting production at the end for deliveries the following year!

Anyway, you would have read about the new Nissan Almera Turbo over the past few months and we even wrote about it in some detail, as well as provided some initial driving impressions. Today, the model is officially launched with confirmed prices.

There are three variants – VL, VLP and VLT – with prices shown on the chart below.

3-cylinder turbo engine
Only one engine is available, this being the HR10DET that is a compact powerplant with a 1-litre displacement and 3 cylinders. It’s another example of downsizing that has taken place over the past decade. With advanced technology as well as turbocharging, it can generate up to 100 ps/152 Nm – comparable to a 1.5-litre engine. It’s a bold move by ETCM to introduce this small engine in what is its mainstream model. Malaysians still see a need for at least 1.3 litres or more to have ‘enough performance’ and are not convinced that today’s smaller engines are actually much more powerful than the old 1-litre units that usually had a carburettor only.

The engineers have made the engines smaller to save weight and reduce fuel consumption, while boosting performance at the same time. And for Malaysian motorists, a smaller engine size also means paying lower roadtax each year.

Related article: The Nissan Almera Turbo Engine

Generous equipment list
The standard equipment and features are fairly generous, even with the lowest-priced Almera Turbo VL variant. For instance, across the range, there is pushbutton engine starting, and the Active Safety system includes Intelligent Forward Collision Warning & Emergency Braking, besides the usual ABS, EBD, Stability Control, etc.

The extra money charged for the upper two variants gets you a colour touchscreen, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, digital display instrument panel, automatic air-conditioning and 6 airbags,

The top VLT variant has LEDs for the headlamps, foglamps, and daytime running lights, along with cruise control, around-view monitor, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) provides a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty and to lower running costs, there 5 scheduled maintenance services will be free (parts and labour included) during the first 5 years (terms and conditions apply).

Special financing schemes
For those who require financing for their purchases, ETCM is offering a special hire-purchase Flexi Financing Promotion with monthly instalments ranging from RM688 to RM788, depending on the variant.

Additionally, customers who purchase their insurance for the Almera Turbo from Tan Chong Insurance Business Stream will get free Personal Accident Insurance coverage with a sum insured up to RM75,000, Key Care cover reimbursement up to RM 1,500, and Flood Relief allowance up to RM 1,500. Terms and conditions applicable.

Those who test-drive the new Almera Turbo at any Nissan showroom nationwide stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone SE worth RM2,199. And for those who buy one, there are also prizes worth up to RM88,888 to be won in the ‘Buy & Win’ Contest. They must register their new car before the end of 2020 to qualify for the contest.

For more information or to locate a showroom, visit www.almeraturbo.com.my or call the Nissan Customer Care Centre hotline at 1800-88-3838.

Click here to view a Nissan Almera Turbo brochure

First Look at the all-new Nissan Almera Turbo (N18), with brief driving impressions

F1 (Round 13): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Race starts at 1:10 pm in Italy | 8:10 pm in Malaysia

Round 13 of the 2020 Formula World Championship is another new event – the Formula 1 Emirates Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. It is the third race on Italian soil this year, after races at Monza and Mugello.

This weekend, it is held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, more popularly referred to as the Imola Circuit as it is near the city of Imola. The last time the circuit had a F1 race was 14 years, when the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix was run.

The circuit had its name associated with the famous Italian carmaker in 1970 to honour Ferrari and mark the importance of the links with the circuit. It was initially after Enzo Ferrari’s son Dino; when Enzo himself passed away in 1988, the decision was taken to add the father’s name to that of his son.

*The last time a F1 race was held at Imola was the 2006 San Marino GP.*

A 2-day weekend format is being tried out for the first time, an approach which could allow additional races to be added to the calendar without spending too many days travelling far from home.

The shortened schedule means less track time – and only one driver has actually done a F1 race at Imola. He is Kimi Raikkonen, who raced at the circuit 5 times in total. For the rest, there’s only one 90-minute session in the morning available to get to know the layout before qualifying in the afternoon.

There are no lap times to aim for, partly because Formula 1 has not been here for several years and even for Raikkonen, the layout has been changed somewhat from what he knew.

Until very recently, it had been hoped that spectators would be allowed to attend in limited numbers, but the worsening of the COVID-19 situation in Italy forced a new decision to be made this week to hold the race without spectators. Furthermore, the race must start right after lunchtime to ensure there is sufficient daylight in the 4-hour window available.

The Imola circuit is a highly technical one, with a wide range of corners. The 67-year old circuit (which has changed over the years) is narrow and bumpy, as the older tracks tend to be. This is quite a change from what the drivers experienced in Portugal just recently.

