JM Auto Gallery (Alor Star), an authorised Mitsubishi Motors dealer, has been associated with the brand for 14 years and has been growing with it. Confident of continued growth, the dealership has relocated to a new site in Alor Setar, Kedah, as well as opened a new 3S centre in Langkawi.
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Car-buyers and Mitsubishi owners in the Klang Valley, specifically the Kota Damansara area, now have a new Mitsubishi 3S centre to serve then. Authorized dealer Millennium Autohaus Sdn Bhd recently opened a new 3S Centre which will offer sales, aftersales services and spare parts in the growing township. The new outlet joins the Mitsubishi Motors network which now numbers 15 throughout Malaysia.
The facility, which is easily accessible via the NKVE Highway, has a built-up area of 12,370 square feet. As a 3S centre, all services are on one site, so it is convenient for both customers and owners. For those interested in buying a new Mitsubishi vehicle, there is a spacious showroom to view the latest models while, for owners, the fully-equipped service centre has 5 bays for efficient daily throughput.
“Congratulations to Millennium Autohaus for opening a Mitsubishi Motors showroom here in the Klang Valley. As business operations have restored nationwide, Mitsubishi Motors is placing a lot of emphasis on enhancing our network development such as establishing more dealerships and upgrading our facility, as well as digitally advancing our platforms to provide our customers with the best shopping experience,” said Shinya Ikeda, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
“MMM achieved a new record in October with 2,041 units of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles sold. We are appreciative of the government’s effort to extend the sales tax exemption until June 2022. This move will certainly help more Malaysians to purchase cars with extra savings and, at the same time, boost the nation’s economy through the automotive sector. We would also like to thank our customers for their great support and patience towards the Mitsubishi Motors brand. We will continue to enrich our customer’s touchpoints, providing them with more convenience and only the best,” he added.
Your new Mitsubishi vehicle can now be delivered right to your home
Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (JLRM), a joint venture between Sime Darby Motors and SISMA Auto since 2014, will consolidate and strengthen Jaguar Land Rover retail business operations making it the sole importer and dealer in Malaysia.
The move will see the acquisition of dealer assets and transfer of staff from both Sime Darby Auto ConneXion and SISMA Auto and the consolidation of its central business operations into the Jaguar and Land Rover Dealership at Ara Damansara, Selangor. This outlet is currently the largest Jaguar Land Rover 4S facility within the South-East Asia region. JLRM, will also be operating its retail operations located in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Penang.
According to Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia, this is part of its ambitious plan to improve service capabilities and drive long-term growth for the brand. JLRM’s consolidation exercise will put the company in a stronger position to serve its customers, whilst optimising retail and distribution costs, as well as overheads.
“This consolidation will be a positive move towards better operational efficiency with elevated levels of premium services which will help drive long-term growth for the company. These measures will leverage on the company’s vast experience and accumulated knowhow through the decades to strengthen its processes and deliver more value to our customers,” he added.
JLRM expects this consolidation to continue to elevate customer experiences, differentiating it from the mass premium brands. Together with digitalization initiatives, it plans to invest more on technology and will increasingly deploy digitalisation over the next few years to improve its service capacity to deliver top-notch services to its customers.
The joint venture between SISMA Auto and Sime Darby Motors brings together more than 60 years of cumulative experience in the automotive business. Both entities have been credited with outstanding performances by securing top positions in the Retailer of the Year Award 2020/21 title for their superlative service and dedication to customers.
Tuan Syed Ahmad Muzri said customers can expect more luxurious and convenient services from Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia. “Those who wish to join the Jaguar and Land Rover family will find even more value and options, available at the 167,586 sq.ft. Ara Damansara facility which houses both new and approved Jaguar Land Rover pre-owned vehicles under one roof,” he said.
JLRM will continue to invest heavily in training to grow the number of Jaguar Land Rover Master level 4 Technicians and Electric Vehicle Technology Certified Technicians in ensuring owners get the most from their vehicles. Sales and service advisors are also trained according to Jaguar Land Rover standards so that customers will always feel confident and secure as part of their purchase and ownership experiences.
