East Malaysia is truck country and with the Ford Ranger as its core model, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) has made sure it has a good presence there to offer one of the best trucks in the market.
Over the years, the company, which has been the sole distributor for Ford vehicles in Malaysia since 2008, has steadily built up its network in the region and recently added another dealership in Sabah. With this new dealership SDAC-Ford now has 37 outlets nationwide.
Operated by Rightpower Corporation Sdn Bhd, Ford Kota Kinabalu (Penampang) is the second Ford 3S Centre in the state capital and the eighth outlet in East Malaysia.
East Malaysia, though having a smaller volume of sales than Peninsular Malaysia, continues to grow and for companies selling pick-up trucks, it is an important market. Due to the varied nature of the roads in the region, pick-up trucks are ideal for travelling around so they are very popular.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), which has a range of Ford trucks to offer, has been strengthening its presence in East Malaysia over the years. Following the recent debut of the Next-Generation Ford Ranger in Sabah, the exclusive distributor for the brand in Malaysia has appointed a new dealership in Kota Kinabalu.
The new Ford Kota Kinabalu dealership is located at the Inanam Auto Hub and operated by Boston Auto Sdn Bhd. It is SDAC’s 7th outlet in East Malaysia (and the 36th in Malaysia) and strategically located within Sabah’s capital city.
Mitsubishi owners in Kluang, Johor, now have a more convenient location to go to when they need aftersales services or to purchase their next Mitsubishi vehicle. A new Mitsubishi Motors 3S Centre (Sales, Service & Spare parts) operated by K.M. Lim Auto Sdn Bhd has opened in Taman Tasik Indah to serve the surrounding areas.
The new dealership brings the number of outlets in Johor to seven. Nationwide, the Mitsubishi Motors brand is represented by 55 outlets (out of which 50 are 3S Centres) and 56 service centres. In East Malaysia, there are 14 showrooms (7 in Sarawak and 7 in Sabah).
Although sales in the East Malaysian markets account for only 5% of Honda sales in Malaysia (January to September 2022), the attention given is no different from that in Peninsular Malaysia. Periodically, new dealersips are opened to expand the network or existing dealerships are upgraded to provide more services to customers.
The latest development is in Sarawak, where a new Honda 3S centre has been opened in the state capital of Kuching, bringing the total number of dealerships in East Malaysia to 14.
Operated by Northmont Capital Sdn. Bhd., the dealership is situated in Petra Jaya, an area which is easily accessible for customers residing in the many residential areas to the north and south of the Sarawak River.
Isuzu owners in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor have one more outlet where they can obtain full sales and aftersales support. The outlet is located along Jalan Jinjang Permai in the northern fringes of Kuala Lumpur and offers the full range of Isuzu models.
Operated by Autoexec Corporation, the 3S (sales service and spare parts) centre has a bolder and more vibrant façade with a distinctive logo tower, major elements in Isuzu Malaysia’s new retail outlet design.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) continues to expand its dealer network around the country to make the German brand more accessible to customers. The latest outlet to be opened in the Klang Valley is at Setia Alam in Selangor by Goh Brothers Motor.
Goh Brothers Motor has had a long association with Volkswagen and its new outlet in Setia Alam joins two others – in Juru, Penang and Ipoh, Perak. With the addition of Volkswagen Setia Alam, the brand network now has 18 outlets.
One of the missions of Proton, which initiated the first National Car project, was to advance the automotive industry at all levels. Prior to the 1980s, the auto business was largely in the hands of a small number of players – many foreign-owned – and the aim was to help Malaysian businessmen get into the business in a bigger way.
Thus when Proton started, it saw the establishment of a network of dealers, small and large, starting up all over the country. For some, it was the first entry into the car business and they received the necessary support to grow their business. Over time, many of these dealers have worked hard to grow and with guidance and encouragement from Proton, they have become bigger.
Today, the small 1S dealerships which rely only on sales of new vehicles are no longer viable and Proton has persuaded dealerships to upgrade to 3S or 4S facilities where they offer sales, service, spare parts as well as body repairs and painting. In other words, they offer their customers the full range of services that will be required throughout vehicle ownership.
Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd now has a medium and heavy-duty (MHD) truck dealership in Sabah to provide a complete range of sales and aftersales services to customers. The first MHD truck dealer is Universal Motor Sdn Bhd which is located in the state’s capital city of Kota Kinabalu. With this new MHD dealership, Isuzu Malaysia now has 12 MHD dealerships nationwide.