“With very little time available to analyse the data from free practice, we have reorganised our priorities, allocating resources in a different way both at the track and back in Maranello. We will also manage components, engines and gearboxes for example or the incorporation of components that have already been tested, so as to cut down time spent and to try and reduce the risks as much as possible,” said Matteo Togninalli, Scuderia Ferrari’s Chief Race Engineer.

“The fact that the track has not had a F1 race in 14 years is indeed an additional and significant variable. It means that preparation prior to the event is even more important to try and perform as well as possible. Without any data to work from, as is the case with Imola, the level of fine tuning is reduced and one has to look at the bigger picture,” he explained.

He added that the simulator helps the driver to quickly familiarise himself with the track, not just its layout, but also other features that can impact performance, such as bumpy sections, where to ride the kerbs, the right lines and braking points. “It’s true the drivers learn a new track incredibly quickly and are soon on the limit, but it’s also true that when you go to a new track, the lap times tumble much more quickly than usual. It’s important therefore to do as many laps as possible to get to the optimum level as soon as possible,” Togninalli said.

Fuel pump recall list for Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Malaysia expanded

Following a recall notice announced in March, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) has expanded the list of affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles that require a fuel pump replacement. The expansion has been prompted by additional information received from Toyota Motor Corporation which has identified 9,500 new units of Toyota models and 850 new units of Lexus models. These were units officially distributed by UMWT between July 2017 and July 2019.

Models affected
The Toyota models affected are the Alphard, Vellfire, Camry, Corolla, Fortuner, Innova, C-HR and Harrier. Lexus models affected are the ES250, GS200t, GS350, IS200t, LC500, LS500, LX570, NX300, RX300 and RX350. Models not mentioned are not affected, UMWT stresses.

The issue with the defective fuel pump is a serious one as it may stop operating. If this were to occur, warning lights and messages may be displayed on the instrument panel, and engine power or hesitation may occur. Therefore it is very important that owners respond to this recall announcement and visit an authorised Toyota or Lexus service centre for the replacement.

*Models such as the Toyota Harrier (above) and Lexus LS 500 (below) imported from Japan by UMWT are among the vehicles being recalled under the Special Service Campaign.*

UMWT says it will officially notify affected vehicle owners to request them bring their vehicles in for the replacement of the fuel pump unit. There will be no charges for the parts and labour involved in this Special Service Campaign.

It is possible that some owners might not receive such a notification if they are not the original owner and their contact details are not registered with UMWT. If you own one of the vehicles listed (and distributed through the authorised Toyota and Lexus network) but do not receive any notification from UMWT, you can contact any authorised Toyota Service Centre or call the Toyota Freephone at 1800-8-TOYOTA (869682) for assistance. For Lexus owners, contact authorised Lexus Service Centres or call the Lexus Freephone at 1800-22-LEXUS (53987).

Lower maintenance costs with Toyota Service Savers packages

Fuel Price Updates For October 31 – November 6, 2020

Naza Kia Red Cube showroom in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has shut down

The Kia Red Cube outlet along the Federal Highway in Petaling Jaya, Selangor is no longer operating, according to a news report by our friends over at DSF. They have also learnt that it is to be taken over by a brand from China soon.

Before Naza Kia took over the building, it was a Toyota showroom and it was the second purpose-built car showroom built in Malaysia. The first company to occupy it when it opened in 1978 was Borneo Motors, then the distributor for Toyota vehicles. It was one of the very first 3S centres as it had a showroom, a small service centre which also sold spare parts and even a used car section.

The building, with its sloping façade, cost RM3 million to construct and became a landmark along the Federal Highway. It was the first of a few car companies to open outlets in the area. The building was then passed over the Sejati Motor (UMW Toyota Motor today) in 1982 when the company took over the Toyota distributorship for Malaysia.

UMW Toyota Motor used it as its head office as well as showroom for many years until 2005 when it built a new complex in Shah Alam, its present location. With the departure of the head office, the showroom was also closed down and was vacant for a while until Naza Kia took over in 2011.

*Before Naza Kia took over, the building was a Toyota showroom from the time it opened in 1978.*

Naza Kia spent some RM5 million to renovate the building to follow the Korean carmaker’s Red Cube concept. The facility in Malaysia was the second country after South Korea to adopt the concept which has since been used for Kia outlets in many other countries.

The closure of the flagship showroom comes at a time when there are rumours of the Kia franchise changing hands, notwithstanding the fact that Naza Kia is also promoting the new Kia Seltos SUV to be launched soon.