Service Outreach programmes will also be curated to bring coverage to the southern region of Johore Bahru whilst it assumes retail coverage of the Northern region via its outlet in Penang Island.
As for product offerings, there will be new models in the near future from both the Land Rover and Jaguar brands. These include the Jaguar F-Pace SUV, XF Executive Sedan and I-Pace all-electric performance SUV. From Land Rover, there will be the Defender 90 following the recent launch of the New Defender 110 and an all-new Range Rover (to be revealed tomorrow).
For more information on models available in Malaysia and the locations of showrooms to view them, visit www.landrover.com.my or www.jaguar.com.my.
Volvo Cars has signed an agreement with its parent company, Geely Holding, to acquire Geely Holding’s stake in the companies’ joint ventures in China. This development means that the Swedish carmaker, acquired by Geely from Ford in 2010, will take full ownership of its car manufacturing plants and sales operations in the biggest car market in the world
The acquisition of an additional 50% of the shares in Daqing Volvo Car Manufacturing and Shanghai Volvo Car Research & Development will further strengthen Volvo Cars’ position in China, its largest market, and maximize exposure to one of the fastest growing regions globally.
Full control over operations in China
Although the two joint venture companies are already fully included in Volvo Car Group’s financial statements, Volvo Cars’ share of their net income and equity will increase following the transaction. “With this agreement, Volvo Cars will become the first major non-Chinese automaker with full control over its Chinese operations,” said Hakan Samuelsson, Chief Executive of Volvo Cars.
“Geely Holding Group and Volvo Cars are continuously evaluating the best way to collaborate and structure operations within the wider Group. These two transactions will create a clearer ownership structure within both Volvo Cars and Geely Holding,” said Geely Holding CEO, Daniel Donghui Li.
Acquisition includes R&D facility
Volvo Cars has grown significantly faster than the average market in China in recent years and will continue to invest in the country to maintain the strong growth trend. Following the transactions, Volvo Cars will have full ownership of its manufacturing plants in Chengdu and Daqing, its national sales company in China and its R&D facility in Shanghai.
The transactions will be completed in two steps, starting in 2022 when the joint venture requirement for auto manufacturing in China will be lifted, and expected to be formally completed in 2023. The transactions will, of course, need regulatory approvals.
Strong growth in China in spite of pandemic
Volvo Cars has seen strong growth in the Chinese market in recent years. In 2020, it sold 166,617 cars in China, an increase of 7.5% over 2019 performance and its eighth consecutive sales record in the market in spite of the pandemic. In the first half of 2021, sales increased 44.9% compared to the same period in 2020, and by 40.1% compared with the same period in 2019.
Geely Holding and Volvo Cars to form joint-venture company producing powertrains
Car dealerships used to start off just as small showrooms selling just new cars, while the aftersales aspect was elsewhere or left to another party also involved in the same brand which had a service centre. However, as the profit from just selling cars alone is not significant, dealerships have expanded their scope of services to include aftersales service, preferably at one location for customer convenience.
Unitedstar Corporation Sdn Bhd, an authorised Toyota dealership located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has evolved in such a manner since beginning its business with the brand 15 years ago. Today, its outlet in the Taman Mayang area has been upgraded and offers both sales and aftersales services.
Toyota dealer for 15 years
“Unitedstar Corporation has been an authorised Toyota dealership since 2005, with just a showroom for sales at Aman Suria, Damansara followed by new 3S centre at Taman Nilai Perdana, Seremban in 2019. UMW Toyota Motor is pleased to see that the success and growth of the business has led to this upgrading. Broadening their scope of services to customers is in line with our “Customer First” philosophy,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
The upgraded outlet is located in close proximity to large local communities and commercial growth areas. Its fully equipped service centre has 10 bays to provide efficient and speedy servicing daily. There are around 20 personnel who have received specific training to maintain Toyota vehicles and keep them in tip-top condition.
“This modern and inviting dealership reflects Toyota’s high standards in customer care. Throughout the world, Toyota dealers give priority to providing the best possible experience, including the highest standard of aftersales services,” said Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman, UMW Toyota Motor.