The dealership, which occupies a land area of 3.5 acres, has a total of 20 service bays, 13 of which are for light-duty trucks, medium, heavy-duty trucks and prime movers. The remaining 7 bays are for the D-MAX pick-up truck, a popular Isuzu model with multi-role capabilities for business and personal use.
Ipoh in the Kinta Valley of Perak was where the first cars in Malaya were imported to and records show that the first owner was Eu Tong Seng, a wealthy businessman who brought in a Mercedes Simplex in 1902. He must have been very interested in the new ‘horseless carriages’ as the Simplex was launched in that same year by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft.
Four years later, in 1906, a company opened up its first branch in Ipoh and this company would become associated with Mercedes-Benz to this day. It was Cycle & Carriage (C&C) and although it was not representing Mercedes-Benz then, it would become one of the first distributors of the German brand in Asia when it was appointed in 1951.
The latest Mercedes-Benz S 580e at the C&C Autohaus in Ipoh. 120 years ago, in 1902, the first car in Ipoh (and Malaya) was also a Mercedes – the Simplex (below).
Ipoh is therefore a special place in C&C’s long history and although that first branch was along Brewster Road (today known as Jalan Sultan Idris Shah), the company’s branch dealing in Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles is now located at Jalan Kuala Kangsar. This is where the company has its fourth Autohaus incorporating the latest Mercedes-Benz Brand Presence. The newly upgraded Autohaus, which was recently officially opened, is part of the Mercedes-Benz network for the Northern region.
Mercedes-Benz Retail Brand Presence
The Mercedes-Benz Retail Brand Presence is a retail strategy which highlights the integration of digital elements into the physical world, with the aim of delivering customer-centric automotive retail experiences for modern-day shoppers. This seamless journey for the customer caters to the multi-channel shopper while addressing the increasing technological complexity of products that customers are interested in.
“As the leading dealership for Mercedes-Benz in Malaysia, Cycle & Carriage is committed to providing our customers exceptional journeys and best-in-class services whether it is during their purchase experience or ownership journey. Today, we are proud to showcase the upgraded Cycle & Carriage Ipoh Autohaus, a key location in our network coverage from north to south of Peninsula Malaysia,” said Thomas Tok, CEO of Cycle & Carriage.
“We want to give Mercedes-Benz customers the assurance that they can access our best services here in Ipoh. We believe that the new retail concept responds to the individual needs of today’s discerning customers, making our products even more accessible to anyone who wants to dive deeper into the world of Mercedes-Benz,” he added.
Immersive experience for customers
The modern design of the upgraded Cycle & Carriage Ipoh Autohaus is set against a backdrop of the picturesque limestone cliffs of the city. The facility covers a land area of over 56,000 square feet with ample space for visitors to park their cars. The showroom has been specially designed with ample open space and custom daylight-emitting spotlights to show off the true colours of each model on display. All vehicles are intentionally arranged in the shape of an arc to maximise the visibility of the range available.
Visitors can also immerse themselves in a journey featuring the latest in multimedia tools to gain a thorough understanding of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and their technologies. With the addition of new digital touchpoints, customers can discover the brand while gaining access to the service team for a complete experience of luxury that integrates both the digital and human touch.
For individual consultations, there are various seating locations arranged in open, semi-private or private areas for discussions. This includes the Star Lounge, which has a cafe to offer a more refined touch to many services available.
For those who have made a purchase and are taking delivery of their new Mercedes-Benz, there is a special room for the purpose. C&C makes sure that it is treated as a special occasion for the customer to remember and to start or extend the relationship with the company and the brand.
Fully equipped service centre
For aftersales services, the Autohaus has a service centre with trained personnel and is fully equipped with equipment for maintenance, repair, painting and even car detailing services. With 31 service and repair bays (11 of which are for body and paint jobs), the service centre is one of the largest of its type in the area. The health and comfort of the staff are not forgotten as there are high ceilings and large fans for a naturally airy space.
Designed with sustainability in mind
The Autohaus is designed with sustainability in mind and is the second C&C Autohaus (after the one in Johor Bahru) to install solar panels that can provide up to 72 kWp of electricity from sunshine. In addition to this free and environment-friendly source of electricity, there are also rainwater-harvesting systems to supply water for general use around the facility.
To know more about Mercedes-Benz products and services or to locate an authorised showroom, visit www.mercedes-benz.com.my.
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.
The Triton pick-up and XPANDER MPV (below) are popular Mitsubishi models available at every authorised dealership.