To locate Toyota showrooms or service centre in Malaysia, visit toyota.com.my.
Two more UMW Toyota Motor branch outlets transferred to dealers
Besides its Toyota branches around Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) is also transferring its Lexus retail operations to dealers. Although this may seem something new to Malaysians, dealers are usually the ones who manage retail outlets in other countries. It’s only in Malaysia that distributors have established their own branches to do retail as well and it goes back many decades. Back in the 1960s, only the large distributors had the money so they started the retail outlets themselves and the trend remained for a long time.
The Lexus Centre in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has been transferred to Hiewa Auto Gallery (Lexus) Sdn Bhd. This outlet was the first official Lexus outlet in Malaysia when it was opened over 10 years ago.
By transferring retail responsibilities to dealers, UMWT will be able to increase intensity on high value-added upstream activities such as product development, marketing and dealer network support.
“It is essential for Lexus Malaysia to continue achieving high customer satisfaction standards,” said Lexus Malaysia President, Ravindran K. He gave assurance that the typically high quality of customer care that Lexus is well known for will be maintained.
“I am extremely excited about working even more closely with our dealers to achieve a shared vision for Lexus Malaysia, which is to develop the concept of ‘Best In Town’ that focuses more on one-to-one customer engagement. Although this arrangement signifies an important change for Lexus Malaysia, our customers should rest assured that our service will not be compromised but gets even better in the future” he added.
Information on the Lexus network of sales and aftersales locations in Malaysia can be found at lexus.com.my.
For some time now, Mitsubishi Motors authorized dealerships around Malaysia have been undergoing a transformation in their appearance and presentation to conform to the new brand Visual Identity (VI). The change has been progressively introduced to some 5,000 dealerships worldwide since 2019.
The move is based on the new brand message ‘Drive your Ambition‘ and is intended to provide a better customer experience in a high quality retail environment and to strengthen Mitsubishi Motors’ brand image.
The new VI features black, white and grey colour schemes with red dynamic lines as an accent. The uniform design will also ensure a coherent experience for customers across all points they touch the brand, from motor shows, websites and brochures to the dealership.
The architecture reflects the new Corporate and Visual Identity, with a ‘Dynamic Slope’ as a signature element to present the robust and dynamic image of the brand. Inside, the showroom is designed to provide a better customer experience, while the cars are presented to make sure they’re seen as the stars.
First in Melaka
To date, 20 of the dealerships in Malaysia feature the new VI, with the latest being Sing Kwung Jidosha in Melaka. Sing Kwung Jidosha, located in Taman Industri Malim Jaya, is the first Mitsubishi Motors showroom in Melaka with the new VI. As a 3S facility, the dealership offers sales, service and spare parts under one roof.
With a built-up area of 10,000 square feet, the upgraded 3S Centre houses a comfortable customer lounge with wifi and sufficient space to display up to 4 vehicles. Its service centre is fully-equipped workshop and can handle up to 5 vehicles daily.
There is also a Body and Paint facility which provides repair and refinishing services. Needless to say, any parts replaced are genuine Mitsubishi Motors parts or approved by the manufacturer. The technicians also use advanced diagnostic tools and Special Service Tools to ensure that the work done is up to the brand’s high standards.
“I would like to thank Sing Kwung Jidosha, for successfully completing this showroom with a new Mitsubishi Motors VI! With an enhanced brand image, this represents our commitment to put customers as the foremost priority, providing them with a seamless experience when they visit our showrooms, and in a more comfortable ambience,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
Click here for other news and articles about Mitsubishi Motors.
The BMW dealership in Tebrau, Johor, which was taken over by Auto Bavaria, will commence operations from July 15, 2020. As a 4S centre, it will offer the full range of services and systems for the BMW, BMW Motorrad, and MINI brands, as well as and BMW Premium Selection (pre-owned vehicles).
The Auto Bavaria Tebrau dealership (formerly managed by a unit of Wearnes) has a large built-up space of 63,000 square feet, capable of displaying up to 10 units of BMW and BMW Motorrad vehicles, six MINI cars as well as 8 vehicles from the BMW Premium Selection portfolio.
It will start off with a dedicated staff count of over 80 to serve customers of the various brands. As with other dealerships, there will be a Customer Lounge, Isetta Bar, BMW Lifestyle & Accessories, Handover Area and RATC (reception at the car) Service.
The Dealer Principal of Auto Bavaria Tebrau, Andy Tian, said: “A new journey is ahead of us in the southern region to deliver the premium ownership experience to more customers here. We continue to stay true to our promise of providing not only the best in customer service, but to exceed expectations in delivering what BMW has always stood for – providing Sheer Driving Pleasure.”
Auto Bavaria, a unit of Sime Darby Motors, was previously the importer and distributor for BMW vehicles, having taken over from BMW Concessionaires in 1988. It steadily developed the brand in the years that followed until BMW Group Malaysia was established in 2003 to manage assembly, marketing and distribution activities for the various brands. Nevertheless, Auto Bavaria, part of the Sime Darby Motors group, has continued to be the leading dealer chain representing BMW and Mini.
Visit www.bmw.com.my or mini.my for more information on products and services of the respective brands.
Although Sabah is some distance away from Proton’s headquarters in Peninsular Malaysia, attention to its business in the state is just as much as for any other state in the country. As the customer base grows, there is a need to ensure that there are sufficient facilities to provide sales and aftersales services.
In fact, according to Proton’s CEO, sales in East Malaysia this year have seen a growth of 31%, whilst for Sabah, the increase was 39%, compared to the same period last year. “Brand perception has also shifted and this is evident from our increasing sales,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton, adding that the Saga remains a popular choice in the state.
In support of the need for network growth, Shirba Auto World Sdn Bhd has officially opened a new Proton 3S outlet in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. It is the third Proton dealer outlet opened in Kota Kinabalu, joining 104 3S/4S outlets nationwide.
As a new Proton investor, Ridzuan Datuk Hj Lassim, Director of Shirba Auto World, sees a lot of opportunities in Proton. “The future business outlook for Proton is promising, especially with its range of new car models. It also gives a lot of confidence to the public that Proton is currently managed by a pool of talent with global experience. It is a company which is exciting, international, forward looking and ready to take on the market,” he said.
The outlet has a built-up area of 2,259 square metres with a showroom to view the various models and a service centre with 12 service bays. Customers can relax in the comfort of the lounge while they wait, and they have free access to wifi service.
“The initiatives that are put in place have resulted in us gaining confidence from investors and the market. Many have decided to invest in a dealership because they have witnessed the positive developments at Proton. They see Proton as a solid brand and are willing to partner with us,” Dr. Li said.
For most car companies, the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia accounts for many of their new vehicle sales. It is a prosperous region with steady development and opening of new townships. For this reason, network development gives a lot of focus to Johor and recently, Naza Kia Malaysia opened a new 3S outlet in Tampoi, Johor Bahru, in partnership with authorised dealer Supreme Priority Sdn Bhd.
Located along Jalan Tampoi, the Kia Tampoi 3S Centre has a built-up area of 18,000 square feet. Its showroom can display up to 7 vehicles so visitors will be able to see a good selection of models. As a 3S centre, it offers sales, service and spare parts and is geared to handle up to 100 Kia vehicles a month. Supreme Priority invested RM5 million to establish this 3S outlet.
Serving owners in Tampoi and surroundings
The Kia Tampoi 3S Centre is also intended to serve owners in the surrounding areas of Tampoi New Village, Skudai, Nusajaya and Larkin. Its strategic location means that they now have a shorter distance to travel to get full aftersales support.
“With the new Kia Tampoi 3S Centre, we have altogether 6 Kia outlets in Johor and with that, we are confident we will be able to cater to the needs and demands of our customers and future customers here. Johor has been a significant market for us as 90% of Korean car owners here own a Kia,” said R. Devaraju, Deputy Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings.
Mr. Devaraju added that the company has plans in the pipeline to further enhance the current network and expand on the 45 Kia outlets nationwide.
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Visit www.kia.com to know more about Kia models available in Malaysia.
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